Florida Banking April 2022

Editorial & Executive Offices 1001 Thomasville Road, Suite 201 Tallahassee, FL 32303 850-224-2265 www.floridabankers.com Advertising & Production Offices 945 Winnetka Ave. N., Ste. 145 Golden Valley, MN 55427 952-835-2275 A For advertising information, contact Greg McCurry Senior VP - Business Development 952-835-2275 Greg@NFRcom.com For reprints or single issues, contact 800-336-1120 Statements of fact and opinion are made on the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply an opinion or endorsement on the part of the officers or members of FBA. Florida Banking is published 11 times annually with a combined issue in December/January. Subscription price is $50 per year for nonmembers. Postmaster, send address changes to Florida Bankers Association, P.O. Box 1360, Tallahassee, FL 32302. Copyright 2022 Alex Sanchez President and Chief Executive Officer Fax 952-835-2295 www.nfrcom.com

THE MAGAZINE OF THE FLORIDA BANKERS ASSOCIATION

VOLUME 37 NUMBER 2 APRIL 2022

ON THE COVER 8 - - - - - - - - - - BayFirst Bank: Diversifying Locally & Nationally CONTENTS 4 - - - - - - - - -Chair’s Message 6 - - - - - - Straight Talk from the President’s Desk 12 - - - - Government Relations: Why You Are Important 14 - -BancServ Endorsed Partner: Is It Time For Your Bank To Get Noticed? Start Blogging 16 - - Trust Banking: Leveling the Playing Field to Keep Florida SLATS in Florida 19 - - -FBEF: Help Us Spread the Word About the FBEF 20 - - - - - The FBA Remembers Past Chair Bob Epling 20 - - - - - - -Call for FBA Chair 21 - - - - -Florida Banks Receive Distributions From American Bankers Mutual Insurance Ltd. 22 - - - - - Personal Transactions 24 -------------Kudos 28 - - - - - - FBA Staff Spotlight 30 - - - - - - - Upcoming Events 31 - - - - - - - - DidYouKnow? 31 - - - - - Advertising Directory

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Florida Bankers Association asanchez@floridabankers.com Pamela Ricco Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Florida Bankers Association pricco@floridabankers.com Brooke Harrison Publications Director Florida Bankers Association bharrison@floridabankers.com

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Fab Brumley Chair

Bill Penney Chair-Elect

Greg Nelson Immediate Past Chair

Lloyd DeVaux Second Immediate Past Chair

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On the Cover: The BayFirst Bank leadership, from left: Anthony Leo, Robin Oliver and Thomas Zernick.

Florida Bankers Association: The voice of Florida banking since 1888.

Photos by Daniese Betito, Images for Business, Orlando, Fla.

Images ©istock.com/ Roberto Galan; mattjeacock; choness