ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Values-based community bank Climate First Bank (In Organization), names Michele Glorie as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, and Valarie Nussbaum-Harris as Executive Vice President, Tampa Bay Region Executive and Government Guaranteed Lending Executive.
With more than 22 years of executive and senior management experience, Glorie has a proven track record in overseeing strategic growth and driving profitability. Glorie has worked senior-level positions at various Florida community banks throughout her career. This includes working as EVP and CFO at Enterprise Bank of Florida, and as Director of Operations at Harbor Community Bank. During her tenure at Harbor Community Bank, Glorie successfully assisted with eight acquisitions and grew the bank from $50 million in assets to $2.2 billion over a seven-year period.
“In my role as CFO and COO, I look forward to executing Climate First Bank’s vision in becoming the largest and most profitable values-based financial institution in the Southeast,” says Glorie, one of the original six founding directors at Climate First Bank (I/O).
Glorie will be joined by life-long St. Petersburg resident, Nussbaum-Harris. In her new role as EVP, Tampa Bay Region Executive and Government Guaranteed Lending Executive, Nussbaum-Harris will draw on her 32 years of banking experience within the Tampa Bay market and her extensive background in SBA and USDA lending to help local businesses fund their expansion and growth sustainably. Prior to joining Climate First Bank (I/O), Nussbaum-Harris held executive positions at various national and community banks, including Bank of America, Regions Bank, SouthTrust Bank, and Freedom Bank. Adding to her resume, Nussbaum-Harris sat as board member for the City of St. Petersburg’s Environmental Development Commission, Leadership Tampa Bay and Leadership Pinellas.
“I’m ready to work with Climate First Bank (I/O) to transform traditional banking into a values-based model that didn’t exist before,” says Nussbaum-Harris, mother of two and a small business owner herself. “I’m especially grateful for the opportunity to serve the community I’ve lived in my whole life. With so many smaller banks being bought up and customer service reduced to dialing a 1-800 number, I look forward to working with Climate First Bank (I/O) to fill the vacuum in traditional, face-to-face community banking.”
Founded by veteran banker Ken LaRoe, Climate First Bank (I/O) is an environmentally conscious bank whose mission is to reimagine the community bank as a force for good. Backed by Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles, the community bank will combat the climate crisis by financing sustainable business practices and providing dedicated loan options for solar photovoltaic (PV), energy retrofits and green infrastructure. The premier location, opening end of Q2, will be carbon neutral from day one. The institution was also recently announced as Florida For Good’s 200th member.
About Climate First Bank (I/O)
Climate First Bank (I/O) is a values-based community bank that will offer a complete, full-service portfolio of simple and easy-to-use traditional banking products. Those products will be powered by modern technology to meet the expectations of today’s consumers. In addition to offering standard banking services, the company will place a special emphasis on non-governmental organizations (NGO) 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.
Stay tuned for the latest updates, and to learn more visit https://climatefirstbank.com.
Media Contact
Abigail Lacaillade
Uproar PR for Climate First Bank (I/O)
(407) 547-9700
alacaillade@uproarpr.com