# Commerce Escrow Co

> Commerce Escrow Co is a Los Angeles specialist in commercial, industrial and other complex escrows, paired with RPM Investments for Section 1031 exchanges. Founded in 1980 by former title-company executives Phil Graf and Mark Minsky, the business earns transaction fees while holding customer funds that also form a valuable deposit base for its bank parent, now Columbia Bank.

- **Founded:** 1980
- **Headquarters:** Los Angeles, United States
- **Founders:** Phil Graf (Co-founder and former President), Mark Minsky (Co-founder and former President)
- **Team size:** Eight named escrow and exchange officers on the current website; external data supplied for this profile estimates 14 employees.
- **Products:** Commercial and industrial escrow, Section 1031 exchange accommodation, Non-real-property holding escrow, Specialized transfer and sale escrows
- **Notable:** Founded in Los Angeles in 1980 and still operating under the Commerce Escrow name more than four decades later., Commerce Escrow and RPM facilitated deals involving more than $700 million in deposit balances when Opus announced their acquisition in 2015., Commerce Escrow and RPM were acquired by Opus Bank for a combined $25 million in 2015; Commerce Escrow’s allocated consideration was $15.8 million.

## Products & services

- **Commercial and industrial escrow** — Neutral handling of funds, documents and closing instructions for commercial real estate and business transactions.
- **Section 1031 exchange accommodation** — RPM Investments acts as qualified intermediary for tax-deferred exchanges under federal and California rules.
- **Non-real-property holding escrow** — Two-party arrangements that hold money or documents until the parties deliver mutual instructions.
- **Specialized transfer and sale escrows** — Experience includes tract and residential sales, industrial facilities, stock transfers, bulk sales and liquor transfers.

## Achievements

- Founded in Los Angeles in 1980 and still operating under the Commerce Escrow name more than four decades later.
- Commerce Escrow and RPM facilitated deals involving more than $700 million in deposit balances when Opus announced their acquisition in 2015.
- Commerce Escrow and RPM were acquired by Opus Bank for a combined $25 million in 2015; Commerce Escrow’s allocated consideration was $15.8 million.
- The division generated $7.3 million in escrow and exchange fee income and held $903.8 million in low-cost deposits in 2021.
- The business remained a named specialty capability through Opus Bank, Pacific Premier Bank and Columbia Bank ownership transitions.

## Latest updates

- **2024-12** — Pacific Premier reported approximately $2.8 million in annual escrow and exchange fee income for 2024.
- **2025-03** — Investor materials reported $378 million of escrow and 1031 exchange deposits at March 31, 2025, with a 2.15% weighted-average cost.
- **2025-09** — Columbia Banking System completed its acquisition of Pacific Premier, bringing Commerce Escrow into Columbia Bank.
- **2026-01** — Commerce Escrow’s website identifies the company as a division of Columbia Bank and lists its office at 1055 Wilshire Boulevard.

## Links

- Website: https://www.comescrow.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/commerce-escrow-co
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/CommerceEscrow
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/pages/RPM-Investments-Inc/162514787133710

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/commerce-escrow-co
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-14