Florida Banking June 2024

INCOMING FBA CHAIR-ELECT

FBA CHAIR-ELECT KEITH COSTELLO

K eith Costello, chairman, president, CEO, and co-founder of Locality Bank is chair-elect for the coming year. He will serve as a member of the FBA Executive Committee and as chair of the FBA’s Government Relations Council. An active member of the FBA, Costello has also served on the FBA Board of Directors. His involvement with the association has taught him the power of advocacy; he has attended many trips to Tallahassee and Washington, D.C., to meet with key policymakers

Bank, and Nations Bank throughout his 30-year banking career. Costello’s expertise spans across commercial banking, community banking, de novo banking, investment management and fintech. He has successfully launched, grown and sold several banks, as well as served on the advisory board of a leading investment firm. He is a member of the Broward Workforce Development Board and serves as vice chairman of the Housing Authority of the City of Fort

and engage in open discussion about banking issues and the good work bankers do for their customers and local communities. “I have been a community banker for most of my career. I am dedicated to preserving a tiered banking system as the best way to support entrepreneurship and small businesses,” Costello said. “I believe local businesses are the soul of the community, and community banks are the fuel for that soul.” Costello co-founded Locality Bank in January

Lauderdale. Costello also served as a past chairman of the board of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce. He also hosts a podcast called “Making Bank” highlighting the stories of entrepreneurs. Costello uses his social media platforms to build relationships and educate others about the impacts of legislation on small business owners and local Florida communities. He was an early adopter of the networking platform LinkedIn; today, he has over

“I AM DEDICATED TO PRESERVING A TIERED BANKING SYSTEM AS THE BEST WAY TO SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SMALL BUSINESSES.”

2022. The digital-first community bank was the region’s first community bank to open in more than 10 years. Costello previously served as the president and CEO of First GREEN Bank, a community bank headquartered in Orlando, from 2016 until its sale in 2018. He was also president, CEO, and an organizing director of Broward Bank of Commerce. Costello has held senior roles at Bank of Florida, City National

30,000 followers. According to Independent Banker magazine, Costello is one of the top social media bankers in the country. Regarding advocacy, Costello said: “Sometimes it feels like it’s impossible to change things. I have found that if you keep meeting, talking and explaining how our issues relate to the economic wellbeing of our communities, the message finally gets through.”

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