Brannen Bank

S ome family business histories are just too fascinating not to share. The legacy and evolution of Florida’s Brannen Bank is one such story that begs to be told. This beloved financial institution has been providing personalized banking service since 1926, when its founder, George H. Brannen, Sr., established the first Brannen Bank in historic Homosassa as the Bank of Homosassa- Inverness. Relocated to Inverness in 1929, and renamed The Bank of Inverness, it was the only bank in Citrus County to survive the economic crash of 1929 and the Great Depression. Brannen Bank currently services 12 convenient locations in Citrus, Marion, and Hernando Counties and is widely recognized as Citrus County’s oldest commercial bank. A trusted community partner for three generations, Brannen Bank treats customers and staff as part of their extended family. In these unsettling economic times, that is comfort indeed. Business View Magazine recently spoke with Brannen Bank Chairman & CEO Joseph S. Brannen; his son and Bank President, Matt Brannen; and Chief Financial Officer, Michael Fitzpatrick about the Bank’s heritage, evolution, and innovative plans for the future. The following is an edited transcript of that conversation. AT A GLANCE BRANNEN BANK WHAT: Family owned, third-generation commercial bank WHERE: Inverness, Florida WEBSITE: www.brannenbanks.com ank Your hometown bank