Branch out

If it were headquartered in Florida, Synovus Bank would be the state's largest bank by assets under management.

Instead, the Columbus, Ga.-based bank, with $28.9 billion in assets, makes Florida a large part of its growth strategy. The latest move in that regard is a new branch in the Ellis Building on Main Street in downtown Sarasota. The bank now has 264 branches in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Synovus CEO Kessel Stelling was at the grand opening of the new Sarasota branch, which replaces what was the main area office for Bank of America. Stelling spoke with the Business Observer about Synovus and the banking industry at the ribbon-cutting event. Here are highlights of the conversation: