Pacific Premier Bancorp
A former California-based bank holding company whose principal subsidiary provided commercial banking, trust, escrow, and related financial services.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Pacific Premier Bancorp, Inc. was a California-based bank holding company organized under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956. Its principal operating subsidiary, Pacific Premier Bank, served individuals, businesses, professionals, and other commercial customers through a regional banking network. The bank’s offerings included deposit accounts, commercial and consumer lending, treasury and banking services, wealth-related services, commercial escrow, and 1031 exchange facilitation through its Commerce Escrow division. Its operating footprint included California, Arizona, Nevada, and Washington. The institution’s roots dated to Life Bank, which was founded in 1983. It became a federally chartered stock savings bank in 1991, and Pacific Premier Bancorp was formed as the bank holding company in 1997. The bank later transitioned to a California-chartered commercial bank in 2007. During the 2010s, the company pursued an acquisition-led expansion strategy, adding Canyon National Bank, Palm Desert National Bank, First Associations Bank, San Diego Trust Bank, Infinity Franchise Holdings, Independence Bank, Heritage Oaks Bancorp, Grandpoint Capital and related banking entities, and other businesses. These transactions expanded its geographic reach, customer base, and product capabilities. The acquisition of Opus Bank in 2020 was a particularly significant step. It added a sizable banking platform as well as PENSCO Trust Company, subsequently known as Pacific Premier Trust, and Commerce Escrow. Those businesses broadened Pacific Premier’s activities beyond conventional branch banking into trust, custody, escrow, and real-estate-related exchange services. Pacific Premier Bank also developed a consumer-facing regional profile through community and sports marketing, including a sponsorship relationship with the Los Angeles Chargers that began in 2017. Despite its regional orientation, the company’s business model emphasized commercial relationships and specialized financial services alongside traditional deposits and loans. On April 23, 2025, Columbia Banking System, Inc. announced a definitive agreement to acquire Pacific Premier Bank. The transaction closed on September 2, 2025, bringing the end of Pacific Premier’s independent operating identity as described in the reference material. Historical references to Pacific Premier Bancorp therefore primarily concern its period as an independent publicly traded bank holding company and the growth of Pacific Premier Bank before the Columbia transaction.
History
Pacific Premier Bank originated from Life Bank, founded in 1983. In 1991, the institution became a federally chartered stock savings bank. Pacific Premier Bancorp, Inc. was established as the bank holding company in 1997, creating the corporate structure through which the banking business was subsequently managed and expanded. The company developed its branch and commercial-banking platform during the 2000s. New depository branches were established in Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, and Los Alamitos in 2006. In 2007, the bank converted to a California-chartered commercial bank, aligning its identity more closely with the commercial customers and banking services that became central to its business model. Beginning in 2011, Pacific Premier pursued sustained expansion through acquisitions. It completed the purchase of Canyon National Bank in 2011 and Palm Desert National Bank on April 27, 2012. On March 15, 2013, it acquired First Associations Bank, a Texas-chartered institution headquartered in Dallas. The company then acquired San Diego Trust Bank on June 25, 2013. Later that year, on November 18, it acquired Infinity Franchise Holdings in a transaction reported as having an estimated value of approximately $16 million. The acquisition program continued in 2014, when Pacific Premier bought Independence Bank of Newport Beach in a transaction reported at approximately $71.5 million. In April 2017, it acquired Heritage Oaks Bancorp. In 2018, the company acquired Grandpoint Capital, the holding company associated with Grandpoint Bank, as well as Regents Bank and Biltmore Bank of Arizona. The combined transaction brought an institution with approximately $3.2 billion in total assets into the Pacific Premier platform, further extending its presence and capabilities. Pacific Premier’s largest transformational step described in the reference material came in 2020 with its acquisition of Opus Bank, which had approximately $8 billion in total assets. The transaction also brought PENSCO Trust Company, later renamed Pacific Premier Trust, and Commerce Escrow into the group. These additions diversified the company beyond traditional deposits and lending by providing trust, custody, escrow, and 1031 exchange-related services. Alongside its acquisitions, Pacific Premier built regional brand awareness through marketing and sponsorship. Pacific Premier Bank became a sponsor of the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017, linking the bank to a major Southern California sports organization and its local customer base. The company’s independent history concluded with a proposed combination involving Columbia Banking System. On April 23, 2025, Columbia Banking System entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Pacific Premier Bank. The transaction closed on September 2, 2025. As a result, Pacific Premier Bancorp and Pacific Premier Bank are principally historical subjects as independent institutions, while the banking, trust, and escrow operations became part of the acquiring organization’s post-transaction structure.
- 2025
Acquisition by Columbia Banking System closes
[1]Columbia Banking System completed its acquisition of Pacific Premier Bank on September 2, 2025.
- 2020
Opus Bank acquisition
[1]Pacific Premier acquired Opus Bank, along with PENSCO Trust Company and Commerce Escrow.
- 2017
Heritage Oaks Bancorp acquisition
[1]Pacific Premier acquired Heritage Oaks Bancorp as part of its regional expansion strategy.
- 2011
Canyon National Bank acquisition
[1]Pacific Premier Bank completed the acquisition of Canyon National Bank.
- 2007
Bank becomes California-chartered commercial bank
[1]Pacific Premier Bank changed from its prior federal savings-bank structure to a California-chartered commercial bank.
- 1997
Pacific Premier Bancorp is formed
[1]Pacific Premier Bancorp, Inc. was established as the bank holding company.
- 1991
Conversion to a federally chartered stock savings bank
[1]The bank became a federally chartered stock savings bank.
- 1983
Life Bank is founded
[1]The institution that later developed into Pacific Premier Bank originated from Life Bank, founded in 1983.
Products and positioning
A regional commercial banking group focused on businesses, professionals, individuals, and specialized financial services in the western United States.
Banking services
Commercial banking
Pacific Premier Bank’s core business provided banking services to businesses, professionals, individuals, and other commercial customers. The platform combined deposit-taking, lending, relationship banking, and related financial services across a regional branch network in western U.S. markets.
Banking services
Deposits
The bank offered deposit products for individuals and organizations as part of its conventional commercial-banking platform. Deposits supported the institution’s relationship-banking model and served as a funding base for lending and other customer services.
Lending
Commercial and consumer lending
Pacific Premier provided loan products for business and individual customers. Its lending activities formed a central part of the bank’s commercial focus and were expanded through acquisitions of regional banks and related financial institutions.
Trust and wealth services · 2020
Pacific Premier Trust
Pacific Premier Trust was the renamed PENSCO Trust Company acquired through the Opus Bank transaction. It extended the group into trust and related wealth or custody services beyond traditional deposit and lending products.
Escrow and exchange services · 2020
Commerce Escrow
Commerce Escrow provided commercial escrow services and facilitated transactions associated with Section 1031 exchanges, adding specialized real-estate-related services to Pacific Premier’s banking and trust platform.
Marketing campaigns
- 2017Los Angeles Chargers sponsorship
Southern California · United States
Pacific Premier Bank became a sponsor of the Los Angeles Chargers, using a professional sports partnership to strengthen regional visibility and community-facing brand recognition.
Brand decisions
2025
Agree to acquisition by Columbia Banking SystemM&ABackground
Pacific Premier entered a definitive agreement that would end its period as an independent bank holding company and bank operator.
Action taken
Columbia Banking System announced the agreement to acquire Pacific Premier Bank on April 23, 2025; the transaction closed on September 2, 2025.
Aftermath
Pacific Premier ceased operating as an independent institution according to the supplied reference material.
2020
Acquire Opus Bank and specialty financial divisionsM&ABackground
The transaction was intended to add substantial banking scale and diversify Pacific Premier’s activities into trust and escrow services.
Action taken
Pacific Premier acquired Opus Bank, including PENSCO Trust Company, later renamed Pacific Premier Trust, and Commerce Escrow.
Aftermath
The transaction expanded the group’s banking, trust, custody, escrow, and 1031 exchange capabilities.
Assets associated with Opus Bank. approximately $8 billion (2020)
2018
Acquire Grandpoint Capital and related banksM&ABackground
Pacific Premier sought to increase scale and extend its banking presence through a larger multi-entity transaction.
Action taken
The company acquired Grandpoint Capital, Grandpoint Bank, Regents Bank, and Biltmore Bank of Arizona.
Assets associated with acquired institution. approximately $3.2 billion (2018)
2014
Acquire Independence BankM&ABackground
The company pursued further consolidation in the Southern California banking market.
Action taken
Pacific Premier acquired Independence Bank of Newport Beach.
Reported transaction value. approximately $71.5 million (2014)
2013
Series of 2013 acquisitionsM&ABackground
Pacific Premier expanded its geographic and commercial-banking capabilities through several transactions.
Action taken
The company acquired First Associations Bank on March 15, San Diego Trust Bank on June 25, and Infinity Franchise Holdings on November 18.
Estimated acquisition price for Infinity Franchise Holdings. approximately $16 million (2013)
2012
Acquire Palm Desert National BankM&ABackground
The company continued expanding its regional banking platform.
Action taken
Pacific Premier completed the acquisition of Palm Desert National Bank on April 27, 2012.
2011
Acquire Canyon National BankM&ABackground
Pacific Premier began the acquisition-led phase of its regional expansion with Canyon National Bank.
Action taken
The bank completed the acquisition of Canyon National Bank.
Recent events
- 2025
Columbia Banking System agrees to acquire Pacific Premier Bank[1]
M&A
Columbia Banking System entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Pacific Premier Bank on April 23, 2025.
- 2025
Columbia Banking System completes Pacific Premier Bank acquisition[1]
M&A
The acquisition of Pacific Premier Bank by Columbia Banking System was completed on September 2, 2025, ending Pacific Premier’s independent operating period according to the reference material.
- 2020
Pacific Premier Bancorp acquires Opus Bank[1]
M&A
Pacific Premier acquired Opus Bank and added its banking operations, PENSCO Trust Company, later renamed Pacific Premier Trust, and Commerce Escrow.
- 2017
Pacific Premier Bank sponsors the Los Angeles Chargers[1]
Campaign
Pacific Premier Bank began a sponsorship relationship with the Los Angeles Chargers, giving the regional bank a prominent sports-marketing platform in Southern California.
Sources2 sources
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