Jason Russek

WesBanco today announced the expansion of its commercial banking business across several high‑growth South Florida markets with the hiring of an experienced team of commercial banking leaders. This expansion further advances the Bank’s organic growth strategy and commitment to serving clients in relationship-driven markets. Leading the South Florida team, Eddy Rodriguez joins WesBanco as Executive Vice President and Regional President, bringing nearly 30 years of commercial banking experience with top financial institutions. Supporting the markets are Steven L Goldstein, Market President and Senior Commercial Banker, focused on Palm Beach County and Tony Mandravellos, Market President and Senior Commercial Banker, focused on Broward County. Each brings decades of expertise in commercial financial services to help deliver customized solutions and exceptional service to clients. Learn more: https://heyor.ca/GMqdv4

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With the FDIC call report data now available for the 1st quarter of 2025, we can now see that the median bank CD portfolio yield for the quarter was 3.96%, down from 4.23% in the previous quarter. The average CD yield in the U.S. for the quarter was 4.09% when you add up all the CD interest paid and annualize it compared to the average volume of CDs during the quarter. This is down from 4.43% in the previous quarter. This means that the banks paying higher rates had a greater share of the volume. Bankers might want to check out our recent publication of the Term Funding Profitability benchmark at https://lnkd.in/gM_bHrq5 To explore the Pressure Gauge for your bank or your competitors use this link https://lnkd.in/eHWXGKZ. #banking #profitability #deposits #strategy

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Seacoast Bank / Seacoast Banking Corp. of Florida is acquiring in-state peer Villages Bancorporation, Inc. / Citizens First Bank in a $711M deal set to close in Q4. With this and its recent Heartland Bancshares acquisition, Seacoast’s asset size will hit $21B! https://lnkd.in/eZaD2q2z.

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How Santander plans to avoid US 'graveyard' for European banks Banco Santander's pending acquisition of the Northeast regional bank Webster Financial is one leg of the Spanish bank's plan to boost U.S. profitability, executives said Wednesday. https://buff.ly/nKhKRIv #FinTech #FinServ #Banking

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Community First Credit Union of Florida has announced a definitive agreement in which they will acquire substantially all of the assets and assume substantially all of the liabilities of First Southern Bank! https://loom.ly/dlQvY4M Sam Inman Daniel S. Hage #creditunions #acquisition

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First Citizens Bank today announced the appointment of Israel Gibbs as Area Executive for the North Florida market to grow its banking business in the state. Gibbs will lead business and branch banking operations in the Jacksonville area. Read more here: https://bit.ly/46nWLLM

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SBA 7(a) and 504 to be Fully funded in FY26 Budget -- SBDCs Enhanced -- SCORE, Women’s Business Centers, STEP to be Closed No changes are anticipated to the SBA 7(a) and 504 Loan programs, as the administration believes the changes they have made in the fee structure will allow the two programs to operate on a zero subsidy basis. In other words, borrower and lender fees will offset loan losses. The Administration says: "The Administration is committed to supporting small businesses throughout the United States through tax cuts, deregulation, and responsible, targeted support. "However, reforms at SBA are clearly warranted, as the previous administration unconstitutionally used the SBA to advance its divisive agenda, awarding billions in funding to certain businesses based solely on race and gender. "Therefore, the Budget ends 15 specialized and duplicative programs, leaving only the Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) program." Programs slated for elimination include SCORE, Women's Business Centers, State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), and Veterans Business Outreach Centers. These cuts will be offset by a $10 million increase to the SBDCs to ensure "there is not a disruption in business Technical Services for veteran-owned businesses." The Budget provides $250 million for SBA's salary and expense line item, bringing it back in line with 2021 levels. What happens next? The Budget is simply the administration's wish list. Negotiations now begin between the administration, Congress, and very interested parties. Then, Congress will craft its own legislation. This is the first step in a very long, year-long process. However, no cuts are anticipated in the SBA 7(a) and 504 lending programs. #SBA #SBA7a #SBA504 #FY26Budget #SBALoans #SmallBusinessAdministration #FederalBudget #AccessToCapital #BusinessAdvocacy

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MonitorDaily has reported that WesBanco is expanding its commercial banking operations into South Florida as part of its broader southeastern growth strategy, establishing a presence in key markets including Palm Beach and Broward counties. The expansion is being supported by the hiring of an experienced team of commercial banking leaders focused on serving middle-market and commercial clients in the region. Why This Matters: WesBanco's expansion into South Florida signifies a strategic move to tap into a rapidly growing economic region and strengthen bonds with existing clients connected to the area. By establishing a local presence, the bank is poised to enhance its commercial banking services and capitalize on new business opportunities. Read More: https://lnkd.in/gYapwFTE #WesBancoExpansion #SouthFloridaBanking #CommercialBanking #GrowthStrategy #BankingLeadership #EconomicDevelopment

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Tampa’s Growth Story Is Becoming More Operational — and That Matters for Corporate Banking Tampa is no longer just a “good demographic story.” It is becoming a more operational market, with business relocations, headquarters activity, healthcare growth, logistics demand, and professional services expansion all creating real financing needs across the middle market. Recent regional reporting continues to point to strong corporate move activity and sustained investment momentum, while market data shows office demand improving and industrial users still active even as supply resets. For middle-market and corporate clients, that changes the banking conversation. The opportunity is not simply access to credit. It is aligning capital structure with growth timing, working capital cycles, treasury complexity, and capex discipline. In Tampa, that often means practical discussions around liquidity management, receivables efficiency, owner-occupied real estate, equipment finance, and acquisition readiness. A few local trends stand out. First, headquarters and relocation momentum continue to support broader business formation and advisory needs. Second, healthcare and business services remain important demand drivers. Third, industrial fundamentals are still constructive, but with enough new supply to reward disciplined decision-making instead of blind optimism. Bottom line: Tampa is still a growth market, but the winners will be the companies that pair ambition with structure — and the banking partners that help them do both.

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The U.S. Small Business Administration has released the FY2026 504 loan fees (effective October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026), and there is great news for manufacturers.   For manufacturers (NAICS 31–33), including loans made under 504 Debt Refinance (with or without Expansion): ✅ Upfront guaranty fee: WAIVED ✅ Annual service fee: WAIVED   This fee waiver directly supports the Made in America initiative, helping manufacturers access affordable, long-term, fixed-rate financing to invest in facilities, equipment, and growth — keeping jobs and production here at home. Below is a comparison of the cost savings the change will have for manufacturers starting October 1st. Reach out to Erik Barnes, Jason Forbes, CPA, or Sophie Johnson, DPA with any questions.

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Eltropy Accelerates Industry Presence With Participation in Over 25 Credit Union and Community Bank Events in Two Months “The breadth of our participation in these industry events speaks to the real need we’re addressing for community financial institutions,” said Ashish Garg, Co-founder and CEO of Eltropy. “Whether it’s a credit union looking to strengthen member loyalty or a community bank focused on optimizing their branch strategy, we’re seeing institutions of all sizes turn to our unified platform to solve multiple challenges simultaneously. As members increasingly expect instant, personalized service across every channel, our technology is helping CFIs meet these expectations without adding complexity to their operations.” https://lnkd.in/esfWWmy5 Nandita Verma Steve Jensen Laura Re Akhil Ahuja Mark Johnson Bhavini Joshi (CSM®) Amita Aggerwal 🦖 Addison Sharp #fintech #finance #banking #paytech #payments #fintechnews #paymentsnews

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Propel Holdings secures approval to launch Propel Bank, a Puerto Rico–based IFE enabling expanded lending, new products, and broader market reach. ➡ https://lnkd.in/gQpbwnPB #PropelHoldings #PropelBank #PuertoRicoIFE #FintechRegulation #ConsumerLending #DigitalBanking #OCFI #FintechInfrastructure #RegTech #CreditAccess #GlobalFinTechEdge #FinTechEdge

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Discover the benefits of batch ACH payments and how they can streamline your business operations. Learn more in FNBO's latest article. https://fnbo.co/4rQLpbh

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SBA has formally announced its new 7(a) Manufacturers’ Access to Revolving Credit (MARC) Program which will kick off on October 1, 2025. The new initiative which contains features of both Standard 7(a) term loans and SBA Express revolving loan, adds a flexible new working capital option for manufacturers (NAICS sectors 31-33). Learn more about this new tool in your toolbox, specifically designed to facilitate access to revolving credit for this important business segment. Register now at https://lnkd.in/ga4Edr3c #SBALending #SBA7a #Manufacturing

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The new SBA MARC program goes live October 1st to provide working capital for manufacturers with up to 10-year lines of credit (+10-year repayment), or up to 10-year term notes. More highlights: Loan funds may be used for any short-term working capital need of the manufacturer, supporting everything from inventory purchases to new projects. MARC lines of credit can help manufacturers expand their working capital by leveraging the available equity of their existing facility or equipment. more info: https://lnkd.in/gUfffWqw webinar: https://lnkd.in/g2_4pVue Reach out with questions!

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Is your network really your net worth? I find that is often true in business. Over my career, I have gotten the opportunity to meet with many growing businesses. You'd think that most of those conversations are about sources of capital. But the truth is that many of those conversations were concentrated around access. Access to better vendors. Access to operators who’ve already hit that next stage. Access to professionals who understand manufacturing. That’s why First American Bank has been an active member of the South Florida Manufacturers Association for many years. Not for visibility. But, instead, to develop a strong professional network for our clients'. If you're manufacturing in South Florida, I'd love to invite you to the South Florida Manufacturers Association member recruitment event at the World Trade Center in Miami on March 4th. There you'll be able to meet other manufacturers like yourself and the professionals that support them, including our Market President, Brian Hagan. This event will not be a great fit for all manufacturers. And I get that. But for some, not being in these types of rooms may be limiting growth more than you realize. I know first-hand that capital can help your business grow. so, if you're looking for capital to fund, your business, I'd love to speak to you. However, I also know that certain networks provide resources that exceed current needs. If you're looking to establish new relationships, obtain guidance, retain or add new employees to achieve long-term steady growth, the SFMA may just the partner you've been looking for. #FirstAmBank #MemberFDIC #Manufacturing

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Wells Fargo is relocating its wealth management unit’s base of operations to West Palm Beach, Florida, involving about 100 senior staffers. https://lnkd.in/eqCHnDge

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