TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Citrus Bank, the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, St. Pete Greenhouse, and the St. Petersburg Area Economic Development Corporation held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, September 16th, to officially celebrate the opening of the newest First Citrus Bank branch located in the heart of downtown St. Pete at 300 1st Ave S.
National Small Business Week was an ideal timeframe for the ribbon cutting, as Jack Barrett, President and Chief Executive Officer of First Citrus Bank, took the opportunity to acknowledge the positive impact and influence those local entrepreneurs and artists have on the downtown St. Pete community. It was also an occasion for executive team members and First Citrus Bank associates to further commit themselves to supporting the growth and success of the area, pledging to provide premier community banking services and proactively contribute to the community.
“Downtown St. Petersburg is unique and expressive, with a significant taste for cutting-edge art, exceptional food and drink, and exclusive shops,” stated Jessica Kendall Hornof, Executive Vice President and Chief Deposit Officer with 20 years at First Citrus Bank. “So, we embraced the local culture and committed ourselves to the community through various partnerships, including the St. Pete Greenhouse, Habitat for Humanity, the Morean Arts Center, the SHINE Mural Festival and more.”
During the celebration, First Citrus Bank also kicked off their #Picked4You campaign with free gourmet ice pops from The Hyppo, a local business located off Central Avenue. Throughout the year, First Citrus Bank will continue teaming up with establishments throughout downtown to offer residents and employees of local businesses treats, tastings, and special offerings.
“Being in St. Pete is an opportunity to support local business owners with the growth capital they need to expand their business,” said David Mastrorio, 21-year veteran of First Citrus Bank and Chief Lending Officer. “By partnering with the St. Pete Chamber of Commerce and our local eateries and shops, we can continue celebrating and supporting small businesses in the area, as well show our appreciation for the residents and visitors that make this a flourishing and prosperous community.”
During the ceremony, guests also had the opportunity to tour the lobby and meeting room, as well as capture selfies with the bright and expansive mural created by local graffiti artists Leon “Tes One” Bedore and the Vitale Bros., Johnny and Paul.
First Citrus Bank is true community bank that connects and enhances vibrancy throughout the community. They have been ranked as #1 Florida Community Bank for 2 years in a row from American Banker and Top 5 SBA lender in Tampa Bay by the SBA. Their St. Petersburg location offers lobby services, safe deposit boxes, executive offices, drive-thru services, as well as a suite of convenient mobile and online banking services. Sign up to receive updates from our new downtown location: bit.ly/FCBSTPETE
About First Citrus Bank
First Citrus Bank, a $600 million commercial bank, was established in 1999 and is headquartered in Tampa. Ranked as one of the Top 100 Community Banks in 2021 by American Banker and named Top 5 SBA Lender in Tampa Bay for 2020 by the SBA. First Citrus Bank was selected as the Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce 2019 Small Business of the Year and ranked as one of the Top 25 Commercial Loan Producers in the Nation by the magazine Independent Banker. It serves businesses and individuals through a range of tailored financial solutions specializing in personal and business banking services with six locations throughout Tampa Bay.
First Citrus Bank enhances vibrancy throughout Tampa Bay by helping families become more financially secure and businesses economically successful. For additional information, please visit https://www.firstcitrus.com.
Stock trades on the OTC Markets under the ticker symbol "FCIT."
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/33f10aae-bfd3-42dd-82b6-b10074da2994
