Former college football standout joins St. Pete bank’s board of directors

Jarred Fayson, who played wide receiver for the Florida Gators during the 2006 national championship season, has joined the board of directors at Climate First Bank in St. Petersburg.

According to a news release, Fayson, a graduate of Hillsborough High School in Tampa, is now the CEO of Sadler Fayson Fulfillment and resides in the Tampa Bay region. He’s also a Nature Conservancy board member and serves as chair of the Fisheries Council’s Florida chapter.

Founded in 2021 by Florida banking industry veteran Ken LaRoe, Climate First Bank offers standard personal and business banking services but it also specializes in financing for projects that include solar energy, green retrofits and electric vehicles.

“Jarred is a force for good, and I’m extremely impressed with the work he’s done through the Nature Conservancy and more to bring about positive change in our environment,” LaRoe states in the release. “His driven leadership closely aligns with Climate First Bank’s mission as a values-based bank, and I can’t imagine a better addition to our board.”

After his championship season with the University of Florida, Fayson transferred to the University of Illinois and helped its football team win the 2010 Texas Bowl. He wasn’t drafted by any NFL teams but played on the practice squads of the New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots, as well as the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.

Climate First Bank had $280.9 million in total assets as of Dec. 31, 2022.