Dividend Power Score
A single, comprehensive score designed to measure the true strength of a company’s dividend.
This score combines three essential pillars of dividend quality:
Consistency – Measures how reliable the dividend has been over time, focusing on payment history, stability, and the absence of cuts or suspensions.
Payability – Assesses the company’s financial ability to sustain its dividend, taking into account cash flow, earnings coverage, balance sheet strength, and overall financial health.
Growth – Evaluates the long-term growth of both the dividend and the company’s share price, highlighting businesses that consistently increase payouts while creating shareholder value.
Higher scores identify companies that have historically delivered dependable income alongside sustained dividend growth and long-term capital appreciation.
Company Overview
Private Bancorp of America, Inc. (PBAM) was a U.S.-based bank holding company that operated primarily through its principal subsidiary, The PrivateBank and Trust Company. The company focused on providing commercial banking, wealth management, and private banking services, serving middle-market companies, entrepreneurs, executives, and high-net-worth individuals. PBAM operated within the commercial banking and wealth management industries, with revenue driven largely by net interest income from commercial lending and fees from trust, asset management, and private banking services.
Founded in 1991, PBAM pursued a relationship-based banking model emphasizing customized financial solutions and high-touch client service. The company grew steadily through organic expansion and selective acquisitions, positioning itself as a premium commercial bank in major U.S. metropolitan markets. In 2017, PBAM was acquired by Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), after which it ceased to operate as an independent public company and was integrated into CIBC’s U.S. operations.
Business Operations
PBAM’s operations were organized around core banking and wealth management activities conducted through The PrivateBank and Trust Company. Its primary business segments included Commercial Banking, Private Banking, and Wealth Management, generating revenue through commercial and industrial loans, commercial real estate lending, treasury management services, and fiduciary and investment advisory fees. The bank maintained a balance sheet strategy focused on disciplined credit underwriting and relationship-driven deposit growth.
The company operated exclusively within the United States prior to its acquisition, with no material international banking operations. PBAM controlled a network of banking offices and trust operations and leveraged proprietary risk management and client relationship systems rather than differentiated financial technology platforms. There were no significant joint ventures; instead, growth was achieved through wholly owned subsidiaries and branch expansion in targeted urban markets.
Strategic Position & Investments
PBAM’s strategic direction emphasized expansion in high-growth metropolitan areas, deepening relationships with commercial clients, and cross-selling wealth management services. The company pursued selective acquisitions to enter new markets or strengthen existing ones, including prior bank acquisitions that expanded its footprint beyond its original Midwest base.
The most significant strategic transaction in the company’s history was its acquisition by Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, which valued PBAM at approximately $5 billion. This transaction aligned PBAM with a global banking institution seeking to expand its U.S. commercial banking presence. Following the acquisition, PBAM’s operations became a core component of CIBC’s U.S. platform, later operating under the CIBC Bank USA brand.
Geographic Footprint
Prior to its acquisition, PBAM operated in key U.S. regions, including the Midwest, West Coast, and Southeast, with a strong presence in Chicago, Southern California, San Francisco, St. Louis, Kansas City, Dallas, Atlanta, and Cleveland. Its headquarters were located in Chicago, Illinois, which also served as its largest operational hub.
The company’s geographic strategy focused on major urban and commercial centers with dense concentrations of middle-market businesses and high-net-worth individuals. PBAM did not maintain overseas branches or international subsidiaries, but its acquisition by CIBC later connected its former footprint to a broader North American banking network.
Leadership & Governance
PBAM was led by an executive team with deep experience in commercial and private banking, emphasizing conservative risk management and long-term client relationships. Governance practices were aligned with U.S. public company standards and banking regulatory requirements until the company was taken private through its acquisition.
Key executives prior to the acquisition included:
- Larry R. Richman – Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
- Michael J. O’Grady – President
- Stephen A. Dubis – Chief Financial Officer
- William R. Hake – Chief Credit Officer
- Patrick J. Dwyer – Vice Chairman
Leadership articulated a strategic vision centered on disciplined growth, credit quality, and differentiated client service, which was cited as a key factor in the company’s attractiveness as an acquisition target.