Investor Spotlight: Regions
July 26, 2023
Regions Financial Corporation is a member of the S&P 500 Index and one of the nation’s largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, trust, securities brokerage, mortgage and insurance products and services. Through its subsidiary, Regions Bank provides the backing of a top U.S. financial institution and the local focus of a community hometown bank. This means customers receive the quality services of a financial industry leader in addition to the confidence and convenience of banking with people at a neighborhood company they know. Their company mission reflects what customers say they want from a bank — simple, easy, reliable. While Regions’ financial solutions will help customers get more from their money, it is their purpose to help them get more out of life. As a company that has been around since 1856, Regions knows that banking relationships are founded on trust.
April Grajales, Tampa Market Executive and Commercial Banking Leader 
Regions Bank recently welcomed back April Grajales as the Tampa Market Executive and Commercial Banking Manager for Regions Bank Commercial and Industrial Banking Team (Commercial, Middle Market, Institutional / Not-for-Profit). She is responsible for ensuring the seamless delivery of the broad suite of products, services and capabilities of Regions Financial Corporation in support of their commercial clients, stakeholders, employees and communities.
What excites you most about Tampa’s future?
The influx of businesses choosing Tampa as their new home base, coupled with the growth in population, have me excited about Tampa’s future! I am constantly amazed by the new, young, ambitious individuals I meet out at events. They are excited to be here in Tampa and want to be involved not only from a business standpoint – but from a quality-of-life and community-support perspective, too. They are also incredibly smart and have ideas that will lift us to the next level as a city.
You’ve been an active Investor of the EDC for several years, why do you feel it’s important for the local business community to continue to support economic development efforts?
I like to believe that all boats rise when we have success in our economic development efforts. By growing the number of businesses in Tampa, we can see an increase in supplemental businesses around the new business and its employee base. This creates a win for existing and small businesses in Tampa to support them. And it generates more inclusive prosperity that helps ensure more people are benefiting from the growth in our local economy. In addition, the continued diversity of our local economy – with businesses representing a wide range of sectors, products, and services – helps contribute to a winning city long term.
What is the number one thing that you believe will impact Tampa Bay’s competitiveness in the coming decade?
Living here is like living in paradise! We have it all from beaches, to the performing arts, theme parks, professional sports, and top-rated health care partners. As we look forward to the next decade, in my view, the Tampa Bay area will need to continue to evaluate aspects such as our transportation infrastructure. For example, a lot of people remain supportive of light rail, and if we can come to a greater consensus on topics such as these, that can benefit people ranging from commuters, to visitors, business owners, and more. Tampa offers a quality of life that I believe is second to none – and it’s up to us as a community to ensure we remain competitive and not become outpaced by other communities. Wherever we can remove barriers to success, and unite around ways to support responsible growth and development, we can create a more positive and sustainable future.
