St. Pete bank names new CFO

Sharon Hill, a native of St. Petersburg and veteran of Florida’s banking industry, has joined St. Pete-based Climate First Bank as executive vice president and CFO. She succeeds Michele Glorie, who has retired after three years at the bank.

According to a news release, Hill previously served as CFO of Florida Central Credit Union, AtlasBanc Holdings Corp. and Anderen Bank. She is a CPA and graduate of the University of South Florida.

“I am incredibly excited to join Climate First Bank as it expands its reach across Florida while remaining true to its mission of sustainability,” Hill states in the release. “As a native Floridian, I admire how Climate First Bank places the planet and the communities it serves at the forefront of its strategy and look forward to working with Ken and the executive team to drive success while making a positive impact.”

Founded in 2021, 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. The bank recently completed sustainable retrofits, at a cost of $1.3 million, to its 3,620-square-foot Winter Park branch, and plans to apply for LEEDv4 Platinum status for interior design and construction — the highest LEED rating.

“Although we have three branches, Winter Park is a huge milestone for us as it will be our first LEED building,” Cliamate First Bank Founder and CEO Ken LaRoe states in the release. “I hope the community is inspired by our renovated building to do their part in our fight against the climate crisis by making sustainable upgrades to their homes and businesses. We’ll continue to lead by example with retrofits to our St. Petersburg and Mount Dora branches.”