April 29, 2009

As president and CEO of the Florida Bankers Association, Alex Sanchez is in the thick of the banking crisis in Florida. Sanchez is the voice for more than 300 banks in Florida, including Jacksonville’s, to Congress and the federal regulatory bodies. The Business Journal recently interviewed Sanchez about the concerns the FBA is addressing and an economic snapshot of the banking community in Florida. Below are excerpts from the interview.What are you hearing from the local banking community about where they are at in getting through this recession?

Better days are ahead. We’re very hopeful because the real estate sales are picking up. People have come back and said oh, but Alex, the real estate values are not the same. My comeback is the real estate values from 2003 to 2007 are as I say from “The Sopranos,” “forget about it!” We’re going back to what real estate values really should have been.Things are looking up, sales are up, corrections are taking place. Do we need to be smarter? You bet.