Ohio-based bank celebrates opening of new branch in East Tampa

With Tampa Mayor Jane Castor in attendance, Fifth Third Bank held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, April 18, to officially open its newest branch in the Tampa Bay area, a 4,032-square-foot financial center located at 2602 East Hillsborough Ave., in East Tampa.

According to a news release, East Tampa is one of nine U.S. neighborhoods across seven states that Fifth Third Bank aims to uplift via the $180 million Empowering Black Futures Neighborhood Program. Through a combination of capital, products and services, the initiative is intended to support and revitalize majority-Black communities that have experienced disinvestment.

At Tuesday’s event, Fifth Third Bank awarded $5,300 small business grants to two East Tampa entrepreneurs: Natasha Goodley of White & Black Consulting and Kimberly Blackmon of Glowmour Beauty Medispa. Also in attendance at the event were Fifth Third Bank Regional President Cary Putrino, Senior Vice President and Florida Retail Executive Boris Ayala, Senior Vice President and Community Impact Territory Manager Esther Marshal, Retail Regional Manager Demitrius Pettaway and East Tampa Financial Center Manager Corey Baker.

“Today was about celebrating our newly renovated banking center designed to better serve our East Tampa customers, which is another way we are investing in this important community,” Putrino says in a statement. “We are proud of the work we are doing in East Tampa alongside incredible community partners like the CDC of Tampa. We hope Fifth Third’s Empowering Black Futures $20 million commitment to the neighborhood creates transformational and sustainable impact for the East Tampa community and its residents.”

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Fifth Third Bank had $206.3 billion in total assets as of Dec. 31, 2022.