Belmont Bank & Trust: “Welcome To A Better Way To Bank – Belmont Bank South Florida”
By David Citron
August 3, 2023
Established in 2006, remaining for well over a decade, Belmont Bank & Trust has arrived in our neighborhood here in sunny South Florida’s, Coral Gables. The bank opened for business January 9th, 2023, according to their business brokers in Chicago, as a way of diversifying the regional bank’s portfolio and getting close to the ideal target market and neighborhood business customer in a market ripe for banking.
The overall financial system is well capitalized and prepared for incoming challenges. Certain regional banks, similar to Belmont’s example of success, have maintained a careful transition towards normalcy in lending and capital markets. Belmont has remained conservative and set aside reserves in the face of potential risks.
The Federal Reserve new short-term lending facilities are allowing the market’s regional and national banks included to remain confident, recover and bounce back from any and all potential risks. These risks include the market volatility that can be found as of March 2023 (or the writing of this article) with the Fed’s one-in-eight changes in the interest rate paid on reserve balance to 4.9%, the highest it has been since 2007. Projections are to be at a continued expectation of growth to rise to at least “5.1%” by year end. Though, as of recent, the Fed said the “U.S. banking system was sound.” The reason behind Fed Chairman Jerome Powell’s rate increase despite ongoing concerns (customer loans, credit cards, etc.) was the consensus of Fed policy makers to “keep up the fight against inflation.” As Belmont Bank’s landing page on its website, www.BelmontBank.com, suggests, there is “Safety in Large Numbers.”
Most U.S. banks are placing initiatives and preparing for macroeconomic climate and challenges including, adhering to, and going above and beyond the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) threshold of $250,000 U.S. dollars and keeping in mind the volatility of interest rates.
For the convenience of its present customer base of all ages, Belmont Bank & Trust offers near its brick and mortar locations surcharge free ATMs. Additionally, Belmont Bank prioritizes the necessity of adapting to its customers’ virtual transactions with AudioEye technology for those needing greater online assistance. Belmont Bank prides itself from its landmark in Chicago, to its shift to the Southeastern region, to always being near to its customers with astute and technologically intelligent (mobile banking, mobile capture, online bill-pay, merchant services and much more) attention to customer service.
Belmont Bank combines state of the art products and services while still adhering to core values and principles in not only dealing with a customer-centric focus, but one of a respect for dynamics that set the stage and operations for its ever growing banking empire. 2020 Ponce de Leon is an ideal location as it is the epicenter of everything business in commerce and finance in the heart of the historic district of Coral Gables. It is a draw for an internationally diverse mix of constituents and a potential and viable market looking to explore alternative banking solutions.
“Belmont Bank & Trust was founded in 2006 on the northwest side of Chicago by a group of investors who wanted to establish a community bank that would create value for the neighborhoods and businesses for which is serves.” According to the Company’s “Bank News” on its website, the bank ranks as one of Crain’s largest 25 banks in Chicago. Belmont aims to be the answer and “Your Partner in Business.”
The website also describes two exciting and very productive sections striving to make differences in the communities it serves. With IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers Trust Account) tiered interest, Belmont Bank is capable of giving back and generating funds for those less fortunate through the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois. Also of note is the Company’s section focused on “Belmont Cares”, which the bank actively participates with for the benefit of enriching its surrounding communities and participating networks. For instance, through the power of TV and film, partaking in Chicago’s own CineCare Foundation benefits learning skill sets, job training, reentry into the job market, and instilling confidence in the organization’s ultimate recipients.
Belmont Bank allows for the customer to manage their relationships through Digital Banking beyond Google Pay, Facebook Pay, Apple Pay, and the ever-present Zelle. Through its many options, one is able to get started with online banking directly through the bank’s free mobile app as opposed to third party banking. The bank also offers easy to use mobile and direct account alerts to notify you of any activity taking place on your account and E-statement. This can be found in a monthly statement that offers free paperless interpolation of your account monitoring and is prepared in accordance with the specified transactional history and interest earned on said account(s).
It is through relationship building and partnerships with its direct and indirect customers and families that the bank has supported itself and its various branches in the Chicago area, starting at $20mm in small business loan interest, from its opening inception in 2006. For the latest insights feel free to visit www.BelmontBank.com - Belmont prides itself on being “responsive, decision-makers, and here to solve your business needs.” Further of particular note is their: “solution-driven, relationship-based approach provides accessibility to decision makers and enhances vale through strong partnerships with our customers” locally and soon on global footprint and with a strong and steady business development in its current progression. “The Coral Gables branch is now open as of January this year and is located at 2020 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Coral Gables, Florida 33134. The current hours of operation are: | Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. |