Kevin Shukur, BBVA Compass market president. Photo: Kathleen Cabble

TAMPA - BBVA Compass is setting down roots in the Bay area.

The Birmingham, Ala.-based financial institution, a subsidiary of Spanish bank BBVA (NYSE: BBVA), has tapped veteran banker Kevin Shukur as market president. Shukur will open a loan production office in Tampa with a team of five or six bankers and an initial focus on middle-market corporate lending and commercial real estate.

With $69 billion in assets and more than 700 branches across the Sunbelt, BBVA Compass ranks among the top 20 largest U.S. commercial banks based on deposit market share. The bank's decision to enter Tampa is a ...

Margie Manning is Quality and Content Editor of the Tampa Bay Business Journal. She also covers banking, finance and professional services.