Florida Banking November 2022

STRAIGHT TALK FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WILL REBUILD TO BE BETTER AND STRONGER

BY ALEJANDRO “ALEX” SANCHEZ, FBA PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

I have had many conversations with our bankers in Southwest Florida who were impacted by Hurricane Ian. Our bankers are, of course, bruised by Hurricane Ian’s brutal aftermath, but they are also strong and ready to rebuild their communities. I shared with them that while it is hard to imagine now, they will come back stronger and with a more sustainable community than ever before. To envision the future, one must look to the past: recovery from devastating storms did occur after Hurricane Andrew in Miami and Hurricane Michael in the Panama City area, for example.

overpass and stood looking at the neighborhood before me. I saw many destroyed homes, and what was really impactful — in addition to the loss of property — was the lack of trees. Today, Homestead is once again full of trees, including my favorite — the Royal Palm tree. Years later, Hurricane Michael (another Category 5 storm) hit Florida in the Panama City area. As I drove to tour the city, the devastationwas unimaginable.Hurricane Michael had ripped through the area leaving nothing in its wake. As with Hurricane Andrew and now Hurricane Ian, it was hard to imagine that a newer and stronger

The world was a different one in 1992 when Hurricane Andrew hit Miami’s Homestead area. The federal and state governments did not mobilize in the way we see today with supplies, the delivery of water, or electric trucks to restore power. Now, our Florida Governor is constantly on the airwaves to warn us about upcoming storms. I believe Governor Jeb Bush was our first Governor to take the communicationwithFloridians to a whole new level during a hurricane. And he did so in both English and Spanish. Today, we also have network channels like theWeather Channel tracking the storms and providing 24/7 updates.

Panama City would emerge from the rubble. That is the case today. To Southwest Florida — you will rebuild.Adjustments may need to be made. Southwest Florida will have to decide what building code will be used to rebuild homes on or near the coast, andwhether mobile home parks should be located at or near the coast. Southwest Florida, you will rebuild. Your community will be more beautiful than ever, and your homes will be stronger and more resistant. I encourage all of our bankers and industry partners to donate to help rebuild Southwest Florida. The Florida Bankers Association Executive Committee approved a $25,000

“THIS IS THE BIGGER ISSUE: BANKS SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO DECIDE, BASED ON THE RISK OR BUSINESS PROFILE OF THE BANK, THE TYPE OF BUSINESS THEY WANT TO BANK.”

During Hurricane Andrew, people were hot, frustrated, and without shelter, food, or water for extended periods. Much of the aid that was given came from private sources. Today, we have seen Florida Governor DeSantis travel to Southwest Florida for an extended period to work alongside his team assisting in the recovery efforts, and eventually in the rebuilding. When Hurricane Andrew hit, I remember visiting the area after the storm. I stopped on a turnpike elevated

direct contribution to the Florida Disaster Fund within Volunteer Florida, which goes directly to helping impacted areas. Our industry has donated millions to organizations to help Florida recover from Hurricane Ian. I am so proud of our bankers for caring, and more importantly, giving. The American Bankers Association donated $100,000 to Florida Hurricane Ian relief and I want to thank Rob Nichols, President and CEO, for his

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