Florida Banking December 2023

simply “phone or fax it in;” rather, he prefers to walk the hallways of Congress to ensure that he and the Florida bankers are seen and heard by representatives. And it is true that Sanchez has worn out the shoe leather advocating for the industry. He is proud of the association’s reputation in Washington for showing up in large numbers. “If political leaders and regulators don’t hear from us, they’ll assume we’re OK with the legislation, even though it might be harmful to our industry. So you’ve got to be at the table in order to object in our democracy. ‘Out of sight, out of mind,’ is not a good thing in the advocacy world,” Sanchez said. “It makes a big impact when we travel to Washington, D.C., and our representatives see the faces of hundreds of bankers in front of them. It goes to show that Florida bankers are involved and committed.” In 2019, with board approval, Sanchez moved to Washington, D.C., for two months to push legislation that would close the outdated credit union tax loophole.

Alex Sanchez, Continued from page 15

One of his early initiatives was to revamp the Florida Banking magazine, highlighting the accomplishments of member banks by featuring bankers on the cover. “I felt the magazine was important so that we could showcase our greatest asset — our bankers. We started putting bankers on the cover — bankers from all over the state, from banks of all sizes. Every time that magazine went out, I was proud of what our bankers were doing in their communities to enhance economic vitality,” Sanchez said. “I wanted to make sure our communication with our bankers was rock solid.” Perhaps one of the reasons that Sanchez is such a powerful voice for the industry is that he is a moving storyteller; he never loses sight of the human stories behind his advocacy. Sanchez believes wholeheartedly in the role banks play in helping people achieve the “American dream” of home and business ownership. He often shares the story of his parents’ first home loan. “It was a big day for my family when my parents got the call from their banker stating that their $27,000 loan to buy a home in Miami was approved. It was our first home in America. Homeownership means so much to families,” Sanchez said. “So I’m very fortunate to represent this industry.” When it comes to advocacy and communicating bankers’ stories, Sanchez will accept nothing less than a face-to-face conversation. Sanchez does not

“HE MADE ME AWARE OF THE IMPORTANT ROLE THE FBA AND OUR FLORIDA BANKERS PLAY IN MAKING SURE OUR VOICES ARE HEARD IN WASHINGTON AND TALLAHASSEE.”

- LLOYD DEVAUX

“We took action; we were the first banking association that actually walked the halls of Congress each and every day for two months with legislation in hand,” Sanchez said. Sanchez is well-respected for his dedication and follow-through; over the course of his career, he has successfully built relationships beyond Florida’s borders with key representatives and regulators, including Senators Marco Rubio, Rick Scott, and John Cornyn, as well as FDIC Chair Martin Gruenberg and FED Governor Michelle Bowman. “During my time as FBA Chair, I was able to observe firsthand how deep Alex’s relationships go with bankers, other trade association executives and the people in government who greatly impact our industry. Influencers from around the country know and respect Alex and always give him an audience,” said Bill Penney, president and CEO of Marine Bank and former FBA Chair.

Alex Sanchez, Continued on page 18

16 — FLORIDA BANKING THE VOICE OF FLORIDA BANKING