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Ruined lives and disgrace were staples of the 1930s narrative when local institutions went under. But at one recent takeover in Redlands, hardly anyone noticed until it was over.
They arrived one day in November as Santa Ana winds pounded downtown Redlands. The dozen or so men and women walked into the red-brick headquarters of 1st Centennial Bank on State Street, then marched up the stairs to the executive offices.
Jeff Blake, a senior vice president of the bank, knew this couldn’t be good. The tellers downstairs might have thought the visitors were part of the parade of potential buyers who had been kicking the tires on the troubled bank for months now.
Blake knew better. They were bank examiners, showing up unannounced.
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