Community Bank of Florida

/Home/1. Search Florida Banks/Banks in South East Florida/Miami-Dade County, FL - Banks/Homestead, FL - Banks

Community Bank of Florida
28801 SW 157 Ave.
Homestead, FL 33033
Phone: (305) 245-2211

Lobby Hours:
9:00-4:00 Monday
9:00-4:00 Tuesday
9:00-4:00 Wednesday
9:00-4:00 Thursday
9:00-7:00 Friday
9:00-12:00 Saturday

Drive-Up Hours:
7:30-6:00 Monday
7:30-6:00 Tuesday
7:30-6:00 Wednesday
7:30-6:00 Thursday
7:30-7:00 Friday
7:30-12:00 Saturday

The idea of Community Bank originated one afternoon in February 1972. Jim McDonald, Jerry Case and Marlow Jacobsen conceived the idea of a bank “owned and operated by the people of the community” to meet the needs of the community: a bank that would understand the philosophy of the small businessman or farmer trying to borrow money to get started. Eighteen grueling months later the original three-man committee expanded to six people. George Eicher, Jim Bassage, and Betsy Conley Smith were invited to contribute their business expertise.

There were several complicated steps in the process of starting a bank. In order to make application for a state chartered bank, you had to have a President, a Cashier, Directors, one of whom must have experience as a Director, and property on which to build your facility. The committee of six purchased the 6-½ acre tract of vacant land at 157 Avenue and 288 Street.

Thanks to the generosity of the McDonald family, the organizational work and preparation of documentation was being done in the dining room of the McDonald home. Their dining room served as the first Community Bank of Homestead office for approximately nine months.

On October 9, 1973 after final inspection of the modular building, the Charter was presented to Mr. Robert Talley, President and Mrs. Virginia Gibson, Cashier. The ribbon was cut, and they were officially Community Bank of Homestead. On April 4, 1975, the ribbon was cut on the new 16,000 square foot main office building, and Speedie was proudly introduced as the first ATM in the Homestead Area.

1977 brought Community Bank’s new President, Robert L. Epling and Community Bank honored agriculture in South Dade that same year by originating “Farm City Week” in Homestead.

1978 marked the grand opening of the Campbell Square office on May 22. Community Bank sponsored the first 6.4-mile Redland Run organized by South Dade Senior High School’s cross-country track team.

In 1979 Community Bank announced the opening of their third office located in Florida City. They were pleased to become an official resident of Florida City.

Community Bank was busy opening offices in 1981: the Perrine office on March 16, and the Princeton office on April 27. Community Bank was quickly becoming the “most convenient” bank in South Dade, and you were only ten minutes from a Community Bank office if you lived, worked or played south of 152nd Street. Customers attended their first Champagne n’ Okra party in October 1981. In 1982 the Bank saluted agriculture and its importance to our community in three produce giveaways. In April, 2,800 boxes (35 tons) of fresh South Dade tomatoes were given out to their customers.

By 1983, ten years after opening their doors, Community Bank had grown from $5.5 million in assets to $82 million assets, surpassing other financial institutions many times their age. March 14 1983, also marked the opening of Community’s sixth office the Quail Roost Branch.

“Twenty Years Proud":

Answering the demographics of the area, the bank established a special “Golden Circle” club in 1984 for the mature market that offered benefits for those who joined. Community Bank’s seventh location, the Krome Avenue Office opened on October 18, and the bank’s assets reached $100 million.

Groundbreaking for Community Plaza, a $2 million office building took place in September 1985. Construction of the tallest building in Homestead, with four stories, was completed with the grand opening in January 1987. This 44,000-sq. ft. structure located adjacent to the main office housed two subsidiaries of the bank, as well as numerous offices.

The Buccaneer Award of Distinction Breakfast recognizing outstanding high school seniors was established in 1985, followed two years later by Homestead Senior High and Miami Southridge Senior High. In 1987 the Executive Advisory Council (EAC), comprised of a prestigious group of fifteen area executives, was established to counsel the bank on marketing, product development and communication enhancement.

COMBANK Mortgage Company became a proud member of the Community Bank Financial Family in October 1989. In addition, ACCESS 24 was also introduced that year to allow customers 24/7 access to their account information over the telephone. In December of that year a full service investment firm was also formed to complement the bank’s philosophy of caring for all the needs of its customers.

This history of the bank would not be complete without the mention of Hurricane Andrew on August 24, 1992. Community Bank, one of the area’s leading businesses, acted as a role model, knowing the job it had to do, and doing it well. Within 50 hours following Hurricane Andrew, essential banking services were restored at the main office. The bank provided supplies to its employees as everyone worked side-by-side to rebuild both their personal and corporate homes.

Community Bank celebrated “Twenty Years Proud” in 1993. Beginning a new decade of exceeding the expectations of their customers, Community Bank was recognized as “Bankers of the Year” by the Community Bankers of Florida.

In 1998 Community Bank celebrated its 25th Anniversary, and one year later, Community Bank of Homestead would become Community Bank of Florida to reflect expansion throughout the state of Florida. Two new offices opened in the Florida Keys, Key Largo and Tavernier and a Keys Regional Board was formed. This same year also saw the opening of Instore Financial Centers in Central Florida located inside super Wal-Marts with a total of 13 offices in three regions.

October 2003, 30 years later, Community Bank experienced double digit growth in earnings, increasing assets to over $390 million. A standalone Financial Center was completed in Tavernier, replacing the old office to meet customer needs.
Celebrating 35 Years

Five years later we have grown to over $500 million in assets, and opened our newest location, Community Centre. A 10,000 sq. ft. office, the Community Centre houses a 3,000 sq. ft. Financial Banking Center, and numerous professional offices.

June 2007, Community Bank was recognized by US Banker magazine as being in the “Top 200” Community Banks in the nation. Based on a 3-year average Return on Equity, we were ranked 3rd in the State of Florida, and 81 out of over 6,800 Community Banks in the Nation.

January 2008 Community Bank of Florida was pleased to announce that CEO & President Robert Epling had been named the “2008 Leader of Year” by the South Florida Banking Institute. Mr. Epling received this honor for his ‘long history of leadership in the South Florida banking community and serving the SFBI on numerous occasions.’

June 2008, Community Bank is once again recognized by US Banker magazine as being in the “Top 200” Community Banks in the nation based on a 3-year average Return on Equity.

# 1 in South Dade:

Today Community Bank is the #1 Bank in the South Dade Market. Defined by having more locations, more ATMs, more drive ins, more hours, more market share, as well as, the latest in technology. Our Directors, Officers, and Employees, remain as dedicated today as they were 35 years ago to “Exceeding the Expectations" of their customers.

© 2008. Community Bank of Florida. All Rights Reserved.