Plaza Bank Branch to Open Its Doors
in New Kent Station Development
 The
Northwest’s first Hispanic-owned bank, Plaza Bank
(in organization), has secured a lease for its inaugural
branch in the Kent Station development in the city of
Kent. Plaza Bank, headquartered in downtown Seattle, is
pleased with the location and plans to open its doors
during the second quarter of 2006.
“We’re thrilled to join the Kent business
community. It’s an area that is certainly seeing
substantial growth, especially in its business sector
and its Hispanic market,” states Plaza Bank President
and CEO Carlos Guangorena.
Guangorena, also a Plaza Bank director and organizer,
is an integral part of the team that built Plaza Bank
on the foundation of providing expert commercial banking
services with a special focus on Hispanic businesses and
consumers. Guangorena has spent 29 years in the banking
industry, most recently as senior vice president at Wells
Fargo.
The team of directors includes other prominent business
leaders. Michael E. Sotelo, also founder and organizer
of Plaza Bank, is president of the Washington State Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce, founder and president of Approach
Management Services and vice president of W.G. Clark Construction
Co. Other directors include Steve Johnson (principal at
Raskin Partners since 2003 and in real estate for the
past 25 years), Cristóbal Guillen (executive director
of the Washington State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce),
Pedro Celis (Microsoft software architect and Professional
Latino Association of the Northwest board member), Gene
Juárez (founder and president of the upscale salon-and-spa
chain bearing his name), Robert Flowers (chairman of the
KCTS board of directors and retired Washington Mutual
senior vice president) and George Armendariz (vice president
of Bunswick Corporation/U.S. Marine).
One local business owner is happy to hear that Plaza
Bank will have a retail branch in his neighborhood. Roberto
González moved to Kent 31 years ago and looks forward
to a community bank that not only offers a welcoming attitude
and expert service, but that also speaks his language.
Quotes González, “The time is right, the
market’s here—we need it.” González
is extremely familiar with the business climate in Kent;
not only owner of Mexico Lindo restaurant, Kent’s
oldest Mexican restaurant, González also serves
on the board of directors of the Kent Downtown Partnership
and the Kent Chamber of Commerce, is president of the
Kent-El Grullo (Jalisco, Mexico) Sister Cities and was
appointed to Kent’s Diversity Board by former mayor
Jim White.
Plaza Bank’s 3,909-square-foot space sits at 207
West Kent Station Street in the brand new development.
Along with the typical amenities of a full-service bank,
such as small-business lending, personal bankers and Internet
and ATM banking, Plaza Bank aims to embrace the Latino
community by providing a completely bilingual/bicultural
customer retail experience that includes products and
services especially targeted to that segment. Plaza Bank
will further connect with its customers through its community
room, a space designed for civic and educational events—a
place where people can gather to celebrate, network, or
learn.
Tarragon, the company credited with developing Kent Station,
was approached by Plaza Bank directors and responded positively.
Says Tarragon President Joe Blattner, “Kent Station
was created as an urban village, and the community orientation
and suite of services Plaza Bank is creating will certainly
mesh with our vision here at Kent Station.”
Others are eager to see Plaza Bank open its doors as
well. "The Hispanic community has established a strong
entrepreneurial presence in Kent," said Kent Mayor
Suzette Cooke. "We are honored to have the state's
first Hispanic Bank located at Kent Station at the Center
of Kent's vibrant new downtown.”
Plaza Bank (in organization) is a local community commercial
bank providing quality services and products to businesses,
non-profit organizations and consumers with a focus on
Hispanic businesses and consumers.
For more information about Plaza Bank or to learn about
investment opportunities, contact Carlos Guangorena at
206-441-4499, extension 2.
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