Large Florida bank — sans branches — targets new part of region

Seacoast Bank has spent four years or so on a Florida expansion march. First it went west, from the central east coast to Greater Orlando, then from there it headed farther west and south to Tampa Bay. In 2016 it acquired BMO Harris Bank’s 14 Orlando area branches. A year later it bought into the Tampa market, with acquisitions of GulfShore Bancshares and NorthStar Bank.

Now with $6.9 billion in assets and 48 branches, from Fort Lauderdale to Arcadia, Stuart-based Seacoast is one of the largest Florida-based community banks. Up next in Seacoast’s statewide expansion plans: Southwest Florida. The bank recently named 18-year Wells Fargo veteran banker Errol Howard senior vice president and regional commercial banking manager of the Fort Myers and Naples markets.