The Redwood National Bank

The Redwood National Bank reads like a regional bank with the ordinary tools of checking accounts, savings, and lending, aimed at people who want a local branch rather than a giant financial platform. By our assessment, its name suggests a conventional bank that lives on everyday customer relationships and standard services. That usually means decent basic banking and a familiar pace, which can be easier to live with than the churn of a huge chain. The downside is the usual one for this kind of institution: a narrower range of products and less of the slick digital reach bigger banks sell. In practice it is the kind of place where routine matters more than innovation. The Redwood National Bank sits in the solid middle of the category, and it does not pretend to be anything else.