Commercial bank to expand in area, appoints market president

CLEARWATER — Cogent Bank plans to open a retail banking center and executive office in Clearwater and has appointed banking veteran Jackie McIntosh, who has also worked for Valley National Bank and EverBank, as Pinellas County market president.

Headquartered in Orange City, Cogent Bank — a state-chartered commercial bank with some $207 million in total assets — also has branches and executive offices in Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa.

According to a press release, McIntosh will oversee the opening of executive and commercial lending offices in Clearwater in October, followed by a retail banking center, also in Clearwater, next spring.

“We will be building a team of bankers with deep commercial experience to invest in fast-growth businesses in Pinellas County,” McIntosh states in the release. “We’re more than just your lending partner. We are in the business of financial problem solving.”

Cogent Bank, the release states, will also be expanding in Hillsborough County, with a retail banking center in Tampa’s Westshore district set to open this fall.