Atlanta-based SunTrustBanks has appointed Todd LaRocca and Billy Crafton, along with their respective teams, to its sports and entertainment specialty group, forming a new San Diego office for its private wealth management division.

Mr LaRocca joins as a co-head of the San Diego office and sports practice for SunTrust's sports and entertainment division, having previously headed CSI Capital Management's office San Diego. In his former role Mr LaRocca developed a wealth management practice focusing on a client base mainly comprised of professional baseball players, as well high net worth families and entrepreneurs.

Mr Crafton, who will jointly head SunTrust’s San Diego office and sports practice, was previously the principal of Martin Kelly Capital Management, a San Diego-based firm he founded in 2006 having begun his career at CSI Capital Management.

"Our strategy is to grow this business on a national scale with a targeted focus on professional athletes, specifically baseball players. This is a new chapter for us and an important step as we build our sports practice to similar prominence as our music and motorsports practices," said Thomas Carroll, senior vice president, SunTrust Investment Services and managing director of the sports and entertainment specialty group.  

SunTrust’s sports and entertainment division currently serves musicians, artists and athletes, along with their representatives, across 38 states and has offices in Atlanta, Charlotte, Daytona Beach, Miami, and Nashville.