Center Financial Corp. Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Patrick Hartman resigned Friday.

The Los Angeles-based minority and small business lender, which focuses on the Korean-American community, said Hartman submitted his resignation to pursue other interests and should be effective as soon Center files its quarterly and annual results for the period ending Dec. 31, 2006.

Lonny Robinson will serve as interim CFO will be Lonny Robinson, who worked as a company consultant from last spring as independent contractor.

Shares in Center closed down 7 cents to $22.35 and continued to drop another 3.8 percent in aftermarket trading to $21.50 Friday.