Back on board

During the depths of the financial crisis, it was nearly impossible to recruit executives to serve as directors of community banks in Southwest Florida.

As they belabored over bad loans while regulators breathed down their necks, some directors at many community banks privately admitted they wished they'd never joined. It's easy to understand why: Meetings that once were jovial during the boom became hard-nosed affairs to discuss the next foreclosure victim during the bust.

So we take it as positive news indeed that things are turning around when community banks in Southwest Florida announce a new director has joined one of their boards.

For example, Encore Bank in Naples recently announced that Thomas Taylor has joined its board of directors. Taylor is the CEO of Hole Montes, a well-respected engineering firm in Fort Myers and Naples.

Of course, it helps that Encore is profitable and one of a handful of survivors. In the quarter ending March 31, the bank posted net income of $338,000. Encore had $352 million in assets as of March 31, according to data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.