Florida Banking May 2022

size at the time. The bank was also on the cutting edge of check imaging in 1994. Looking forward, there are big changes on the horizon for the Clewiston community, as the local Airglades International Airport develops a new, state of-the-art perishable cargo airport for goods like South American flowers, fruits and vegetables, and seafood. “Miami is congested; the idea is that they would land the planes here and save time getting the cargo on the road so there’s less spoilage,” Andrew Couse said. The project appears to be close to the goal line and is anticipated to require several hundred million dollars in future investment in the next two to three years, and add scores of new jobs. “Think about the lottery… you can almost visualize spending the $20 million dollar jackpot, but you run out of imagination when the jackpot reaches $400 or $500 million. And that’s kind of what this airport would be for us. We don’t yet have the imagination to really comprehend what the economic impact will be,” Andrew Couse said. Even so, First Bank is equipped to weather the changes, just as it has adapted over its 100-year history to survive the recession, natural disasters and the recent pandemic. “The way you make it 100 years through multiple crises is about having grounded leaders who make sound decisions in the moment with the best information available. What do we need to do? How do we make this right? It’s about people who are committed to rolling up their sleeves and doing what needs to be done… no matter what crisis is in front of you,” Andrew Couse said. Soud added: “What does it take to survive 100 years? I’ve thought a lot about that. It doesn’t make you arrogant or proud, it humbles you. We’ve seen the best and worst of times and through it all we are grateful for the wisdom and guidance of our Heavenly Father.”

First Bank, Continued from page 9

Soud said: “I’m passing the baton between the father who’s been my mentor, and a great one — one of the best bankers this state has ever known, honestly — to his son. The bank has a bright future, I’m certain of that.” Like Soud, Andrew Couse did not come from a banking background. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and taught high school band. He grew up as the son of a banker with “zero interest” in the bank. Things changed when he made plans to return home. He asked his father what it meant to be a banker; the rest is history. “He was like a sponge,” said Van Sickle, referring to Andrew Couse’s curiosity and desire to learn the ropes. “We’ve always had extreme longevity, and there were people at the bank who had been doing what they’d been doing for 10-15 years… and I show up and go, ‘Well, why do you do it that way?’ I wasn’t trying to challenge anyone, but I wanted to understand. I’m sure I ruffled plenty of feathers,” said Andrew Couse. “But you can see a theme at First Bank, and it’s that we’ll grow our own. We believe that if you find the right people, you can make them bankers.” When Andrew Couse joined the bank in 2005, he became interested in online banking and digital conversions, participating in the document imaging process to convert paper files to digital images. Last year, he worked with a vendor to implement the latest technology and automate Round 2 of the PPP process. “We have not shied away from technology and have also expanded our physical footprint knowing that our customers like the digital conveniences we offer but at times would still like to visit their local office,” Miller Couse said. First Bank added its first ATM in 1976. The team bought its first computer in 1988, which was considered a big move for a community bank of their

Clewiston is nicknamed "America's sweetest town" for its thriving sugar industry.

10 — FLORIDA BANKING THE VOICE OF FLORIDA BANKING