1st Manatee Bank

What makes 1st Manatee Bank the Bank for you?

Here at 1st Manatee, we take pride in being a locally owned community bank offering a complete line of banking services. As a hometown community bank we plan to actively participate in the responsible planning and growth of our community by being a hands on partner with local government, business, industry, consumer, civic and educational organizations and by encouraging our directors and employees to develop relationships through service clubs, professional associations and community activities that will facilitate our response to the financial needs of our community.

There are a lot of banking choices available to both the consumer and commercial client. At 1st Manatee, we will provide a level of personalized customer service that will make your choice an easy one.

1st Manatee Bank.

Your Hometown Community Bank.

Background and Experience of Directors

George T. Smith
Mr. Smith worked for Deposit Bank of Monroe County in Kentucky for a period of nine years holding the position of Cashier prior to his move to Bradenton, Fl in the late 1960’s. He became CEO of Halco Construction in 1971 and then founded Topps Construction Company, holding the positions of Owner and CEO. In 1986, he formed a group to organize the Bank of Bradenton, a State Chartered Bank, where he served as Chairman until the bank was sold to South Trust Bank in 1994. In 1997 he formed a group to organize First Bradenton Bank, which was founded as a Thrift and later converted to a State Chartered bank. He served as its Chairman until the bank was sold in 2004. He has strong ties in Manatee County having been active in local real estate and construction here since 1971.

Norman J. Pinardi
Mr. Pinardi was born in New York City and moved to Florida with his family in 1951. Upon graduation for the University of Florida in 1958, he served in the U.S. Air Force as an officer for three years. Upon leaving active duty, he accepted a position with Florida Alcoholic Rehabilitation Program where he served as Information Officer and Director of Information from 1961 to 1964. In 1965 he was named Director of Information for the Manatee County Committee of 100. In 1967 he joined Inter City National Bank as an Assistant Vice President and retired in 1986 as Executive Vice President. He also served as Vice President of Affiliate Trail National Bank and Bayshore State Bank. Mr. Pinardi was elected as a director of Bayshore State Bank in 1971. The bank was later sold. In 1986, he worked with George Smith to help organize the Bank of Bradenton and was named President and a Director of the Bank. He served in that capacity until the bank was sold in 1994. He then worked for SouthTrust Bank until 1997, when he again joined with Mr. Smith in the organizing of First Bradenton Bank where he was again named President and a Director of the Bank. After retiring as President in 2002, he remained as Vice Chairman of the Board until the bank was sold to Fifth Third Bank. He also served for 17 years with the Florida Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. He has been an active resident of Manatee County since 1964 and is very well known to the community.

Thomas L. Hodgson
Mr. Hodgson is a director and organizer of 1st Manatee Bank at which he serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank. Mr. Hodgson has been involved in banking in the State of Florida for more than 30 years. Most recently, he served as President and CEO of the First Bradenton Bank, a Bradenton-based community bank.

Mr. Hodgson began his banking career in 1972 with First National Bank of Mercer County, n/k/a FNB of Pennsylvania in Hermitage Pennsylvania. A native of Sharon, Pennsylvania, Mr. Hodgson graduated from Youngstown State University with a B.S. degree in Business Management. He and his family moved to Manatee County in 1978 after accepting a position with Southeast Bank as an Assistant Vice President in Commercial Lending. Mr. Hodgson has held senior management positions with a number of other Florida banks, including Vice President of Commercial Lending with Ellis Bank in Bradenton. When the Bank was sold to Nations Bank, he stayed on as Senior Lending Officer until accepting a position with First National Bank of Manatee in 1987. He remained with that Bank until January 2002 as Vice President and Senior Lending Officer then accepted the position as President of First Bradenton Bank. He maintained that position until the Bank was sold to First National Bank of Florida, which in turn was sold to Fifth Third Bank. He left Fifth Third in August 2005. Mr. Hodgson and some of the previous the directors of First Bradenton Bank decided to start a new community bank. 1st Manatee Bank was chartered in November 2007 with the main office located in Parrish, FL. An additional branch was approved and opened at 5100 Cortez Rd. in Bradenton, FL during October 2008. Mr. Hodgson has held leadership roles in a number of local civic organizations over the years; Mr. Hodgson is extremely familiar with Manatee County and its business community.

Robert J. Bellino, M.D.
Dr. Bellino received his B.S in 1962 and his M.D. in 1966 from the University of Florida. Upon graduation, he interned at St. Mary’s Hospital in West Palm Beach, Fl and spent his residency in Psychiatry at Shands Teaching Hospital, University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. Upon completion of his residency in 1970, he moved to Manatee County and established his practice. Throughout his practice he has held hospital Staff positions at six area hospitals and served on numerous committees and held various offices. He has authored several publications over the years and received a number of appointments to Florida Agencies as well as teaching appointments. During his career, he has served on various Boards and was a founding Director of First Bradenton Bank from 1998 until the Bank was sold in 2004. Dr. Bellino has been a very active member of the medical community as well as a businessman in Manatee County for over 41 years.

Leslie B. Wells
Leslie is owner and broker of Leslie Wells Realty Inc., and President of Cherokee Creek Inc., developers of FoxBrook Communities in Parrish, FL. Leslie has been an active Florida licensed Real Estate broker since 1979, and currently serves as the 2011 President Elect of the Manatee Association of Realtors. Leslie was appointed as a Commissioner to the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority by former Governor Jeb Bush in 2006 and reappointed in 2010 by Governor Charlie Crist. Her and her husband, retired Sheriff Charlie Wells, have resided in Parrish since 1987.

Tony Spivey.
Mr. Spivey is a native Floridian, born in Bradenton, Fl. and attended school in Manatee County. He is the owner of Spivey Construction, responsible for construction of both commercial and single family buildings in the Manatee and Sarasota market area. He has been involved in the construction business for over 30 years and maintains an excellent reputation within the industry for quality and honesty. Mr. Spivey has been active in various civic organizations and is well known in the community.

Melanie Shackelford.
Born and raised in Wauchula Florida, Melanie was raised in the agricultural industry. Her father, Maurice "Sonny" Clavel was a crop duster in Wauchula, and her family has raised cattle and citrus for generations. She moved to Parrish in 1978 and was affiliated with 4 Star Tomato for more than 2 decades. Her daughter, Devin, graduated from the University of Florida with a Masters Degree in Agri-Business. Melanie provides a strong contact with the agricultural business community of N.E. Manatee county. Melanie also serves on the Board of Directors with the Manatee County Early Learning Coalition.

Our Senior Management Team:

John J. Schmitt
Mr. Schmitt was born and raised in Detroit Michigan. In 1979, he moved to Florida and worked in restaurant management until beginning his banking career in 1993 at First National Bank & Trust in Manatee County. Over his 11 year tenure at 1st National, he was promoted to vice president and Commercial Lending Officer. He was their top producing Commercial Lender during his last three years there. In 2004, he left 1st National and went to work for Fifth Third Bank as a Vice President in Commercial Lending. In 2006, upon leaving Fifth third, Mr. Schmitt retired from banking for a year to pursue other interests. John has served as Executive Vice President and Senior Lending Officer since the bank opened in 2007.

Brian Watterson
Mr. Watterson currently holds the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He is a veteran of the banking industry and began his career at Barnett Bank of Bayshore in 1979, which later became Barnett Bank of Manatee County. Brian graduated from Manatee Community College in 1978 and from the University of South Florida in 1981. He is also a graduate of the Florida School of Banking, University of Florida and the Bank Administration Institute School for Bank Administration at the University of Wisconsin. He has held the position of Chief Financial Officer with several banks, including Key Florida Bank, SouthTrust Bank of the Suncoast, American Bank and First Priority Bank.