Bank expands into area, assembles local leadership

SARASOTA —ServisFirst Bank, a subsidiary of Birmingham, Ala.-based ServisFirst Bancshares, announced its expansion into Southwest Florida with the hiring of five local bankers who will be located in Sarasota. 

The team will serve the Bradenton-Sarasota-Fort Myers-Naples footprint, according to a press release.

Mario Bringas will be president of the newly formed Southwest Florida market. Also joining the leadership team, according to a statement, is Senior Vice President and Senior Commercial Banker Brent Dykstra; Vice President and Commercial Banker Ryan Riley; Vice President and Commercial Banker Oscar Montalvo; and Portfolio Manager Tom Villemaire. 

“We are excited to add this group of talented bankers to the ServisFirst Bank team," says Greg Bryant, ServisFirst Bank West Florida CEO, in the statement. "Their track record and deep involvement in the community will help us extend our footprint into the important Southwest Florida market.”

Bringas has over 15 years of banking and financial experience. Previously, Bringas served as market president for Southwest Florida for Synovus Financial Corp. and held various leadership and sales roles from 2006 until 2019. 

Dykstra previously served as senior vice president and commercial banker for Synovus Bank in Sarasota where he was responsible for business development, originating and processing commercial loans, and managing loan portfolios.

Riley has had a banking and financial career extending over two decades. He served as senior commercial banker at Synovus Financial Corp. where he was responsible for business development and portfolio management in Tampa Bay and in the last four years, the Sarasota and Manatee areas, the release states. 

Montalvo has over 34 years of business and financial experience. He served as vice president commercial banker at Synovus Bank. Villemaire has 20 years of banking and financial experience. He was a credit analyst and portfolio manager at Synovus Bank. 

With the hiring of the new team, the Tampa Bay Region will be renamed West Florida. Greg Bryant will continue to serve as the region’s CEO, according to the statement. ServisFirst Bank West Florida will include the Tampa Bay office, with Gwynn Davey as president, and the Southwest Florida office, with Bringas as president. 

ServisFirst is a full-service commercial bank with more than $8 billion in assets. ServisFirst Bank was formed in May 2005.