Climate First Bank Welcomes New Board Member and Expands Leadership Team

The values-based bank supports rapid growth with new board member and senior leadership team


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., April 19, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Climate First Bank, the world’s first FDIC-insured commercial bank founded to combat the climate crisis, today welcomes a new board member (pending regulatory approval), Jarred Fayson, and five new leadership team members to support Florida’s rising interest in sustainable banking.

Fayson joins Climate First Bank’s board with a passion for change and a can-do attitude. A graduate of University of Illinois, Fayson played football at UF where he helped the Gators win the national championship in 2006 before transferring to help the Illini win the Texas Bowl in 2010. Fayson now is the CEO of Sadler Fayson Fulfillment and resides in the St.Pete/Tampa area. Fayson has always had a passion for philanthropy, he's currently a board member of The Nature Conservancy and chair of the Fisheries Council for the Florida chapter. Fayson aims to raise awareness and education for the preservation and protection of marine life and estuaries. Fayson will use his knowledge and experience to help Climate First Bank expand its perspective and ability to create positive change in not just the areas that impact humans, but the animals that inhabit the area, too.

“Jarred is a force for good, and I’m extremely impressed with the work he’s done through the Nature Conservancy and more to bring about positive change in our environment. His driven leadership closely aligns with Climate First Bank’s mission as a values-based bank, and I can’t imagine a better addition to our board,” said Climate First Bank CEO and Founder Ken LaRoe. “I’m also thrilled with the leadership team hires we’ve made this year as everyone combines years of experience with passion for change.”

The mission-driven bank has also expanded to include multiple new leadership hires including:

  • Felipe Ferreira, Executive Vice President and Director of Residential Lending – With nearly 20 years of residential lending experience in Central Florida, Ferreira manages the bank’s mortgage sales and operations team, to ensure efficiency, quality of processing and compliance.
  • Frank Sypniewski, Senior Vice President of Residential Operations – With extensive experience and a previous bank owner himself, Sypniewski now supervises the residential operations team at Climate First Bank.
  • Angela Wilding, Vice President and Residential Mortgage Manager – With more than a decade of mortgage experience, Wilding manages, trains and oversees the Mortgage department.
  • Rick Figoli, Senior Vice President Residential Loan Officer – Figoli, a 30-year veteran of residential lending, manages underwriting services for complex scenarios for business owners and high net worth individuals.
  • Jackie Mitchell, Senior Vice President of Residential Lending – Mitchell uses his more than 25 years of experience as a leading loan officer to guide the Climate First Bank team in providing excellent service and offerings.

Visit climatefirstbank.com to learn more.

About Climate First Bank   
Climate First Bank is a values-based community bank offering a complete, full-service portfolio of simple and easy-to-use traditional banking products. These products are powered by high technology to meet the expectations of today’s consumers. In addition to offering standard banking services, the company places a special emphasis on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and businesses committed to sustainability. Eco-conscious customers will find dedicated loan options for solar photovoltaic (PV), energy retrofits and infrastructure to help combat the climate crisis. Member FDIC.

Media Contacts
Ericka Rivera
Uproar PR for Climate First Bank
erivera@uproarpr.com