Florida Banking September 2022

Florida. The investors, directors, and employees believe that a combination of digital and traditional community banking is the “optimum” way to bank. The bank is led by President and CEO Tim Terry, CFO Elliot Nunez, and Chairman Moishe Gubin. Today, OptimumBank has $450 million in assets and is preparing to open a new branch in North Miami Beach. Nunez noted that according to Independent Banker magazine, OptimumBank is ranked No. 11 in the nation for commercial lending in the category of banks $300 million to $1 billion in assets. Gubin has served as chairman of the board since 2010. His open, friendly nature and vast network has helped attract new customers to the bank. Well respected within his Jewish community, Gubin takes every opportunity to speak with friends and new acquaintances to understand their needs and share

When Terry joined the bank in 2013, it was buckling under the pressure of a regulatory consent order. “There were incoming missiles every day in one form or another. You just take it one day at a time,” Terry said. “When the consent order was lifted in 2018, we took off and never looked back.” Even during the most challenging days, neither Terry nor Gubin doubted the bank’s future. What did it take to turn things around? “We worked on our culture, the practical application and operations of the bank, and getting past the stigma with regulators. It was an evolution,” Gubin said. “There are no specific points to be made on how we went from ‘here’ to ‘there,’ because there was no one person who made it happen. We brought in people with knowledge and experience. But it

how the bank might be of service. He shares his personal cell number on his business card. “ I wa n t t o b e

was more than that; we were looking for people with a desire to improve and a desire to serve.” Gubin and Terry s a y i t ’s e a s y t o spot the difference between those who are engaged and those who are simply going through the motions. Te r ry be l i eve s i n giving prospect ive e m p l o y e e s a behavioral assessment to learn more about t he i r pe r sona l i t y, s t r e n g t h s , a n d we akn e s s e s . Th i s assessment helps him plug people into the right roles.

“WE TREAT PEOPLE WITH THE HIGHEST

RESPECT FROM DAY ONE. WHETHER WE’RE TALKING ABOUT OUR CUSTOMERS, REGULATORS, OR OTHERS IN THE INDUSTRY… OUR CONSISTENT SERVICE IS AT THE CORE OF HOW WE DO BUSINESS. ”

your end-all-be-all for banking. Cal l me, I want to help you,” Gubin said. When it comes to g ene r a t i ng l e ad s , Gubin and the team a t Op t imumBank believe in the power of referrals rather than cold cal l ing. “I approach people as their peer. The c o n n e c t i o n i s already a warm lead, thanks to personal r e l a t i onsh i ps , my rel igious network, and word of mouth,” Gubin said.

- TIM TERRY

“The reality is that some people are introverts and some people are extroverts. Introverts do their thinking internally, while extroverts think out loud. People can go their whole lives in the wrong role without true success, because they don’t realize that they’re not doing what they’re naturally best at,” Terry said. “If you take the time when you hire to figure it out, you place people into positions where they fit, and they thrive.” Terry says he’s got the “best lenders in South Florida.” “[Our lenders] are all programmed to find a way to do a loan that’s prudent for the bank; not only are they knowledgeable about loans, but they know how to handle people, and that creates an early bond that expedites the process,” Terry said. The bank OptimumBank, Continued on page 10

The relat ionship that Gubin forms wi th prospective customers is then nurtured by Terry’s team. Gubin understands that lead generation is “worthless” unless there is somebody on the other end to follow up on those leads. “Moishe makes the introduction — and believe me, it’s more than just an introduction — but when it’s passed from Moishe to the next person, the transition is seamless. Our people pick up on the back end with exactly the same treatment,” Terry said. “We treat people with the highest respect from Day One. That’s what has made us successful, and will make us successful in the long run. Whether we’re talking about our customers, regulators, or others in the industry… our consistent service is at the core of how we do business.”

WWW.FLORIDABANKERS.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 — 9