Florida Banking September 2023

FLORIDA BANKERS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

FBEF BOARD CHAIR 2023-25: FRED LEOPOLD

F red Leopold has been elected to serve as chair of the Florida Bankers Educational Foundation (FBEF) Board of Trustees. The FBEF has provided financial assistance to Florida bankers since 1956, and continues to help bankers today through the FBEF Scholarship Program and the FBEF Career Development Program. Leopold has been an active member of the Florida Bankers Association for many years, participating in the Government Relations Committee, the BankPac Board, and the FBA Board prior to joining the FBEF Board in 2019. His two-year term as FBEF Board Chair runs from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025. After attending Valdosta State College as an undergraduate in business and finance, Leopold started his career in banking with NCNB in 1983. In 2010, he graduated from the Stonier School of Banking at the University of Pennsylvania. After working for Barnett Bank and Vanguard Bank, Leopold served as CEO with Community Bank, Destin, then Florida CEO, chief credit officer, and vice chairman with Community Bank, Coast. Forty years after his banking career started, Leopold is Community Bank of Mississippi’s Coast Region chief lending officer. Frequently traveling throughout the Southeast, Leopold is actively involved with both the Florida Bankers Association and the Alabama Bankers Association in their efforts to help current and future bankers. He shares his banking experience with students in Alabama as a panelist during industry awareness events in addition to his participation with the FBEF Board, working to help Florida bankers advance their careers through education. Community Bank is dedicated to investing in the next generation of the company’s leaders because it knows that its staff is its greatest asset. As the bank’s website states, “Staff is the key to success.” Coming from a culture that emphasizes the development of the staff’s talent, it is no surprise that Leopold knows the value of education and the role that it will play in the banking industry going forward. His personal participation in supporting the

education of current bankers and the recruitment of future bankers shows how much importance he places on helping the next generation of bank employees. Leopold is actively involved with his Northwest Florida community, serving as the president of the South Walton High School Touchdown Club, Inc., and as the treasurer of the School Advisory Council, in addition to his memberships in the Destin Chamber of Commerce, Crestview Chamber of Commerce, and Walton County Chamber of Commerce. He has served and held leadership positions with the Okaloosa Community Development Corporation, the Okaloosa County Economic Development Council, the United Way of Okaloosa County, the Niceville/Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce, Support Emerald Coast, Florida’s Great Northwest, the Walton County Economic Development Council, and the Walton County Economic Alliance. All FBA members are invited to participate in supporting the foundation by making a tax-deductible donation, by attending the January 23, 2024 FBEF Welcome Reception in Tallahassee, or by joining the FBEF Board of Trustees. FBEF is here to help Florida bankers who want to advance their careers through education. By educating bankers today, we create a better banking industry for tomorrow. The future of Florida banking depends on it. The FBEF was organized in 1956 to provide financial aid to college students interested in pursuing a career in Florida banking and is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Registration #CH7621. If you are interested in making a tax-deductible contribution to the FBEF, contact Letty Newton at P.O. Box 1360, Tallahassee, FL 32302-1360, e-mail lnewton@floridabankers.com or call 850-701-3522. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 800-435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. www. FloridaConsumerHelp.com

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