Founded in 2004 as Bay Commercial Bank, with two locations in California’s Bay Area, the bank grew primarily through an aggressive acquisition strategy, acquiring 10 banks over a 14-year period. This expansion took its footprint beyond the Bay Area and into Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Washington.

A pivotal moment occurred in 2017 with the acquisition of United Business Bank, whose name the acquiring institution assumed, expanding the bank from 10 to 17 locations.

Why does a long-term technology partner matter in core banking modernization?

While this accelerated growth was a sign of success, it also presented operational and technological challenges. With each acquisition, the bank faced a critical decision: which core banking system to move forward with. To ensure integration and scalability, it was essential that the bank could rely on its technology partner to not only keep pace, but also provide a platform for future innovation.

United Business Bank’s relationship with FIS began at its inception in 2004. As the series of acquisitions occurred, the bank chose to stay with FIS in every instance. The decision was rooted in the strength of the partnership and the consistent support provided by FIS. For several years, the bank worked with the same FIS conversion team, building an efficient and productive process. This consistency was especially invaluable during periods of back-to-back acquisitions.

How do banks manage core banking transformation during rapid expansion?

In 2020, United Business Bank decided to convert its original core system to the FIS® HORIZON solution due to its greater scalability and integration with forward-looking products. The conversion was the first to be completed entirely remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which created unique challenges. The bank and FIS worked together to ultimately achieve a successful outcome.

How can modern banking technology improve fraud detection and scalability?

With HORIZON at the core, the bank was in position to adopt other key solutions to take it into the future. To provide a more complex and detailed online banking system for its commercial customers, the bank implemented FIS® Digital One™ Business, a comprehensive, cloud-based platform that offers real-time cash management, transaction processing, fraud controls and API-driven integration with accounting systems.

The bank also added DirectLink Risk Review, which identifies risk and fraud using data and image analysis. When combined with the Positive Pay and ACH fraud prevention capabilities built into Digital One™ Business, the bank has armed itself with powerful tools to fight fraud.