The Financial Institution Dedicated to Serving Professionals
While IBERIABANK is a new name in South Florida’s financial market, its leadership team has a long history of serving the region’s business and professional community. “This is an exciting time for us,” said Mario Trueba, regional president, South Florida. “We are building a new banking brand based on our DNA of providing a full suite of personalized financial services to the South Florida professional community.”
Based in New Orleans, IBERIABANK acquired Sabadell United Bank, N.A. on July 31, and brought over its key leaders, including Sabadell’s CEO Trueba, and chairman Fernando Perez-Hickman, who is now vice chairman and director of corporate strategy. "We have welcomed the associates of Sabadell United to our organization,” he said. “As a growing, market-centric bank, we understand the importance of decision-making by our local and regional leadership.”
Orlando Roche, market president, Miami-Dade County, says IBERIABANK’s team has in-depth knowledge of South Florida’s unique domestic and international market dynamics. “We focus on providing our clients with the right financial products and services, building lasting relationships as a trusted advisor.”
A U.S. Based Regional Bank
In South Florida, the banking institution has grown steadily since 1978 as United National Bank, Mellon United Bank, and Sabadell United Bank. “We have evolved over the past 39 years from a small community bank to being part of a major regional bank,” said Dwight Hill, market president Florida Keys. “What hasn’t changed is our commitment to serving attorneys, accountants and their firms with the same high level of service.”
IBERIABANK was founded in New Iberia, Louisiana, nearly 130 years ago. Since 2000, its parent company, IBERIABANK Corporation, has grown rapidly throughout the Southeastern U.S. Today, IBERIABANK has more than $30 billion in assets, including $5.7 billion from Sabadell United, with a footprint that includes 216 bank branch offices in Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina.
“IBERIABANK has a larger capital base and footprint, thereby increasing our capacity to lend and finance commercial real estate transactions and other large deals,” said Trueba. In Florida, the bank has 35 offices from Jupiter to Key West, as well as offices in Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and the southwest coast of the State.
In October, IBERIABANK announced plans to acquire Gibraltar Private Bank & Trust Co. of Coral Gables in a transaction expected to be completed in the first quarter 2018. “We believe Gibraltar will complement our position in Southeast Florida, enhancing our capabilities to serve clients in private banking, residential lending and wealth management,” said Daryl G. Byrd, president and CEO of IBERIABANK Corporation.
Serving Attorneys and Law Firms
From new associates to retiring senior partners, IBERIABANK’s team understands the life cycle of attorneys and law firms. “We have long been known as the lawyer’s bank, and we will continue to support South Florida’s professional community,” said Debra Vasilopoulos, market president for Palm Beach and Broward. “Our full-service approach extends from cash management solutions to working capital to real estate purchases to managing their personal wealth.”
Hill adds that many law firms today are investing in mobile and online technologies, including electronic bill payments. “Many Millennials like to do everything from their mobile devices, and law firms need to stay current with their clients,” he said. “However, technology doesn’t replace the need for attorneys to know how to build strong relationships with their clients.”
That ability to combine technology with personalized service is one of the reasons for IBERIABANK’s success through the years. “We offer a one-stop shop for both personal and professional financial services,” said Roche. “Many of our clients have dealt with the same bankers for years.”
Through the years, IBERIABANK’s team has helped many law firms upsize or downsize their operations, added Hill. “We have advised young attorneys and put the financing in place for them to start their own firms,” he said. “We understand you can’t do that from your mobile phone and enjoy meeting them face-to-face to better understand their goals.”
The bank’s team has also assisted law firms with mergers and acquisitions, and advised senior partners on succession planning. “Once an attorney or accountant achieves financial success, we offer professional investment and wealth management services. ” Hill said. “Our pending acquisition of Gibraltar Private Bank will add more capacity to that aspect of our service.”
A Full-service Approach
Today, IBERIABANK Corporation offers a comprehensive array of transactional, lending, private banking, consumer, small business, wealth and trust management, retail brokerage, and mortgage services.
“Many attorneys and accountants refer their clients to IBERIABANK for sophisticated financial needs, private banking services, and residential banking services that have also become an increasingly important part of our offering”” said Trueba.
The bank’s full-service approach includes expertise in SBA loans for smaller businesses, as well as residential mortgages – including “jumbo loans – and financing programs for yachts and private aircraft, said Vasilopoulos. “Our private client services focus on the needs of successful professionals, business owners and high-net-worth individuals and families,” she said.
IBERIABANK also has extensive experience with trust accounts and escrow services – an important consideration for plaintiff’s personal injury attorneys as well as professionals serving clients in the real estate market. For instance, the bank is currently assisting several South Florida condominium associations that have escrowed their insurance proceeds in order to repair damage from Hurricane Irma.
IBERIABANK is also addressing the challenges and opportunities created by advances in technology. “We are very mindful of cybersecurity and taking steps to protect our institution and our clients,” said Vasilopoulos.
Commitment to community
Along with delivering exceptional service to clients, IBERIABANK is deeply committed to serving the community. “We live here and work here and want to see South Florida prosper,” said Trueba. “IBERIABANK shares those values, and as part of a dynamic, fast-growing regional bank, we can now be an even better partner for civic and community organizations in the future.”