It has only been two months since Matt Price has been in his new role as vice president and senior business banking relationship manager at IBERIABANK/First Horizon in Ponte Vedra.
He has 20 years of experience, the last 10 of which he has been working closely with local businesses to help them with their financial questions and situations.
“I had the opportunity to come to IBERIABANK/First Horizon, and it was too good to pass up,” Price said. “It’s really just taking what I’ve been doing for 20 years and continuing to do it within the local community, but just do it for a new brand.”
According to Price, IBERIABANK and First Horizon have already merged, but will officially converge President’s Day (Feb. 21) weekend.
He received a phone call from First Horizon Regional President Marty Lanahan about the position, and he was intrigued by the opportunity to help be on the ground floor of establishing the First Horizon name to the local community.
Price understands how important it is to surround oneself with people you enjoy being around and working for.
This was the case, as he had worked for Lanahan about eight years ago and knew what type of leader she was.
“I knew that if I ever had the opportunity to work for and with her again, that I would explore it,” Price said.
Within the Ponte Vedra office alone, there are several departments that specialize in different aspects of the financial landscape, including the branch itself, as well as a mortgage broker and wealth adviser next door and private wealth advisers in the building ready to assist.
“One of the main things is that it’s not about me,” Price said. “What makes our bank unique is that we take a team approach to everything. We’ve got a lot of smart people that I work with, that I introduce to clients and prospects. We think that adds more value to the relationship and more tools and resources available to the customers.”
Price is familiar with some of these other aspects, as he spent the first 10 years of his career on the retail side of banking working in branch lobbies.
“What I learned from that experience is that I liked getting outside the bank and helping business owners with their banking,” Price said. “You really get to know them.”
He transitioned from the retail side to business and commercial banking in 2012 and he has felt right at home. It is the business relationships that make Price so passionate about what he does.
“When you make a loan to a business owner, it’s not just a loan,” Price said. “You’ve helped them buy a building to expand their business or finance a piece of equipment that is going to grow revenue for them. All banks have a loan or an account, but it’s the story behind that loan, and every business is different.
Price is also the chair of the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce Ponte Vedra Beach Division.
“This area means a lot to me, so I’m going to do what I can from the business side of things to help the community thrive,” Price said.
