Jefferson Aims to Change the Face of Local Banking

With the banking industry in a state of flux following the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008, and new fees being implemented for everything from checking accounts to debit card use, citizens all over the country are scrambling to find banks they can put their trust in. 

And although customer protests have caused some big banks to backtrack on fees, that hasn’t stopped people from shopping around for a financial institution that they feel is looking out for the customer’s needs first, and not its own bottom line.

Jefferson Bank, a community owned, locally run company that recently opened a new branch in the Harbor Park Office Center on U.S. 19, hopes to fill the gap between angry customers and large corporate banks. 

”We are a community bank, owned and run by local shareholders,” Tammy Brigmond, Jefferson Bank’s administrative officer, told Palm Harbor Patch by phone.

“The difference between us and the larger banks is we know your name. We know where you live and work, because that’s where we live and work,” she said.

Founded by a board of directors in Oldsmar in 2007, Jefferson prides itself on the fact that it is owned and operated by the exact type of people it serves: local residents. 

“We are local — we don’t have a corporate office somewhere else,” Brigmond stressed. “Not only are we operated locally, but we do business locally. We like to be involved with the businesses in our community.”

Aside from the convenience and peace of mind that comes with using a community bank, Jefferson offers some enticing options for its customers.

“Jefferson Bank is a highly capitalized, high-touch, high tech bank, locally owned and staffed by professional bankers to meet the needs of the businesses and people in this community,” Chairman/CEO Bob McGivney wrote in an email to Patch.

“We understand this community because we live here versus reading a consultant’s report. Whether it’s loans for a home mortgage or business expansion, Jefferson is open for business,” McGivney said.

Jefferson Bank

Address: 33920 U.S. 19 N (Harbor Park Office Center)

Phone: 727-781-7500

Lobby hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, closed Saturday and Sunday 

Drive-thru hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, closed Saturday and Sunday