Florida Banking February 2024

KUDOS

First Foundation Bank Celebrates Grand Reopening in Naples, Florida F irst Foundation Inc., a financial services company with two wholly-owned operating subsidiaries, First Foundation Advisors and First Foundation Bank, announced the reopening of its Fifth Avenue office in Naples, Florida.

CEO, First Foundation Inc. “The client’s experience in our branches and offices is crucial to our business, and the reopening of Fifth Avenue demonstrates our commitment to continually improve for our clients. It is also an added benefit to have the leadership and expertise of a talented branch team that maintains strong ties to the local community.” First Foundation has awarded a $5,000 Supporting Our Communities grant to Children’s Advocacy Center of Collier County to honor the team’s community support and celebrate the reopening. The funds donated to CAC of Collier County will assist the organization to rebuild and replace their equipment and contents lost to Ian’s flooding. “Hurricane Ian left its mark on us along with many of our neighbors. I’m thrilled to finally reopen our branch on Fifth Avenue,” said executive vice president and Florida market president Garrett Richter. “Our commitment to serving the community remains unwavering, and we look forward to resuming normal operations to better assist our valued customers with their financial needs, while providing superior customer service.”

First Foundation’s Fifth Avenue office has reopened after being closed for fifteen months due to the destruction caused by Hurricane Ian in Southwest Florida in September 2022. The storm brought in a surge that flooded downtown Naples with several feet of water. The Fifth Avenue office building, located at the Four Corners of the entry to downtown Naples, was severely damaged by the flooding, which rose over four feet inside the building. During the rebuild, First Foundation took the opportunity to remodel the office, providing a modern and comfortable upgrade to the location for clients, both new and existing, to visit and meet with Heather Wertz, the vice president and branch manager, and her experienced team. “Collier County has been an important region for First Foundation since our expansion into Florida two years ago, and we are excited to present clients with our upgraded location,” said Scott F. Kavanaugh,

Dana Kilborne Appointed to the Atlanta Fed's Jacksonville Branch Board of Directors

T he Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta announced the appointment of Dana Kilborne to the Jacksonville Branch board of directors. Kilborne was appointed by the Atlanta board of directors to a three-term beginning January 1, 2024, and ending December 31, 2026. Kilborne is chief executive officer for Cypress Capital Group and president and chief executive officer for Cypress Bank & Trust in Melbourne, Florida. She is a member of the board of directors of the Economic Development Commission of the Space Coast and the

Florida Bankers Association. Kilborne is a graduate of Stonier Graduate School of Banking. Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta branch directors provide economic information from their industries and the branch territory to the district bank's president and head office directors, who use the information in discussing monetary policy options and making discount rate recommendations. The Board of Governors appoints three of the Jacksonville Branch directors, and the Atlanta head office directors appoint four.

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