Pilot Bank names veteran banker as St. Petersburg market leader

Pilot Bank has named Roy Binger as St. Petersburg market executive.

Binger is a 35-year veteran of the banking industry with a long track record of involvement in business and civic initiatives in St. Petersburg.

“The bank is honored to have Roy’s talents on our team. He will be instrumental in our growth and innovation in 2021,” Rita Lowman, Pilot Bank president, said in a news release.

Pilot Bank, headquartered in Tampa and with six offices in the area, entered the St. Petersburg market in 2018 when it opened an office at 2180 4th St. N. With $79.4 million in deposits as of June 30, it’s grown to be the bank’s largest office except for its headquarters location, according to information from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

Binger previously served as St. Petersburg President of one of SunTrust Bank’s largest divisions, overseeing $12 billion in assets. Most recently he served as senior vice president/market manager and commercial manager for Seacoast Bank.

He is a graduate of Holy Cross College in Massachusetts. He received his MBA in finance from the University of Miami and graduated from the Emory Executive Advanced Leadership Program, Guizueta Business School. 

Binger was awarded the Tampa Bay Business Innovator of 2013 award and was inducted into the Florida Business Hall of Fame. He currently serves on the boards of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, St. Petersburg Catholic High School, Mt. Zion Progressive Missionary Baptist Church and Tampa Bay Innovation Center. He has also served on the board of directors for The Museum of Fine Arts and The University of South Florida St Petersburg. 

Binger was part of the team that led the sale of Bayfront Medical Center, which led to the creation of Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg.

Pilot Bank, part of Pilot Bancshares Inc. (OTCQX: PLBN), is a full-service bank with $600 million in assets. It was formed in 1987 and is one of the oldest community banks in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area.