First Republic Bank
A boutique private bank built on concierge-style, high-touch service for wealthy individuals and families, offering jumbo mortgages, wealth management, and trust services, with each client assigned a dedicated banker. Jim Herbert founded it in San Francisco in 1985, and it grew for decades before regulators closed it in 2023, with JPMorgan Chase taking over its assets. A memorable detail: Herbert, who founded the bank, also steered it after Merrill Lynch bought it in 2007 and later helped take it independent again.