Center state Bank

Community Banking at its Best

A local banking professional for more than three decades, Kendra Salerno is the Retail Market Manager and a Senior Vice President with CenterState Bank. Friendly, engaging, and very personable, Kendra is excited about some new developments. “In late spring of 2021, we look forward to merging with SouthState Bank, which will also be expanding our reach into North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.”

“With a presence already in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia,” Kendra continues, “this puts us in the Southeast region of the country. The name South State is perfect, and a good description of our broader reach.”

Already a popular community bank, Kendra talks about the added benefits of the coming merger. “Not only does this expand our products and services menu, but it also provides us with better, more advanced technology.

This makes a lot of our processes more efficient than they have been in the past. Being a larger financial institution obviously expands our footprint, and will make us more visible in our communities.” With three offices currently in Broward county, Kendra is hopeful for more local branches in the coming years.

Another big concern for clients has been Covid. “Early on in the first stages of COVID-19, like most financial institutions, we closed our in-lobby banking offices, and transactions were taking place at our drive-through,” Kendra reports. “Now, our lobbies are open for limited hours, and we practice social distancing and require facemasks. We have many customers who have figured out that they can do their banking online or through the drive-through, and we are servicing our clients in the best way that we know how given the circumstances. Most of our employees are working remotely at this time.” Most of the branch’s employees have been with Kendra for more than 10 years. The Coral Springs office manager, Sophia Rowe, has been with Kendra for over 20 years and recently achieved a promotion to Vice President!

If you’re not familiar with community banking, the biggest difference is that it’s “personal.“ CenterState has always been a full-service financial institution, and will continue to be throughout this merger. Whatever financial service that you are in need of, you can certainly find it here. The menu is expansive and includes checking and savings accounts, investment management services, forex trading, trust services, mortgages, merchant processing, HSA accounts, business services, and much more! Anyone who has questions about mortgage should pop over to this website.

Kendra tells us, “We are a full-service, local community bank, and it’s important to maintain that culture for our clients. The founders of our organization believe that it’s very important to maintain that, and also empower local management to make decisions relative to their own markets.

With valued, long-standing relationships with many of her clients, some for more than two decades, Kendra says, “Every relationship I have with any client is very special to me. What I love most about what I do is being able to help my customers by providing a better service or better product to them; perhaps something that is more efficient or effective for their business. Essentially, my goal is to put them in a better place. My clients know that I am available to them in the evening, on the weekends… They have my cell phone number! To me, that’s what relationship banking is all about.

Do yourself, your family, and your business a favor. Make an appointment to discuss your needs with the professionals at CenterState today!

Please call 954-340-1822 for more information.

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