Florida Banking November 2022

manager, you can refer people you know in your local community. If you’re the head of commercial banking, you know who is successful in the market and can reach out to them to join our team.” Garcia-Velez is “always recruiting.” He got to chatting one time with his Uber driver, a newcomer to South Florida, and learned that he’d worked in a bank. Though the driver did not yet speak fluent English, he recommended his English-speaking wife.

Banesco USA, Continued from page 9

Banesco USA has 10 years to deploy the ECIP capital and expects to deliver over $9 billion in funding that will support business growth and create local jobs. For instance, executives are focused on collaborative partnerships with community development organizations to reach out and build relationships with individuals and businesses to finance the acquisition or renovation of commercial

real estate and wide variety o f c o n s t r u c t i o n t h a t contribute to local growth. Through the middl e o f 2 0 2 3 , t h e B a n k will focus on strategic p l a n n i n g , l e v e r a g i n g existing human capital, expertise and technologies and strengthening internal capabilities, resources and processes to accommodate the projected increase in lending. A core component of the Bank’s strategic p l a n i n c l u d e s h i r i n g over 140 professionals in 2 years to execute the planned strategy. “Our team is our strength. We seek professionals who are engaged, passionate and dedicated to servicing our

Garcia-Velez introduced her to his human capital team and she was hired for a career position in compliance. “She became our star,” Garcia-Velez said. “My wife and kids laugh because whenever I have a great experience with someone in the service industry, I’ll give them my card and say, ‘You’d be great working at our bank, call me.’” Garcia-Velez did not or i g ina l l y see himse l f becoming a career banker like his father. However, after he earned an MBA from the University of Miami, a friend convinced him to interview with First Union Bank (now Wells

“WHENEVER I HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE

WITH SOMEONE IN THE SERVICE

INDUSTRY, I’LL GIVE THEM MY CARD AND SAY, ‘YOU’D BE GREAT

WORKING AT OUR BANK, CALL ME.”

- GARCIA-VELEZ

clients and creating the experience they expect and deserve,” Garcia-Velez said. He’s proud of the Bank’s corporate culture that consistently results in high employee engagement scores. Garcia-Velez believes that successful recruiting starts with referrals from frontline staff. “It’s all hands on deck when it comes to recruiting. At Banesco USA, everybody owns the recruitment process,” Garcia-Velez said. “If you’re a branch

Fargo). Garcia-Velez and two of his friends accepted jobs with the bank, and, as he says, “the rest is history”. Ga r c i a - Ve l e z j o i n e d B a n e s c o USA i n November 2021. “What attracted me to Banesco USA is its global reach and the breadth and depth of the resources behind the Group. Even before the Bank was awarded the ECIP funds, the leadership

Banesco - Puerto Rico

10 — FLORIDA BANKING THE VOICE OF FLORIDA BANKING