Florida banks make fast list

During the recession, plenty of Florida banks shrank their assets.

Now that the recovery is underway, four Florida banks with substantial operations on the Gulf Coast are among the top 20 fastest-growing banks in the country.

FCB Financial Holdings in Weston, C1 Financial in St. Petersburg, Stonegate Bank in Pompano Beach and Capital Bank Financial in Coral Gables were among the 20 fastest-growing banks in the country as measured by assets for the five-year period ending June 30, according to an analysis by SNL Financial.

All four banks have a substantial presence on the Gulf Coast, including C1, which is headquartered in the region. Like the others on the list, they've grown through acquisitions of failed or struggling banks. In fact, the top 20 banks acquired more than 80 financial institutions over the last five years, growing assets tenfold, according to SNL.