Arcadia-based Crews Bank & Trust is moving into Sarasota with a branch opening downtown soon.

Federal Reserve survey suggests a tightening in commercial lending nationally, but banks in the region are seeing the opposite. One key factor: the surging population.

CapTec is a matchmaking entity of sorts to connect small businesses nationwide with community banks for loan opportunities, using proprietary data algorithms.

Lakeland’s two largest architecture firms morph into ‘I-4-based’ monolith, with a size and smarts approach to courting clients.

Cathy Swanson, CEO of fast-growing St. Petersburg, Florida-based Freedom Bank, sees consolidation within the state's community banking sector as a huge opportunity for locally owned financial institution.