Florida Banking February 2023

U.S. Century Bank, Continued from page 9

“WE’RE VERY FOCUSED ON EVER IMPROVING OUR TECHNOLOGY.”

Since the recapitalization, the bank has grown more than 10 percent each year. With increasing momentum, diversification and profitability, the bank’s leadership began strategizing its IPO. Aguilera began searching for a CFO with proven “public bank” skillsets to achieve this goal. Rob Anderson was CFO of CapStar Financial Holdings in Tennessee; he had experience with national banks like Bank of America and Capital One, and more importantly, IPO experience. He had gained the respect of the market and proved “instrumental” in the bank’s IPO process. Anderson joined U.S. Century Bank in the fall of 2020, and the bank went public only nine months later in July of 2021. The bank has doubled in size since 2016, growing to $2.1 billion in assets. “Launching a successful IPO was an important milestone. It really validated the efforts of the team. We have entered a new phase; we have fresh capital and a liquid stock. Now that we are a public company, we have the optionality to do many different things strategically,” Aguilera said. “It has been over 18 months since the IPO, and we have delivered across the board on ever improving efficiency and profitability, as well as loan and deposit growth.We are a conservative bank and prize the safety and soundness of our operations,”Aguilera said.“We’ve accomplished what we told our investors we would do.” U.S. Century Bank is making the most of its added resources by investing in technology, an opportunity

- LUIS DE LA AGUILERA

the bank did not have during its years under regulatory scrutiny. Aguilera believes that technology is critical to a bank’s success. “We’re very focused on ever improving our technology,” Aguilera said. “Our investments and partnerships in fintech solutions have given us the ability to expand into Broward and Palm Beach counties without a physical presence because we can service our clients through these diversified digital channels.” Progress begets progress: U.S. Century Bank has a focus on safe, efficient and profitable growth. With gratitude for how far they have come, the U.S. Century Bank team is proud of the bank’s comeback story and excited for its future growth trajectory. “We are humbled, and very proud of our accomplishment. I give full credit to our board, management team and our incredible employees for their support, hard work, dedication to our customers, and commitment to the community,” Aguilera said.

The U.S. Century Bank management team.

10 — FLORIDA BANKING THE VOICE OF FLORIDA BANKING