Asheville – It’s only been a few months since ServisFirst Bank opened up for business in the Asheville area, and it looks like they are on a straight upward trajectory. Initially, all business was conducted online with in person meetings, while they searched for a location suitable to serve Asheville, Hendersonville, and all of Western North Carolina. They found their new home in a 3,287-square-foot office suite located at the Ridgefield Business Center, at 1200 Ridgefield Boulevard, Suite 254, Asheville, next to the Outlet Mall. This office is the first in what they hope will be an expansion of business operations across Western North Carolina. The office is open for business even as tenant improvements are being implemented, and the goal is to be finished and 100% open by the end of the year. ServisFirst chose this location because of the quality of the area, ease of getting in and out, and ample parking. It’s also close to I-26 and I-40, so access is convenient for Buncombe and Henderson counties, as well as the surrounding counties.
Off to a Good Start
Even working without a physical office for the last several months, according to Bryan Boone, ServisFirst Bank Western North Carolina Regional President, “it’s doing well, we’re starting to increase our pipeline flow, there’s business that has closed, there’s business that’s in the process of closing, and our pipeline continues to build daily.” While ServisFirst Bank focuses on commercial banking, correspondent banking, cash management, private banking and the professional consumer market, Boone stated, “In the next month we’re hoping to be north of $10 million in deposits, and along with that we hope to be in the $10 to $15 million range in loans. So we’re not just doing loans, we’re building relationships, and people are banking with us, like it should be.”
Additional Experienced Bankers Added
“Business is starting to flow to a point where we do need extra personnel to keep afloat,” said Boone. To that end, they have announced that they have added two additional leaders to serve the WNC market. Jeff Austin, Vice President, Commercial Relationship Manager, and Ross Demmel, Commercial Banking Officer, have joined Bryan Boone, President, and Tammy Baldwin, Business Services Officer.
“We’re proud to welcome two experienced North Carolina bankers, Jeff and Ross, to ServisFirst Bank,” states Rick Manley, ServisFirst Bank Piedmont Regional President and CEO. “They both bring valuable insight and expertise to the Asheville team as we strive to help clients set and reach their financial goals. We’re looking forward to seeing them both continue to excel in these new roles with ServisFirst Bank.”
Jeff Austin
Jeff joins ServisFirst Bank Western North Carolina as Vice President, Commercial Relationship Manager with over 24 years of experience in the banking industry. He most recently worked as Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer at Park National Bank, specializing in new client development. Austin serves as treasurer on the board for the Black Mountain Tennis Association, finance committee member for Partner Capital, and treasurer/secretary for Buckeye Community Center. Austin is a graduate of Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, where he earned degrees in business administration and law.
Ross Demmel
Ross joins ServisFirst Bank Western North Carolina as a Commercial Banking Officer. Prior to joining ServisFirst Bank, Demmel worked with Truist Bank (formerly BB&T) as a small business specialist and business banker. His background, experience, and customer expertise with small and medium-sized businesses bring a skill set and reflect a common thread of helping customers achieve their financial goals and objectives with ServisFirst Bank. Demmel earned a degree in finance and accounting from Wofford College and was a starter on their Division I football team during his collegiate career. He earned the honors of FCS All-American, First Team All-Southern Conference, Freshman Offensive Player of the Year, and was ranked the fourth best player in the Southern Conference.
About ServisFirst Bank
ServisFirst Bank is a full-service commercial bank. Recently, the bank announced its assets exceeded $14 billion. The Bank offers sophisticated cash management products, Internet banking, home mortgage lending, remote deposit express banking, international banking, and highly competitive rates.ServisFirst Bank was formed in May 2005, and has offices in Atlanta, Birmingham, Charleston, Dothan, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, Nashville, Northwest Florida, Piedmont, West Central Florida, and Western North Carolina. In April 2015, and annually thereafter, ServisFirst Bank has earned investment-grade ratings and a stable outlook from Kroll Bond Rating Agency (KBRA), which measures companies’ financial fundamentals.