Brown Named President of BofA Unit

BankAmerica Corp. promoted its most visible California woman, former state Treasurer Kathleen Brown, to president of the company’s Private Bank West, the bank’s asset management arm for wealthy clients in Western states. Previously, Brown was co-leader of the bank’s private banking in Southern California. Brown was California’s treasurer from 1991 to 1994, when she waged an unsuccessful battle to unseat Pete Wilson as governor. BofA has been accused of driving away many of its senior female executives in the wake of its merger with NationsBank Corp., the Charlotte, N.C.-based bank that took the San Francisco-based bank’s name but that has otherwise emerged as the dominant partner in what was once called a merger of equals. Bank officials say women have not been unfairly targeted for senior-level reductions and that most have decided to stay with the bank.