Miami bank expanding services to Gulf Coast market

Miami-based City National Bank of Florida is expanding to the Gulf Coast with the appointment of new leadership in Tampa.

Jason Russek joins the bank this month as West Florida market president. Russek has over 20 years of experience in the banking industry, most recently with Amerant Bank, BankUnited, BB&T and Wachovia Corp. 

Russek will report to Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer John Paradisi. Additional leadership appointments include Jason Costello, director of corporate banking; Brian Holliday, director of wholesale risk; Christopher Comella, VP of commercial banking; Dianne Cohrs, VP of commercial banking; and Aaron Malarick, AVP of commercial banking.

“City National Bank is pursuing expansion across Florida and bolstering our market presence in Tampa is a cornerstone of that strategy. The addition of Jason and his seasoned team will enhance our ability to provide personalized service to Tampa-area businesses and families. Expanding our team is a major step forward, and we're committed to making additional investments in talent and infrastructure as we establish City National Bank as a prominent player in Tampa and throughout  the Gulf Coast,” says Paradisi in the statement.

CNB, founded in 1946, has $26 billion in assets and 1,000 employees statewide and operates under parent company BCI, headquartered in Chile. It is one of the largest banks based in Florida and ranks among the 75 largest banks in the U.S., according to The Federal Reserve.  

The Tampa office will serve clients along Florida’s Gulf Coast, in communities including St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Bradenton, Fort Myers and Naples. 

This story was updated to reflect the timing and history of City National's Bank Tampa expansion.