Bank of America announced May 6 it named Mark K. Bennett as president of Bank of America Jacksonville, succeeding Greg Smith, who announced his retirement this month after 15 years as market president.
Smith’s LinkedIn profile shows that he moved to Jacksonville in 2000 as the Southeast Region business lending executive and is a senior credit product manager for Southeast Business Banking.
In August 2006, he was named to the additional role of Jacksonville and Northeast Florida market president. He served as JAX Chamber chairman in 2013.
The news release said that as Jacksonville president, Bennett will be responsible for connecting the banking and investment resources offered through the bank’s eight lines of business to companies, families and individuals across Northeast Florida.
JAX Chamber reports that Bank of America has about 7,700 employees in the Jacksonville area.
The Bank of America news release said Bennett will lead the effort to deploy the company’s resources to address social concerns, strengthen economic opportunity and build strong communities, as well as support the health, safety and engagement of local teammates.
“Mark has established deep relationships with teammates, clients, and the Jacksonville community and personifies Bank of America’s commitment to stakeholder service,” said Brian Moynihan, Bank of America chairman and CEO, in the release.
“Mark is perfectly positioned to build upon the legacy and impact that Greg established in his three decades-plus with Bank of America. I thank Greg for his leadership and I wish him the very best with the next chapter in his life.”
Smith’s LinkedIn profile shows he joined Bank of America in 1988 as a vice president in the commercial real estate division. He was promoted to senior vice president in credit risk in 1992 and to regional executive in private lending in 1995.
The release said Bennett joined Bank of America in 2003 as an associate client manager.
He has held business banking leadership roles as central and north Florida market executive, North and South Carolina market executive and senior treasury solutions officer.
He continues to serve as the Southeast region executive for business banking, in addition to leading the Black and African American business owner initiative for the bank nationally, the bank said.
Bank of America is based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Bennett, a Jacksonville resident, serves on the board of directors for the JAX Chamber, the Communities In Schools Advisory Council, board of trustees for the Pace Center for Girls, Black Executive Leadership Council, the board of Leadership Jacksonville, and is the director of the board for the North Florida Association of Financial Professionals.
He attended Florida State University and earned bachelor’s degrees in management information systems and finance.
He attended Pacific Coast Banking School at University of Washington and earned a master’s degree in banking.
Bank of America serves about 66 million consumer and small business clients with about 4,300 retail financial centers; 17,000 ATMs; and digital banking with about 40 million active users, including about 31 million mobile users.
