Trust company triples space on Main Street in Sarasota

A trust and wealth management company that originally set up shop in Sarasota to serve New Yorkers 15 years ago has moved into a new office downtown to accommodate growth.

Canandaigua National Trust Company of Florida (CNTF) relocated Nov. 4 to the Sarasota City Center building at 1819 Main Street. The new office is a few blocks from its old location at 1586 Main Street and has triple the space, according to a statement from the company. 

The expansion is designed to accommodate CNTF's growing book of business and allow for room to spread out as market share increases, the company says. CNTF established its presence in Sarasota in 2009 as a growing number of New Yorkers opted to move to Florida, and the company aimed to meet customers where they were. CNTF is a subsidiary of Canandaigua National Corp., headquartered in Canandaigua, New York, which also owns full-service financial institution Canandaigua National Bank & Trust.

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“When we opened, we leaned on relationships that started in New York, but now more than half of the customers we manage through CNTF are Florida-based,” Sam Guerrieri, executive vice president of wealth brands at Canandaigua National Bank & Trust, says in the statement. 

“Overall, our Sarasota office represents 12% of our assets under management with sizable potential for growth,” Guerrieri says. Canandaigua National Bank & Trust had $4.9 billion in assets in 2023, according to a statement.

CNTF offers trust and estate services, investment management solutions, IRAs and fiduciary services in greater Sarasota and Gulf Coast communities. When establishing trusts, it leverages tax benefits available to all Florida residents, including those living in the state part-time. Recently the company added a new trust officer, who joins the team in providing one-on-one customer care.

“People here in the greater Sarasota region are recognizing the personalized service and quality of work that Canandaigua is known for in New York, and that translates to success no matter where you’re from,” Sarasota resident and CNTF board chair Christine Jennings says in a statement. 

The company plans a grand opening and open house at its new office in early 2025.