INDUSTRY INSIGHTS YOUR PEERS ARE READING
M&A Commercial lending Community banking FloridaThe Illinois bank is buying a bank formed in the 1970s to serve Cuban-Americans. MORE
Sexual harassment Financial regulations FloridaRonald Rubin was asked by the state’s chief financial officer to resign after a review of an Inspector General’s report detailed allegations of sexual harassment. Instead, Rubin is countering with accusations against the CFO. MORE
M&A Regional banks Community banking Growth strategies North Carolina FloridaThe North Carolina regional bank will gain four locations and $834 million in loans. MORE
State officials are looking into a sexual harassment complaint filed against Ronald Rubin, Florida's recently-appointed top banking regulator. Sexual harassment Financial regulations Florida MORE
Earlier this week, the Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, which has jurisdiction over Florida, invalidated a state statute that made it a misdemeanor to impose a surcharge […]. Legal Watch New York State credit card surcharge Florida Supreme CourtI knew that would get your attention. The clash to which I am referring has to do with the legality of statutes banning credit card surcharges. MORE
West Florida Banking is made up of bankers who ran Jefferson Bank of Florida, which is now part of CenterState Banks. Community banking M&A Commercial banking Florida MORE
prosecutors late last week charged a Florida man in connection with an illegal bitcoin exchange. According to a report by Reuters , Ricardo Hill, 38, was arrested in Florida in October and charged with conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting firm. was operated by Anthony Murgio of Florida and owned by Gery Shalon, the Israeli accused of being behind the JPMorgan hack and that of other companies. MORE
Following a switch in contractors that reportedly caused prisoners to lose access to music that they purchased, an inmate in a Florida prison is suing the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) in a class action suit. MORE
million-square-foot American Dream Miami — potentially the most expensive mall ever built — has received approval from officials in a Florida county. Retail American Dream Miami brick and mortar Florida malls News real estate shopping What's HotThe 6.2 The project, which is being developed by Triple Five Worldwide Group of Companies , is estimated to come at a cost of $4 billion, The Wall Street Journal reported. While the project was originally slated to have 1.5 MORE
McDonald’s is testing out a breakfast catering service in Central Florida in an attempt to compete with eateries like Panera Bread. The service is available at all 195 restaurants in Central Florida, and during breakfast hours only. Delivery Fast food Catering McDonald's McDonalds Catering McDonalds Delivery McDonalds Florida News Retail Uber Eats What's Hot MORE
State regulators Licenses and charters CFPB House Financial Services Committee FloridaRonald Rubin, who was a CFPB enforcement attorney, will head an office overseeing nearly 200 state-chartered banks. MORE
Payments Startups Technology Virtual Currency Bitcoin BlockChain Cloud Constellation Florida Ripple SolarCoin SpaceBeltYou might have seen Ripple’s news yesterday, but turns out that is not the only big development in blockchain this week—it’s now exploring the final frontier. MORE
MidFlorida Credit Union has agreed to buy the $730 million-asset Community Bank & Trust of Florida in Ocala. Community banking M&A Consumer lending Credit unions Branch deals Florida MORE
Walmart has opened a massive eCommerce fulfillment center in Florida, creating 1,500 jobs and enabling faster shipping to customers or to stores for free pickup. This facility is the sixth addition to the next-generation fulfillment network that Walmart is building to support its eCommerce business and is part of a $450-million investment the retailer is making in Florida in 2017-18. MORE
A software engineer from Florida was slapped with a 16-month prison term late last week after a court found him guilty of scamming to aid an illegal bitcoin exchange. In November, Ricardo Hill , who was arrested in Florida a month prior, was also charged with conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting firm. MORE
A Florida man was sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison for helping criminals process millions of dollars in illegal bitcoin transactions. Murgio, his father and another man admitted to operating a fake Florida-based business called the Collectables Club, which allowed criminals to buy bitcoins to launder their money under the pretense they were buying stamps and sports memorabilia. MORE
The transaction was set up to give Mercantil more autonomy to expand in South Florida, Houston and New York. Community banking Capital Growth strategies Florida Venezuela MORE
MIDFLORIDA Credit Union (Lakeland, FL) announced its intends to acquire the $739-million Community Bank & Trust of Florida (Ocala, FL). Community Bank & Trust of Florida has 11 offices in the counties of Alachua, Marion, and Sumter. In addition, MIDFLORIDA announced it intends to purchase assets of First American Bank (Fort Dodge, IA), which are in southwest Florida. MORE
Community banking Marketing Growth strategies FloridaThe change comes two months after the bank was spun off from its Venezuelan parent company. MORE
Florida Gov. Sexual harassment Consumer banking Financial regulations Ron DeSantis FloridaRon DeSantis is attempting to sort out allegations of sexual harassment against the state's banking commissioner and counterclaims of a political setup. MORE
Community banking M&A De novo institutions Capital FloridaGulf Atlantic Bank would be the eighth bank in the market, and just the second with local ownership. MORE
Community banking M&A Commercial lending FloridaA strong economy and the chance to court Hispanic customers and businesses have banks interested in the region once more. MORE
Community banking M&A Capital Florida TennesseeByron DeFoor, who already has majority stakes in two community banks, is planning to buy First Columbia Bancorp. MORE
Central Florida Educators Federal Credit Union (Lake Mary, FL) has announced a deal to acquire Fidelity Bank of Florida (Merritt Island, FL). Central Florida Educators Credit Union has $1.9 Fidelity Bank of Florida has $174 million in assets and two offices -- one in Seminole County and the other in Brevard County. billion in assets. The transaction, which awaits regulatory and shareholder approval, is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2019. MORE
40 Fairwinds Credit Union's deal for Friends Bank marks the third time this year that a Florida bank has agreed to be sold to a credit union. Community banking Credit unions M&A Florida MORE
According to a report , a man in Florida was allegedly robbed at knifepoint while trying to sell $28,000 in bitcoin. The 32-year-old resident of Lake Worth, Florida, Steve Manos, set up a meeting with two people in West Palm Beach to sell the bitcoin for cash. million from two Florida men who were allegedly involved in the case. While computer breaches and malicious emails are commonplace online, when it comes to bitcoin, it can also be dangerous offline in the real world. MORE
The Florida Office of Financial Regulation on April 18 approved the application to merge Citizens State Bank (Gainesville, FL) into Vystar Credit Union (Jacksonville, FL). The shareholders of Citizens State Bank have approved the transaction. Both applicants state that the transaction will not result in Vystar engaging in any nonconforming or impermissible activities. MORE
Corporate governance Community banks Growth strategies OCC FloridaJohn Quill, a former deputy comptroller, had a key role deciding which banks could participate in the Troubled Asset Relief Program. MORE
Community banking Wealth management M&A FloridaThe Illinois company will gain six offices after it buys Investors' Security Trust. MORE
Community banking M&A Growth strategies Capital Mississippi Texas FloridaThe Mississippi company will pay more than $200 million for the parent companies of Texas Star Bank and Summit Bank. MORE
Gulfside Bank, which would be based in Sarasota, is angling to become southwest Florida's first new bank in a decade. Community banking De novo banks Capital FDIC Florida MORE
To drive new-store construction and innovations, Walmart is planning on investing an estimated $200 million in its Florida business. Elise Vasquez-Warner, a vice president and regional general manager for Walmart in Florida, said, “Customers have told us they want the convenience of shopping how, when and where they want. And, though the retailer’s Pickup Tower is available at more than 15 Florida Walmart stores, the company plans to expand that service as well. MORE
South Florida residents will be able to get Starbucks food and drinks delivered thanks to a new partnership with Uber Eats. According to a report in the South Florida Business Journal , the partnership between Starbucks and Uber Eats in South Florida kicked off earlier this week, enabling people to order from 100 stores. Delivery coffee delivery Florida News starbucks Uber Eats What's Hot MORE
Retail delivery Florida food delivery McDonald's UberEATSWhoever said, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” probably feels a bit silly right now. That’s because 2017’s newest addition to the food delivery space isn’t your average plucky, cleverly named startup with a mobile app and a dream. It’s legacy fast-food giant McDonald’s. MORE
Silver River Community Bank is the fifth de novo in Florida to apply with the FDIC in the last three years. Community banking De novo institutions Capital FDIC Florida MORE
Community banking M&A Growth strategies FloridaBanco Bradesco said it will use the acquired bank to expand its investment offerings in the United States. MORE
Community banking De novo institutions Alternative investments Investment strategies FloridaAlex Sanchez acknowledges that the U.S. has a lot of banks and many failed in the crisis, but he says a healthy economy needs a fresh supply of community lenders to nurture entrepreneurs. MORE
Following a data breach at learning platform Lynda in 2016, two hackers were indicted in Florida this month on charges of extortion and hacking. One alleged hacker lived in Florida, while the other was a Canadian citizen who was a Toronto resident, according to reports. MORE
Recruiting Community banking Digital banking Trump administration FloridaThe president's big loan from, and sizable deposits with, Professional Bank in Boca Raton have raised some eyebrows. MORE
The program is now being offered in Florida and will be expanded to other Whole Food stores during the summer. Amazon.com is stepping up its battle for grocery store dominance, launching a new loyalty program with Whole Foods for Prime customers on Wednesday (May 16). According to a report in Reuters , the much-anticipated program gives Prime members 10 percent off hundreds of items and deals on weekly specials that rotate. MORE
Florida governor Ron DeSantis has signed a bill that allows autonomous cars to operate on the roads without requiring a human being to be behind the wheel, according to reports. Florida is now the third state to pass such a law, behind Texas and Michigan. MORE
M&A Community banking Earnings Consolidations FloridaPower Financial Credit Union's deal for TransCapital Bank marks the fourth time this year a bank has agreed to be sold to a credit union in that state. MORE
credit union has agreed to buy Fidelity Bank of Florida, which the SBA designated as a certified lender in 2017. M&A Consolidations Integrations Strategic buyers Community banking FloridaThe Lake Mary, Fla., MORE
Florida banks say it should stay that way unless tax advantages for credit unions are removed, but credit unions counter that banks are trying to stifle competition. Deposits Law and regulation State taxes Community banking FloridaState law bars credit unions from accepting deposits from cities, counties and other government entities. MORE
Florida Related Topics PYMNTS
JUNE 14, 2019
Florida governor Ron DeSantis has signed a bill that allows autonomous cars to operate on the roads without requiring a human being to be behind the wheel, according to reports. Florida is now the third state to pass such a law, behind Texas and Michigan.
Bank Innovation
SEPTEMBER 16, 2016
Payments Startups Technology Virtual Currency Bitcoin BlockChain Cloud Constellation Florida Ripple SolarCoin SpaceBeltYou might have seen Ripple’s news yesterday, but turns out that is not the only big development in blockchain this week—it’s now exploring the final frontier.
BankThink
MAY 30, 2019
West Florida Banking is made up of bankers who ran Jefferson Bank of Florida, which is now part of CenterState Banks. Community banking M&A Commercial banking Florida
PYMNTS
FEBRUARY 21, 2019
Following a switch in contractors that reportedly caused prisoners to lose access to music that they purchased, an inmate in a Florida prison is suing the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) in a class action suit.
BankThink
MAY 11, 2019
State officials are looking into a sexual harassment complaint filed against Ronald Rubin, Florida's recently-appointed top banking regulator. Sexual harassment Financial regulations Florida
BankThink
MAY 13, 2019
Community banking Wealth management M&A FloridaThe Illinois company will gain six offices after it buys Investors' Security Trust.
BankThink
JUNE 5, 2019
Florida Gov. Sexual harassment Consumer banking Financial regulations Ron DeSantis FloridaRon DeSantis is attempting to sort out allegations of sexual harassment against the state's banking commissioner and counterclaims of a political setup.
PYMNTS
SEPTEMBER 13, 2018
South Florida residents will be able to get Starbucks food and drinks delivered thanks to a new partnership with Uber Eats. According to a report in the South Florida Business Journal , the partnership between Starbucks and Uber Eats in South Florida kicked off earlier this week, enabling people to order from 100 stores. Delivery coffee delivery Florida News starbucks Uber Eats What's Hot
BankThink
MAY 17, 2019
M&A Commercial lending Community banking FloridaThe Illinois bank is buying a bank formed in the 1970s to serve Cuban-Americans.
BankThink
MAY 29, 2019
Sexual harassment Financial regulations FloridaRonald Rubin was asked by the state’s chief financial officer to resign after a review of an Inspector General’s report detailed allegations of sexual harassment. Instead, Rubin is countering with accusations against the CFO.
PYMNTS
JUNE 20, 2018
million-square-foot American Dream Miami — potentially the most expensive mall ever built — has received approval from officials in a Florida county. Retail American Dream Miami brick and mortar Florida malls News real estate shopping What's HotThe 6.2 The project, which is being developed by Triple Five Worldwide Group of Companies , is estimated to come at a cost of $4 billion, The Wall Street Journal reported. While the project was originally slated to have 1.5
PYMNTS
APRIL 13, 2018
To drive new-store construction and innovations, Walmart is planning on investing an estimated $200 million in its Florida business. Elise Vasquez-Warner, a vice president and regional general manager for Walmart in Florida, said, “Customers have told us they want the convenience of shopping how, when and where they want. And, though the retailer’s Pickup Tower is available at more than 15 Florida Walmart stores, the company plans to expand that service as well.
Keith Leggett's Credit Union Watch
JANUARY 25, 2019
Central Florida Educators Federal Credit Union (Lake Mary, FL) has announced a deal to acquire Fidelity Bank of Florida (Merritt Island, FL). Central Florida Educators Credit Union has $1.9 Fidelity Bank of Florida has $174 million in assets and two offices -- one in Seminole County and the other in Brevard County. billion in assets. The transaction, which awaits regulatory and shareholder approval, is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2019.
PYMNTS
OCTOBER 26, 2018
Following a data breach at learning platform Lynda in 2016, two hackers were indicted in Florida this month on charges of extortion and hacking. One alleged hacker lived in Florida, while the other was a Canadian citizen who was a Toronto resident, according to reports.
BankThink
FEBRUARY 26, 2019
State regulators Licenses and charters CFPB House Financial Services Committee FloridaRonald Rubin, who was a CFPB enforcement attorney, will head an office overseeing nearly 200 state-chartered banks.
BankThink
MARCH 27, 2019
M&A Community banking Earnings Consolidations FloridaPower Financial Credit Union's deal for TransCapital Bank marks the fourth time this year a bank has agreed to be sold to a credit union in that state.
BankThink
MARCH 6, 2019
Community banking M&A Growth strategies Capital Mississippi Texas FloridaThe Mississippi company will pay more than $200 million for the parent companies of Texas Star Bank and Summit Bank.
BankThink
FEBRUARY 20, 2019
Fairwinds Credit Union's deal for Friends Bank marks the third time this year that a Florida bank has agreed to be sold to a credit union. Community banking Credit unions M&A Florida
PYMNTS
MAY 24, 2018
McDonald’s is testing out a breakfast catering service in Central Florida in an attempt to compete with eateries like Panera Bread. The service is available at all 195 restaurants in Central Florida, and during breakfast hours only. Delivery Fast food Catering McDonald's McDonalds Catering McDonalds Delivery McDonalds Florida News Retail Uber Eats What's Hot
BankThink
MAY 24, 2019
Recruiting Community banking Digital banking Trump administration FloridaThe president's big loan from, and sizable deposits with, Professional Bank in Boca Raton have raised some eyebrows.
BankThink
JANUARY 10, 2019
Silver River Community Bank is the fifth de novo in Florida to apply with the FDIC in the last three years. Community banking De novo institutions Capital FDIC Florida
BankThink
MAY 3, 2019
MidFlorida Credit Union has agreed to buy the $730 million-asset Community Bank & Trust of Florida in Ocala. Community banking M&A Consumer lending Credit unions Branch deals Florida
BankThink
MARCH 5, 2019
Community banking M&A De novo institutions Capital FloridaGulf Atlantic Bank would be the eighth bank in the market, and just the second with local ownership.
PYMNTS
DECEMBER 19, 2016
Retail delivery Florida food delivery McDonald's UberEATSWhoever said, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” probably feels a bit silly right now. That’s because 2017’s newest addition to the food delivery space isn’t your average plucky, cleverly named startup with a mobile app and a dream. It’s legacy fast-food giant McDonald’s.
BankThink
JANUARY 25, 2019
credit union has agreed to buy Fidelity Bank of Florida, which the SBA designated as a certified lender in 2017. M&A Consolidations Integrations Strategic buyers Community banking FloridaThe Lake Mary, Fla.,
BankThink
AUGUST 13, 2018
The transaction was set up to give Mercantil more autonomy to expand in South Florida, Houston and New York. Community banking Capital Growth strategies Florida Venezuela
BankThink
MARCH 7, 2019
Corporate governance Community banks Growth strategies OCC FloridaJohn Quill, a former deputy comptroller, had a key role deciding which banks could participate in the Troubled Asset Relief Program.
BankThink
MAY 6, 2019
Community banking M&A Growth strategies FloridaBanco Bradesco said it will use the acquired bank to expand its investment offerings in the United States.
PYMNTS
NOVEMBER 14, 2016
prosecutors late last week charged a Florida man in connection with an illegal bitcoin exchange. According to a report by Reuters , Ricardo Hill, 38, was arrested in Florida in October and charged with conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting firm. was operated by Anthony Murgio of Florida and owned by Gery Shalon, the Israeli accused of being behind the JPMorgan hack and that of other companies.
PYMNTS
JUNE 30, 2017
A Florida man was sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison for helping criminals process millions of dollars in illegal bitcoin transactions. Murgio, his father and another man admitted to operating a fake Florida-based business called the Collectables Club, which allowed criminals to buy bitcoins to launder their money under the pretense they were buying stamps and sports memorabilia.
PYMNTS
JULY 29, 2016
According to a report , a man in Florida was allegedly robbed at knifepoint while trying to sell $28,000 in bitcoin. The 32-year-old resident of Lake Worth, Florida, Steve Manos, set up a meeting with two people in West Palm Beach to sell the bitcoin for cash. million from two Florida men who were allegedly involved in the case. While computer breaches and malicious emails are commonplace online, when it comes to bitcoin, it can also be dangerous offline in the real world.
PYMNTS
MAY 16, 2018
The program is now being offered in Florida and will be expanded to other Whole Food stores during the summer. Amazon.com is stepping up its battle for grocery store dominance, launching a new loyalty program with Whole Foods for Prime customers on Wednesday (May 16). According to a report in Reuters , the much-anticipated program gives Prime members 10 percent off hundreds of items and deals on weekly specials that rotate.
BankThink
MARCH 25, 2019
Community banking De novo institutions Alternative investments Investment strategies FloridaAlex Sanchez acknowledges that the U.S. has a lot of banks and many failed in the crisis, but he says a healthy economy needs a fresh supply of community lenders to nurture entrepreneurs.
BankThink
MARCH 22, 2019
Florida banks say it should stay that way unless tax advantages for credit unions are removed, but credit unions counter that banks are trying to stifle competition. Deposits Law and regulation State taxes Community banking FloridaState law bars credit unions from accepting deposits from cities, counties and other government entities.
BankThink
MARCH 20, 2018
Gulfside Bank, which would be based in Sarasota, is angling to become southwest Florida's first new bank in a decade. Community banking De novo banks Capital FDIC Florida
BankThink
NOVEMBER 16, 2018
M&A Regional banks Community banking Growth strategies North Carolina FloridaThe North Carolina regional bank will gain four locations and $834 million in loans.
Keith Leggett's Credit Union Watch
MAY 2, 2019
The Florida Office of Financial Regulation on April 18 approved the application to merge Citizens State Bank (Gainesville, FL) into Vystar Credit Union (Jacksonville, FL). The shareholders of Citizens State Bank have approved the transaction. Both applicants state that the transaction will not result in Vystar engaging in any nonconforming or impermissible activities.
PYMNTS
OCTOBER 23, 2017
A software engineer from Florida was slapped with a 16-month prison term late last week after a court found him guilty of scamming to aid an illegal bitcoin exchange. In November, Ricardo Hill , who was arrested in Florida a month prior, was also charged with conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting firm.
BankThink
JULY 16, 2018
Community banking M&A Capital Florida TennesseeByron DeFoor, who already has majority stakes in two community banks, is planning to buy First Columbia Bancorp.
PYMNTS
JULY 19, 2017
Walmart has opened a massive eCommerce fulfillment center in Florida, creating 1,500 jobs and enabling faster shipping to customers or to stores for free pickup. This facility is the sixth addition to the next-generation fulfillment network that Walmart is building to support its eCommerce business and is part of a $450-million investment the retailer is making in Florida in 2017-18.
New York's State of Mind
NOVEMBER 6, 2015
Earlier this week, the Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, which has jurisdiction over Florida, invalidated a state statute that made it a misdemeanor to impose a surcharge […]. Legal Watch New York State credit card surcharge Florida Supreme CourtI knew that would get your attention. The clash to which I am referring has to do with the legality of statutes banning credit card surcharges.
BankThink
OCTOBER 24, 2018
Community banking Marketing Growth strategies FloridaThe change comes two months after the bank was spun off from its Venezuelan parent company.
Keith Leggett's Credit Union Watch
MAY 3, 2019
MIDFLORIDA Credit Union (Lakeland, FL) announced its intends to acquire the $739-million Community Bank & Trust of Florida (Ocala, FL). Community Bank & Trust of Florida has 11 offices in the counties of Alachua, Marion, and Sumter. In addition, MIDFLORIDA announced it intends to purchase assets of First American Bank (Fort Dodge, IA), which are in southwest Florida.
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