Client Stories

Fuel for Growth.

Revolutionizing Nutrition for Kids and Communities

Here's some (good) food for thought: Starting from scratch in 2006, Revolution Foods has grown to now serve two million healthy meals per week in 1,000+ schools nationwide, with revenues exceeding $150 million in 2017.

"We began with a very strong vision to transform access to healthy, delicious, kid-inspired, chef-crafted meals," says Chairman and CEO Kristin Groos Richmond, one of the Oakland-based company's two "founding moms", along with Chief Impact Officer Kirsten Saenz Tobey. Their food philosophy is that nurturing bright minds starts with fueling active bodies.

Now the proof is in the pudding. New research from Nutrition Policy Institute and UC Berkeley concludes students at California public schools with a healthy lunch vendor score higher on achievement tests.

Helping to power this growing, venture capital-backed enterprise – now also expanding in grocery aisles – is Western Alliance's Bridge Bank. Says Revolution Foods CFO Kendall Baker: "The bank is an active participant in our growth. They helped make sure we had funding that worked on our way to expanding our revenues more than 20 percent this year."

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From The Banker

"Revolution Foods is a perfect example of a client that came to us early in the company's life cycle, and we have continued to grow together."

Mike Lederman
SVP, Western Region Director, Technology Banking

From The Client

"We have consistently found this is the most innovative, technically aware lender in their space. This bank is so creative and responsive, they are an important part of our success and impact."

Kristin Groos Richmond (pictured left)
Chairman and CEO, Revolution Foods

Kristin Kirsten

Valued Counsel.

Opening More Doors with a Fast-growing Mortgage Company

Sometimes it's who you know – and what they know. At least according to Bill Rogers, CEO of award-winning mortgage company Homeowners Financial Group (HFG).

In 2011, when HFG first became a client of Western Alliance's Mortgage Warehouse Lending, the Scottsdale-based company already had a handful of successful offices in Arizona and California. Today HFG, which funded an impressive $1.7 billion in mortgage loans in 2016, is licensed in 24 states and operates more than 40 brick-and-mortar locations.

Throughout this period of strategic expansion, Rogers has relied on his bankers as a resource for valuable counsel. "I really feel like there has been a lot of mentoring from Western Alliance as I've grown my business. They have worked with other growing mortgage companies and they see things across the business landscape that deepen our understanding."

He adds, "It's more than just a banking relationship, I trust their opinions about the business environment. As we're growing, they help us make sure our growth is sustainable."

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From The Banker

"Our team brings significant depth of experience in the mortgage industry to each of our clients, and this is a competitive advantage."

Steve Curley
EVP, Mortgage Warehouse Lending

From The Client

"I think Western Alliance is one of the reasons we've succeeded and continue to succeed."

Bill Rogers
CEO, Homeowners Financial Group

Bill Rogers

Innovative Financing.

Driving Shorter Commutes in Silicon Valley

For millions of Silicon Valley drivers, spending a few dollars to shave seven minutes off their commutes is an appealing bargain. That's all part of the plan for Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), a public agency charged with easing traffic congestion in this booming economic region.

Western Alliance Public and Nonprofit Finance stepped in to provide streamlined financing to fund Phase 2 of a system offering solo drivers congestion pricing to use HOV lanes on the busy SR-237. This is a unique example of toll financing, where repayment relies exclusively on toll revenues with no taxpayer funds.

"The fact that we could custom-tailor the financing really helped us," said Raj Srinath, CFO, VTA. "Being able to work with one responsive bank, a commercial bank vs. an investment bank, was more flexible, more convenient and ultimately more cost-effective."

By merging solutions-focused banking with the goals of a forward-thinking public agency, Western Alliance was able to greenlight this high-impact, high-tech project.

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From The Banker

"We're committed to developing financing solutions specifically tailored to meet our customers' objectives."

Monika Suarez
SVP, Municipal Finance Director

From The Client

"Western Alliance took time to learn the issues, they visited and toured, and we were impressed with their hands-on approach."

Raj Srinath
CFO, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

VTA