2021 Apogee Awards Honoree: Gilbert Pomar III 

“I am proud to have been a banker since graduating with a degree in Finance from the University of Florida in 1982. My career has taken me from Barnett Bank in Pompano to the First National Bank of Chicago on Brickell, to First Union, and to Jacksonville for my eleven years as CEO of The Jacksonville Bank. I joined SouthState ten years ago when the company had 200 employees and $2 billion in assets. Today it has 5,000 employees and $40 billion. I currently lead our effort from Vero Beach to Tavernier. Banking is the ideal job to help dreams. My philosophy is to live in the moment, make every day and hour count, and to say “yes” to as many opportunities as you can. When I decide to retire, I want to be remembered not for how many loans I made, but how many people I helped.”