May 23, 2009

BankUnited -- seized by the government and sold to investors -- plans no immediate closings or layoffs, but branches in Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte counties could be in peril as the struggling financial institution readjusts its Florida footprint.Banking industry veteran John Kanas, who took over as chairman, said BankUnited might close some branches outside the Miami area and open new ones closer to its Coral Gables headquarters.

The branches on Florida's "west coast and other outreach areas probably don't make much sense in the grand scheme of things," Kanas told Reuters.BankUnited, with 1,100 employees in Florida, has six branches in Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties. All 85 branches opened Friday without problems."With respect to customer-facing activities it is a complete yawn," Kanas said. "There are no lines anywhere, thank God. We don't have any panicky customers."