Florida Banking May 2022

MILLER COUSE Miller Couse is chairman of First Bank. He joined the bank in 1974 as a loan officer after serving in the U.S. Army in Military Intelligence. The bank had $19 million in assets when he started but has grown to $640 million today. Couse received the Florida Bankers Association’s Banker of the Year award in 2005 and served as Chair in 2008. He was born in Moore Haven, Florida and attended Edison Community College (now Florida Southwestern State College) on a basketball scholarship. He received a degree in agriculture from the University of Florida, where he met his wife Toni.

CAREY SOUD Carey Soud is president and CEO of First Bank, a local bank that has served the Glades communities since 1922. The bank has served the Glades communities since 1922 and celebrates its Centennial Anniversary this year. Soud serves on FBA’s Board of Directors and is the Chair of BancServ. He is an active Rotarian, treasurer of Florida Southwestern State College Foundation, past president of Gulf Citrus Growers Association and past treasurer of Florida Citrus Mutual. Before banking, Soud had a career in the citrus industry and public accounting. He is a CPA with an MBA from Liberty University and the University of South Florida. Soud and his wife Julie have lived in Labelle, Florida for 42 years. He has taught the Bible for over 40 years and has served in prison and recovery ministries. Soud enjoys flying, golfing and spending time with his five grandchildren.

ANDREW COUSE Andrew Couse is executive vice president and chief operating officer of First Bank. He joined the bank in February 2005 and learned banking from the ground up, starting as a teller and working in new accounts. He spent time working in the data center and in loan servicing on his way to becoming a commercial lender. After his years as a loan officer, Couse oversaw the implementation of a new online banking platform and a BSA system and furthered banking education by serving as BSA officer, e-banking officer, and retail banking officer. As COO he oversees the retail banking and branch operations, deposit operations, digital and self-service banking and loan servicing. Active in his community, Couse chairs the Glades County Economic Development Council and has served as past president and past treasurer of the Rotary Club of Clewiston.

WWW.FLORIDABANKERS.COM MAY 2022 — 11