MidFirst Bank Expands Into the San Francisco Market With Deep-Rooted, Local Banking Team
The new office will be led by Gaurav Kapur, a veteran Bay Area banker and 24-year First Republic Bank employee, alongside a team of former First Republic bankers
The launch marks MidFirst Bank’s entry into Northern California
May 18, 2026
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – MidFirst Bank ("MidFirst"), the largest privately owned bank in the nation, today announced its expansion into San Francisco. The bank is establishing a dedicated local presence — anchored by a team with decades of experience serving clients in the Bay Area — and bringing its relationship-driven approach to businesses and high-net-worth individuals.
The veteran team of former First Republic Bank executives, which will be led by Gaurav Kapur, brings deep institutional and regional knowledge to MidFirst’s San Francisco expansion. Kapur is a Bay Area banker and has been a financial services professional for over three decades.
“Over the past decade, California has become one of MidFirst’s fastest-growing markets,” said Jason DiNapoli, President, MidFirst Bank California. “Launching a presence in the San Francisco Bay Area is the next natural step as we continue to grow our California footprint and provide new clients with MidFirst’s signature service. Gaurav and his team have deep roots in Northern California and a demonstrated track record of building trusted client relationships and offering comprehensive solutions for the needs of both individuals and businesses in the area.”
MidFirst’s continued commitment to the California market is supported by the bank's strong balance sheet, with total risk-based capital ratios and FDIC-insured deposits ranking in the top quartile among mid-size peers.
MidFirst’s entry into the California market began in 2016 with the acquisition of 1st Century Bank, which primarily served the greater Los Angeles market. Since then, MidFirst has expanded throughout the state, adding experienced new teams in Santa Barbara, San Diego, Newport Beach and Los Angeles, many of which were formerly with First Republic Bank.
“Joining MidFirst was an easy decision — the bank’s family ownership and dedication to long-term thinking, client-first decision making and relationship-driven service directly aligns with how our San Francisco team has always served clients,” said Gaurav Kapur, First Vice President, Senior Managing Director of MidFirst San Francisco. “Our team is not new to the Bay Area as we’ve been a steady presence in the community for over three decades at First Republic Bank and now have the privilege of leveraging that experience at MidFirst.”
Mr. Kapur will be joined by a team of leading San Francisco bankers with backgrounds serving high-net-worth individuals and business across the Bay Area. The team includes:
- Josh Castro, First Vice President, Senior Managing Director
- Marco Nevarez, First Vice President, Senior Managing Director
- Celestina Amigo, Project Manager
- Anna Tran, Vice President, Managing Director
- Athena Palisoc, Assistant Vice President, Senior Preferred Banker
- Ken Chow, Assistant Vice President, Associate Relationship Manager
The San Francisco team will begin providing banking services in the region effective immediately and will announce an office opening in the coming months.
About MidFirst Bank
With over $42 billion in assets, MidFirst Bank is family owned and the largest privately owned bank in the nation. MidFirst provides commercial lending, private banking, wealth management and mortgage servicing nationally with locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah. For more information on MidFirst Bank, visit: midfirst.com.