ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., April 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Climate-focused community bank, Climate First Bank (In Organization) today announces June 1, 2021 as the opening date for its first flagship location at 5301 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg, Fla. Carbon neutral from day one of operation, Climate First Bank (I/O) is a full-service community bank offering personal and commercial banking services with a focus on environmental regeneration. The bank is helmed by a dedicated team of senior executives and local professionals who share a collective mission to do the right thing for the people, planet, community and shareholders.
“Interest in the bank has been extraordinary. I’ve been getting calls from all over Florida and across the nation from people eager to invest in our mission,” said veteran banker and CEO Ken LaRoe. “Very quickly we exceeded our minimum subscription of $17 million with $29 million raised to date.”
Climate First Bank (I/O) was founded by LaRoe and a coalition of founding directors with a vision to reimagine the community bank as a force for positive change. Powered by Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles, Climate First Bank (I/O) will do its part to drawdown atmospheric carbon dioxide threatening the planet’s natural ecosystem by providing residents and businesses with affordable green loan options for everything ranging from residential and commercial solar panel loans to LEED-certified retrofitting to auto loans for EV and hybrid vehicles.
In addition to these offerings, Climate First Bank (I/O) will provide standard bank offerings such as business and personal checking and savings accounts, online cash management services, residential mortgages, SBA business lending and more. In accordance with its values, the bank will place a special emphasis on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and promises to never invest in extractive industries.
“I’m ready to get our doors open and start investing in the future of our community through the sustainable development of our homes and businesses,” said LaRoe. “Climate First Bank (I/O) has some phenomenal local talent that understands the market and can provide the greater Tampa Bay area with a new, ethical way of banking.”
Executive Vice President, Tampa Bay Region Executive and Government Guaranteed Lending Executive Valarie Nussbaum-Harris and Executive Loan Officer and Senior Vice President Edmund O’Carroll are underwriting the variety of green financing options and standard commercial and consumer loans that will be offered by the bank. The branch’s operations and staff members will be overseen by Branch Manager, Small Business Banker and Vice President Brian Kruse. Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Attorney Business Banking Scott Leitner will supervise the bank’s legal and regulatory affairs.
Together with Founding Directors Dominik Mjartan, Chris Castro, Jared Meyers and Nancy Wolf, LaRoe and COO/CFO Michele Glorie will combine their collective experience and passion for sustainability to grow Climate First Bank (I/O) into the most profitable values-based financial institution in the state of Florida.
Climate First Bank (I/O) is planning a grand opening for the community of St. Petersburg in July. Stay tuned for the latest updates, and to learn more visit climatefirstbank.com.
About Climate First Bank (I/O)
Climate First Bank (I/O) 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 (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.
Media Contact
Ericka Rivera
Uproar PR for Climate First Bank (I/O)
(407) 417-3598
erivera@uproarpr.com