Best bank list is lonely

The latest issue of Independent Banker magazine is out, so pull out your magnifying glass.

That's because you'll have to look hard this year to find Florida banks on the magazine's annual Best of the Best rankings. The magazine is the Independent Community Bankers of America's monthly publication, an organization that represents 6,000 community banks.

Only five Florida community banks appeared on the Best of the Best list this year and just two are based on the Gulf Coast: First Home Bank of Seminole and Sanibel Captiva Community Bank.