Signature Bank, a New York-based full-service commercial bank, announced the appointment of two private client banking teams, based at its San Francisco office on 201 Mission Street.

Dale Zeigler and Sumiko Sheaffer were each named Group Director – Senior Vice President and will lead their own teams. These banking professionals previously worked with Joe Petitti, Signature Bank’s Head of West Coast Operations.

Zeigler brings 33 years of commercial banking experience to his new role, with more than 20 years spent in the San Francisco market. Prior to joining Signature Bank, Zeigler was Vice President and Principal Business Relationship Manager with Wells Fargo Bank in San Francisco for 12 years, where he managed the financial needs of a large portfolio of middle market companies across various industries, including non-profit organizations. Earlier, Zeigler was Senior Vice President and Business Banking Manager at Business Bank of California (South San Francisco) and Assistant Vice President in Commercial Lending for The Pacific Bank in San Francisco.

Sheaffer has 32 years of banking experience, 27 of which were spent at MUFG Union Bank, N.A. in San Francisco. Most recently, she served as Vice President and Relationship Manager in Asian Corporate Banking. In this role, Sheaffer managed U.S. subsidiaries of foreign corporations. Sheaffer was instrumental in acquiring large corporate accounts and building international banking relationships. She also held the previous role of Vice President and Relationship Manager for San Francisco Business Banking at MUFG.

Joining Zeigler’s team are Sergey Shikhvarg, named Associate Group Director and Charlotte Elopre, who was appointed to the post of Senior Client Associate-Officer.

Most recently, Shikhvarg was a Vice President and Senior Commercial Relationship Manager at Bridge Bank, a division of Western Alliance Bank in San Francisco, where he managed commercial banking relationships. His banking career began at Wells Fargo as a Vice President and Principal Business Relationship Manager for San Francisco Business Banking.

Elopre, with 13 years of banking-related experience, worked with Zeigler at Wells Fargo in San Francisco as a Business Associate II, supporting business relationship managers. She also was a Personal Banker II for Wells Fargo’s Alameda, Calif. branch, and Assistant Branch Manager as well as Personal Banker for Wells Fargo’s San Leandro, Calif. branch.

“Since receiving our official approval to commence full-service banking operations in California, we are enthusiastic about the interest we have drawn from veteran bankers throughout the San Francisco marketplace. We found our single-point-of-contact model is needed in this market, where mega-banks continue to dominate the landscape. We are attracting seasoned bankers with extensive backgrounds and solid reputations and experience in commercial and relationship-based banking in the San Francisco marketplace,” explained Joseph J. DePaolo, President and Chief Executive Officer.

“We are excited about the opportunity to build our network outside of metro-New York, where we have successfully operated since our founding in 2001. Now, with more than $45 billion in assets and in excess of 100 private client banking teams, Signature Bank is well positioned to move into other metropolitan areas. Both of these newly appointed teams have broad experience that bodes well for our banking model. We look forward to their contributions and to expanding our footprint,” DePaolo added.