A large interest

Just how good they are sometimes depends on a client's appetite.

That's because FineMark has an on-staff chef and a sous chef at its Fort Myers headquarters, in addition to another chef at its Coconut Road branch in Bonita Springs. The bank is even renovating an office in Naples to make room for a kitchen and chef there.

FineMark's head chef is Michael Gavala, also an associate vice president at the bank. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Gavala serves breakfast, lunch and dinner to clients who come by to chat with bankers about deals, loans and other business. All menu options, from fresh-caught fish at lunch to wine pairings at dinner to Key lime pie for dessert, are free for clients or potential clients invited by a manager or executive.