Texas thrift gets toehold in Sacramento.(Brief Article)

A $14 billion Texas thrift is targeting Northern California's middle-market commercial banking business from a new office in Sacramento.

Guaranty Bank recently hired three local banking veterans to staff a commercial loan office in 300 Capitol Mall.

The middle market is a wide swath of commercial credits from less than $1 million to $20 million. Products range from lines of credit and loans to cash management and international trade credits.

Locally, it's a market that's getting a bit more crowded every month.

"This has to be the most competitive market in the free world," sald David Taber, president of American River Holdings, which owns …