Hudson leads Stearns Florida

SARASOTA — Tramm Hudson, a veteran banking executive in the Sarasota market, is the new Florida President for Stearns Bank NA, a St. Cloud, Minn.-based institution.

Stearns entered the Gulf Coast market in August 2009, when it acquired Sarasota-based First State Bank and Venice-based National Bank of Sarasota County through a deal with the FDIC. Shortly after the acquisition, Stearns closed many of those failed banks' former branches, keeping just three open: one in St. Petersburg, one in Sarasota, and one in Venice. Those three remaining branches comprise the bank's current Florida operations.

Hudson transitions to his role as Stearns' newest Florida president from his position as Sarasota/Manatee market president for New Orleans-based Whitney National Bank. Earlier today, Whitney was acquired by Hancock Holding Co., a Mississippi-based firm (symbol: HBHC).

Founded in 1912, Stearns Bank is led by Chief Executive Officer Norman Skalicky, who bought the company in 1964. Beyond its Florida operations, Stearns runs nine other branch locations in the U.S.: four each in Minnesota and Arizona, and one in Atlanta.