Florida Banking October/November 2024

PERSONAL TRANSACTIONS

Commerce Bank & Trust Announces Board Members, New Hire Commerce Bank & Trust announced that Didier Menard and Alexander Strong have been elected to its Board of Directors, and Margaret Vining has joined as AVP, Controller/Finance Manager.

portfolios to meet ongoing lifestyle needs and family aspirations. She serves clients at the Sanibel office on Periwinkle Way and the Fort Myers office at Bell Tower. Prior to joining The Trust Company, Schwartzel was a business development manager and financial advisor at Morgan Stanley in Naples. She also served as Morgan Stanley’s SWFL business development liaison on their diversity council. Knize is an Accredited Estate Planner with over two decades of experience. He works closely with clients and their families to create customized wealth & estate planning, taxation and inheritance strategies designed for their specific needs. Knize teaches individual Jhamb leads the company’s team of portfolio managers and the firm’s investment committee that directs overall firm portfolio strategy and analysis. He continues to be responsible for monitoring client portfolios, analyzing investment opportunities, and income taxation and fiduciary income taxation for the Florida Bankers Association’s Annual Trust & Wealth Management School. advising his clients. Jhamb has more than 20 years of diverse domestic and international investment expertise, conducting deep fundamental research across sectors, Knize Jhamb

Didier, a civil engineer with 26 years of industry experience, directs local government affairs for Florida, bringing extensive local expertise in public involvement efforts and program leadership. Strong serves as President of Strong

Menard

Properties, Inc., based in Winter Park, where he oversees the acquisition, management and disposition of multifamily, office and land assets in Florida, Alabama and Idaho.

Vining is responsible for overseeing the bank’s financial reporting, bringing over 15 years of financial institution accounting and auditing experience. Having previously audited the holding company, she comes with knowledge of the company’s structure, financial

Vining

history and culture. Crews Bank & Trust Hires Strosnider and Williams, Promotes Huaman

Ken Strosnider joined the Crews Bank & Trust team as its newest Residential Loan Originator. Based at the North Port branch, he brings 20 years of mortgage origination experience to the role. Karla Huaman was recently promoted to Assistant Vice President, Retail Banking Officer, and will oversee the Winter Haven and Lakeland branches. Huaman began working with the bank in 2021 as a personal banker, bringing over 20 years of experience in the industry. Justin Williams has joined the Crews Bank & Trust team as Vice President, Commercial Banker in the Highlands County area. He brings nearly 10 years of experience to his new role. He is a 2018 graduate of the Florida School of Banking.

cycles, asset classes and geographies. Climate First Announces New Hires Climate First Bank welcomed Sanjay Dave as VP SBA Business Development Officer; Dale Thompson as VP Residential Lender; Tony Burns as VP and Business Development Officer; and Kristin Weissman as VP of Public Relations. Dave will provide financial product and business services advice, as well as oversee the loan application process for SMB customers. Thompson has over 20 years of experience as a mortgage sales professional with a deep understanding of portfolio lending. Burns is a solutions-oriented leader with over 22 years of experience in the banking and financial services arenas. Weissman is a multi-award-winning executive with more than 20 years of experience in public relations, marketing and brand development.

Dave

Strosnider

Thompson

Huaman

Burns

Williams

FNBB Announces New Board Members First National Bankers Bankshares, Inc. (FNBB) recently elected four new members to the Board of Directors for FNBB and its banking subsidiary, First

Weissman

WWW.FLORIDABANKERS.COM OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2024 — 21