St. Petersburg-based First Home Bank recently opened a new loan production office (LPO) and financial resource center in Sarasota's Newtown community. Located in a building shared with the Sarasota Police Department at 1782 Dr. Martin Luther King Way, the LPO is the first of its kind in the community, providing personal and commercial loans as well as financial education, programs and additional resources to community members and business owners. It also features a no-fee ATM.

To lead its efforts, First Home Bank hired Sarasota residents Carlos Yancy and Joe McKenzie as business development specialists. Both will also join the Bank’s PEACE Team (Providing Equal Access to Credit Envoy), a team of residential mortgage experts serving the needs of minority and low-to-moderate income borrowers throughout the homebuying process.

The bank also recently broke ground on its second banking center in Sarasota, located at 2075 S. Tamiami Trail. It currently operates a banking center in Sarasota at 2033 Main Street, Suite 101, and has begun construction on another location in West Bradenton.