Southern California Bancorp (BCAL) announced that David Rainer will become chief executive officer on January 1, 2026, following the retirement of long‑time CEO Steven Shelton effective December 31, 2025. Rainer, who has held multiple senior roles within the bank, will also serve as chairman of the board, consolidating leadership and signaling continuity for the combined institution.
Rainer’s appointment comes after his pivotal role in the July 31, 2024 merger of Southern California Bancorp with California BanCorp. The merger created a combined entity with approximately $4.6 billion in assets and positioned the bank to serve mid‑market businesses across California. Rainer, who was CEO of Southern California Bancorp at the time of the merger, became executive chairman of the combined bank, while Shelton, former CEO of California BanCorp, assumed the CEO role. The transition to Rainer as CEO reflects the board’s confidence in his experience leading the merger and his ability to drive the next phase of growth.
Steven Shelton will remain on the board as a strategic transition partner and advisor through December 31, 2026, ensuring a smooth handover and preserving the momentum generated by the merger. His continued involvement underscores the board’s commitment to stability while the bank expands its commercial banking franchise.
The leadership change is expected to accelerate BCAL’s focused growth trajectory. Rainer plans to build on the merger’s synergies by deepening relationships with mid‑market clients, expanding lending capacity, and leveraging the combined technology platform to enhance service offerings. The bank’s recent profitability gains and the scale achieved through the merger provide a solid foundation for further expansion in California’s competitive banking landscape.
The announcement reinforces BCAL’s strategy of delivering disciplined growth while maintaining a strong balance sheet. Rainer’s track record of managing large-scale integrations and his focus on operational efficiency position the bank to capitalize on opportunities in the mid‑market segment, while Shelton’s advisory role offers continuity and institutional knowledge during the transition.
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