Florida Banking October 2023

KUDOS

Congratulations to the 53rd Graduating Class of the Florida School of Banking

F or the past 53 years, Florida bankers have been attending the Florida School of Banking (FSB), sponsored by the Florida Bankers Association. Since its creation in 1969, more than 3,050 students have graduated from the FSB, better prepared to contribute to the managerial duties of their institutions. Many of these graduates continued their banking career, rising through the ranks to become presidents and CEOs of numerous Florida banks. The FSB is intended to provide bank personnel at the supervisory and officer level the opportunity to increase their knowledge about the banking industry and the economy. It could not operate without the dedicated industry professionals that make up the governing board of directors. These bankers contribute their talents, skills, knowledge, expertise, and time to assure that this school is pertinent, timely and gives students the tools needed to become assets to their institutions. The industry professionals that make up the 2023 school board of directors are Connie Nelson, senior VP & CFO at United Southern Bank, Susan Blackburn, regional community banking director at Seacoast Bank, Jeff

Oody, chief emerging markets executive at First Federal Bank, and Associate Director Karen Sharp, director emeritus of First State Bank. The FBA is very appreciative of their efforts and willingness to serve the banking industry in this way. Fifty senior class students graduated from this year’s program, better equipped to help lead their banks into their financial future. FBA President and CEO Alex Sanchez addressed the graduates and encouraged them as they left the three-year program. Ashley M. DeLuca, loan officer at Crews Bank, earned the coveted Florida School of Banking Dr. C. Arnold Matthews Honor Graduate Award for 2023. This award is given to the student that ranks among the top 10 percent academically, exhibits a true sense of leadership, and actively participates in class throughout the three-year course. The next session of the Florida School of Banking is scheduled for August 4-10, 2024, at the Reitz Student Union on the University of Florida campus. For more information on this school, please visit www. floridabankers.com or contact our school registrar, Olga Williams, at owilliams@floridabankers.com.

The 53rd Annual Florida School of Banking graduating class with school director Jeff Oody.

WWW.FLORIDABANKERS.COM OCTOBER 2023 — 27