ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., July 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Climate First Bank, the nation’s only bank founded specifically to combat the climate crisis, today welcomes four new hires to its team. The additions include Holly Bridwell as marketing director and wingwoman to the chairman, Lauren Dubé as vice president and director of client and mission partnerships, Blaine Worak as senior vice president, senior credit administrator and loan operations manager, and Rachel Yorston as commercial and government-guaranteed lending associate. Dubbed the “Mighty Millennials,” these brilliant, young professionals and their collective dedication to prevent the climate crisis represent the country’s brightest future.
Marketing Director and Wingwoman to the Chairman Holly Bridwell is responsible for growing the marketing department, managing and implementing environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) programs, measuring the impacts of climate-focused initiatives, and providing administrative support to CEO Ken LaRoe. Bridwell initially began her marketing career with a start-up pharmaceutical company where she took on a variety of responsibilities as director and later as chief of marketing and business development.
“If we’re not the people who change our lives to make a difference, then who will?” said Bridwell, a founding member of Climate First Bank’s ESG board together with Dubé and Yorston. In addition, Bridwell is currently a graduate student at University of Florida and pursuing her master’s degree in entrepreneurship with a certificate from the Social Impact & Sustainability Initiative’s Impact Scholars program. “It’s important to me that we make an impact, and at the forefront of my personal goals is to ensure the creation of initiatives that align with our mission as a values-based bank.”
Formerly the client and treasury manager at California-based B-Corp bank Beneficial State Bank, Dubé was invited to join Climate First Bank’s inaugural team by LaRoe. A University of Central Florida alumna, Dubé first crossed paths with LaRoe in 2014 while working at LaRoe’s first values-based bank, First GREEN Bank. In her initial role as vice president and executive project manager, Dubé applied her seven years of experience within values-aligned banking to assist with various projects such as the digital banking experience, ESG initiatives and more. She is now transitioning to a new role as vice president and director of client and mission partnerships where she will be responsible for managing client and community relationships, seeking out beneficial partnerships and onboarding new depositors, with a special focus on mission-aligned businesses and nonprofit organizations.
Worak brings more than 14 years of experience to her new role as the senior vice president, senior credit administrator and loan operations manager, and is responsible for building and supervising the bank’s credit processes and loan procedures to ensure the best service possible for customers. Worak was invited to join Climate First Bank by CFO and COO Michele Glorie, both having worked together at Center State Bank. Her previous positions include vice president and credit administration manager at First Southern Bank, first vice president and special assets administrator at Center State Bank, and senior vice president and CECL manager at South State Bank. Worak also holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Central Florida.
“After I learned about Climate First Bank’s environmental mission, joining the de novo was a no-brainer for me. I knew I really had to be part of this impactful, values-based institution,” said Worak. “The whole experience of working at a de novo bank is invigorating. I love helping develop things from scratch and apply my previous professional experiences to a wide range of areas within the bank.”
As the Commercial and Government-Guaranteed Lending Associate, Rachel Yorston assists with servicing, processing and closing of Small Business Administration (SBA) loan programs. After graduating with a degree in environmental studies from Eckerd College, Yorston began her banking career with First Home Bank where she worked for four years in a variety of roles including SBA loan operations specialist and processor, SBA client service manager, and SBA shared services team lead and supervisor. However, it was with Climate First Bank that Yorston was able to bridge her skills in banking with her passion for environmentalism. As a proud member of the ESG board, Yorston assists Dubé and Bridwell with the application of ESG initiatives.
Stay tuned for the latest updates, and to learn more visit climatefirstbank.com.
About Climate First Bank
Climate First Bank is a values-based community bank offering a complete, full-service portfolio of simple and easy-to-use traditional banking products. These products are powered by high technology to meet the expectations of today’s consumers. In addition to offering standard banking services, the company places a special emphasis on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and businesses committed to sustainability. Eco-conscious customers will find dedicated loan options for solar photovoltaic (PV), energy retrofits and infrastructure to help combat the climate crisis. Member FDIC.
