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Stay informed with out regularly updated resources. Each post convers a unique aspect of banking or finance to enhance your understanding and enable better financial decisions.
100th Anniversary Stories
More Than a Sponsor
For Dan Glenn, Pastor of Stetson Baptist Church in DeLand, Surety Bank has become much more than the place where the church did its banking. Over the years, the initial banking relationship has grown into a partnership centered around a shared commitment to the community.
That partnership took on new meaning in 2018 when Stetson Baptist Church launched Night to Shine, an unforgettable prom experience for people with special needs held in partnership with the Tim Tebow Foundation.
Creating an experience like Night to Shine requires significant support, and Surety Bank was one of the event's earliest sponsors.
“Surety was one that came on very early saying, ‘Hey, we want to support that. We want to be a part of it.’”
For Dan, that moment marked a shift in the relationship. It became much more personal and community focused.
Surety continued supporting Night to Shine year after year, but one experience in particular showed Dan what that partnership truly meant.
After the first Night to Shine, Dan realized the church had never properly thanked Surety for its sponsorship. When it came time to plan the event again, he felt hesitant approaching Surety for another year of support.
The response surprised him.
There was no hesitation. Surety wanted to be involved again.
Years later, that commitment went even further when Surety reached out to the church without being asked and offered to increase its support.
“They have an intention to be generous, even when generosity may or may not be expected or requested.”
For Dan, that willingness to look for opportunities to make a greater impact is part of what distinguishes Surety Bank as a community organization.
Instead of simply waiting for someone to present a sponsorship request, Surety has been willing to ask a different question: How can we do more?
That philosophy extends beyond a single event.
Dan describes Surety not simply as a community bank, but as a “community-centered organization” that genuinely cares about DeLand and the relationships it has built throughout the city.
That personal connection is something Dan has experienced firsthand. His relationship with Surety isn't limited to the organization itself. It's also built through relationships with the people behind it.
As Surety Bank celebrates 100 years, Dan believes that commitment to people and community helps explain why the bank has remained part of DeLand for generations.
Over the past century, both the bank and the city have grown and changed. Yet Surety has continued to serve the community throughout that growth.
For Dan, that's exactly why Surety's 100th anniversary message, “How we've always done it is how we'll always do it,” resonates.
“The way they've always done things has been people centered, relationships centered, community centered.”
Those values create something that goes beyond banking. They create trust. They allow organizations like Stetson Baptist Church to know what to expect from a partner that has consistently shown up before and intends to continue showing up in the future.
After years of partnership, Dan hopes that part of Surety never changes.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
Growing Something of His Own: How DeLand’s Austin Scott Launched Coastal Green Pest Solutions
For Austin Scott, starting a business wasn’t the result of a lifelong plan. It was something that grew over time, much like the lawns he now helps his customers care for.
Born and raised in DeLand, Austin is the owner of Coastal Green Pest Solutions, a new Volusia County business specializing in lawn treatments, pest management, fertilization, and the care of palms and shrubs.
The company may be new, but Austin is far from new to the work.
Before entering the lawn and pest control industry, Austin was selling auto parts at O’Reilly Auto Parts. Then a landscaper friend suggested he take a job with a local pest control company.
He gave it a shot and discovered an industry that fascinated him.
“I like that I could learn something new every day,” Austin says. “You get to see different problems, and you get to see the benefits of your own labor making a lawn beautiful. You get to see it go from nothing to something.”
Austin spent nearly six years in the industry, gradually developing an understanding of not only what products to use, but why lawns develop problems in the first place.
Interestingly, the work even gave him a new appreciation for a subject he once struggled with: chemistry.
In school, chemistry had never come naturally to Austin. But working with fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and nutrients gave those concepts a real-world application.
“You get to learn something and then apply it directly,” he says.
And the more Austin learned, the more he realized there was an opportunity to do things differently.
Solving the Problem Behind the Problem
Austin believes one of the biggest shortcomings in the lawn and pest control industry isn't necessarily the products or treatment programs companies use. It's the communication that happens, or doesn't happen, between the company, technician, and homeowner.
A lawn problem can be the result of insects, fungus, nutrient deficiencies, irrigation issues, environmental stress, or a combination of factors. Simply treating the symptom doesn't always solve the underlying problem.
Austin wants Coastal Green Pest Solutions to be different.
“I take pride in being the solution and the end to the revolving door when it comes to these lawn programs,” he says.
That means spending time with homeowners, explaining what is happening on their property, and helping them understand what needs to change.
Austin compares a lawn or landscape to the human body. One problem can affect the health of the entire system. Killing an insect, for example, may address the immediate issue, but it doesn't necessarily explain why the lawn became susceptible to the pest in the first place.
“If you can be the middleman between the problem, the chemicals, and the customer, and you can explain all that smoothly, that's normally the end,” Austin says. “A lot of people don't take the time to talk to their customers and make sure they understand.”
It's an approach built around education and relationships as much as treatment.
Building Coastal Green Pest Solutions
When the company Austin had worked for was sold, he saw an opportunity to take everything he'd learned and build something of his own.
Coastal Green Pest Solutions was born.
Today, Austin primarily works with residential customers throughout Volusia County who care about the long-term health and appearance of their properties.
His services include:
Lawn treatments and fertilization
Insect and pest treatments for lawns
Herbicide and weed management
Fungicide treatments
Palm tree treatments
Shrub treatments
Nutrient deficiency management
Lawn and landscape health assessments
Irrigation guidance and trusted referrals
Austin's philosophy isn't about simply “spraying and praying,” as he puts it. Every property is different, so understanding what's actually happening comes before recommending a solution.
That philosophy also shapes how he plans to grow the business.
A Local Bank Helps a Local Entrepreneur Get Started
Starting a company requires more than expertise and ambition. There are trucks, equipment, products, operating expenses, and the reality that revenue doesn't necessarily arrive the moment the business opens its doors.
Austin knew he needed some financial breathing room as he got Coastal Green Pest Solutions off the ground.
That's where Surety Bank came in.
Austin first learned about Surety through his father, who had worked in real estate and developed a relationship with Surety Bank CEO Ryan James over the years.
When Austin was preparing to launch Coastal Green Pest Solutions, that local connection opened the door to a conversation.
“I was just looking for a good little loan—something to get me by, that way I had a little bit of breathing room,” Austin says. “I was very questionable on how I was going to make everything work, and honestly, I'm very grateful for Surety stepping in.”
Surety provided a business loan directly to Coastal Green Pest Solutions, giving Austin additional resources and flexibility during the critical early months of building the company.
For Austin, the experience demonstrated one of the advantages of working with a community bank: relationships matter.
Ryan knew Austin's family. He'd seen Austin working around town. And instead of Austin simply being another application, there was an opportunity to understand the person and business behind it.
That trust helped a local entrepreneur take the next step.
Growing the Right Way
Just a couple of months into the business when we spoke with him, Austin already had big ambitions for Coastal Green Pest Solutions.
Eventually, he'd like to have multiple trucks on the road, a dedicated irrigation team, a sales team, and expanded services including home pest and termite control.
But he's in no hurry to grow simply for the sake of getting bigger.
Austin wants to make sure the service and customer experience that distinguish Coastal Green today remain intact as the company expands.
“If I'm not taking the time to personalize your service and making sure that I'm putting down what I'm promising, then there's no point in me opening up the next step,” he says.
He describes his philosophy simply as “natural growth or no growth.”
It's an especially fitting philosophy for someone who spends his days helping things grow.
For now, Austin is focused on building relationships, earning the trust of homeowners and landscapers throughout Volusia County, and developing Coastal Green one customer at a time.
And he's doing it in the community he has always called home.
“I still enjoy the small-town aspect of DeLand,” Austin says. “Raising a family here, having good friends here, it's very nice. DeLand's a good home base.”
As DeLand and Volusia County continue to grow, Austin hopes Coastal Green Pest Solutions will grow right alongside them, without losing the personal relationships that helped get the business started in the first place.
Coastal Green Pest Solutions serves homeowners throughout Volusia County. For homeowners who care about the health and appearance of their lawn and landscaping, Austin and Coastal Green provide personalized lawn treatment, pest management, fertilization, and plant health solutions.
Personal Fraud Is on the Rise: Simple Steps to Help Protect Yourself
Personal fraud continues to evolve, and scammers are finding increasingly sophisticated ways to target consumers. From AI-powered messages that appear surprisingly convincing to attempts to gain access to entire financial accounts. Recognizing the warning signs is becoming more important than ever.
While you can't prevent every fraud attempt, knowing what to watch for and taking a few proactive steps can make it much harder for scammers to succeed.
Three Fraud Trends to Watch
1. AI-Powered Scams Are Becoming More Convincing
Artificial intelligence is making fraudulent calls and text messages feel more personal and legitimate. Scammers can use AI to create convincing communications designed to make you believe you're interacting with a trusted person or organization.
Be cautious when you receive an unexpected call or message asking for personal information, money, or access to an account. Before responding or taking action, reach out to Surety Bank directly to verify they are the ones calling. This step could mean not being scammed out of your money.
2. Scammers Are Targeting Entire Financial Accounts
Fraudsters are increasingly looking beyond individual credit card numbers and attempting to gain access to entire financial profiles, including personal bank and investment accounts.
Protect your accounts by regularly reviewing activity for transactions you don't recognize and using multifactor authentication whenever it's available. Never provide your password, login credentials, or verification codes to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.
If you notice something unusual in your Surety Bank account, contact us promptly.
3. Financial Fraud Targeting Older Adults Is Growing
Older adults continue to be frequent targets of financial scams, particularly those involving tech support and investment-related schemes.
These scams often rely on urgency or fear to convince someone to act before they have an opportunity to question what's happening. Talk with older family members about common scams and encourage them to check with someone they trust before sending money or providing sensitive information in response to an unexpected request.
Taking a few minutes to verify a situation can help prevent a significant financial loss.
A Few Simple Habits Can Make a Difference
Protecting yourself doesn't require becoming a fraud expert. Start by being skeptical of unexpected requests for money or information, especially when someone pressures you to act immediately.
Use strong, unique passwords and enable multifactor authentication when available. Avoid clicking links in unexpected emails or text messages, and regularly review your bank accounts and credit reports for activity you don't recognize.
Most importantly, trust your instincts. If something doesn't feel right, stop and verify before taking action.
Resources to Help Protect Your Information
If you'd like to take additional steps to protect yourself, here are three resources worth exploring:
FTC IdentityTheft.gov Best for someone who thinks their identity has already been compromised. The FTC provides a personalized recovery plan and steps for addressing identity theft. Visit IdentityTheft.gov
FTC Credit Freeze & Fraud Alert Guide Customers can place a free credit freeze, which can prevent identity thieves from opening new credit accounts in their name, or add a fraud alert. Learn About Credit Freezes & Fraud Alerts
Aura For those interested in a paid protection service, Aura offers identity and financial monitoring tools and other fraud-protection features. I’d position this as an optional third-party tool, not something Surety is recommending over other services. Explore Aura
These resources are provided for informational purposes. Surety Bank does not endorse or guarantee any third-party product or service.
Stay Alert and Take Your Time
Fraud tactics will continue to change, but one of your strongest defenses is also one of the simplest: slow down.
Scammers often depend on creating urgency so you act before thinking. If you're unsure about a request involving your Surety Bank account, don't rely on the phone number, link, or contact information provided in the message. Contact Surety Bank directly through a trusted channel.
We're here to help you protect your financial information and recognize potential fraud before it becomes a loss.
For Maria Bonfiglio, working at Surety Bank has always been about more than banking. It's about taking care of people.
Maria has been part of the Surety Bank family for nine years, but her journey began with a simple text message. A former boss she had stayed in touch with reached out years after they had worked together and told her, "I have the perfect job for you." Maria's response was simple: "Where should I sign?"
Nine years later, her enthusiasm hasn't changed.
"I love it. I love my job."
Over the years, Maria's role has evolved, giving her the opportunity to learn new skills and develop deeper relationships with customers. She has gotten to know some of them so well that she can recognize who is calling just by the sound of their voice. For Maria, those relationships are what make Surety feel less like a workplace and more like a family.
That personal connection also shapes the way Maria approaches protecting customers.
When something doesn't seem right, she isn't afraid to ask questions. Whether she's reviewing a check or helping someone resolve an issue with an account, Maria understands that taking a little extra time can make a significant difference.
"We really care about our customers," Maria explains. Even when customers may wonder why the bank is asking additional questions, she wants them to understand the reason behind it. "We don't want them to lose money."
For Maria, that care isn't limited to customers. She has experienced it personally as an employee.
During some of the most difficult moments of her life, including an extended hospital stay and the loss of her son, Maria remembers her Surety family checking on her, visiting her, and making sure she knew she wasn't alone. Those experiences showed her that the relationships Surety talks about aren't simply something customers experience. They're part of the culture inside the bank, too.
It's also why Maria believes Surety Bank has remained part of the community for 100 years. She has worked at other banks, but says Surety's involvement in the community feels different. The bank isn't trying to be the biggest. Instead, it has remained focused on the people and communities it serves.
That same philosophy comes through in Maria's relationships with her customers. Some have developed such a strong connection with her that when they call, they specifically ask for Maria. She takes pride in being someone they know they can turn to when they have a question or need assistance.
After nine years, Maria still says thank you for the opportunity that brought her to Surety Bank. Her story is a reminder that relationship banking begins with people who genuinely care about the people on the other side of the counter or phone.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
For Lewis Long III, banking with Surety Bank is a relationship that has lasted more than five decades.
As one of Surety Bank's longest-standing customers, Lewis has watched the bank grow alongside the community since his connection to Surety began more than 50 years ago. He originally opened a savings account after hearing from neighbors that the bank consistently offered strong value and genuinely cared about its customers.
Over the years, Lewis has seen a lot of change. He remembers making deposits with a passbook while employees manually updated balances using a hand-cranked adding machine. What hasn't changed, however, is the way Surety Bank treats the people who walk through its doors.
For Lewis, that commitment extends beyond his own banking experience. When his sons were born, he opened accounts for each of them at Surety Bank, continuing a family tradition that has now spanned generations. One of his sons even participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony when Surety Bank dedicated its current building in the early 1990s.
Throughout his life of military service, public service, and community involvement, Lewis has always returned to the same bank.
What has kept him loyal all these years?
The answer is simple: people.
"You couldn't ask for better service or better people," Lewis says. "I don't know how they remember everybody's name that walks in the door, but they do. They're just super folks. The people have always been a gift to us and to the community."
Lewis believes that the values Surety Bank was founded on continue to define the bank today. One story from the bank's early history has always stayed with him. During the Great Depression, he recalls hearing that Surety worked with customers rather than rushing to foreclose on them because they cared more about helping people than taking their property. That philosophy, he says, is still reflected in the way the bank serves its customers today.
It's one of the reasons Lewis has become an advocate for the bank wherever he goes.
Whether he's encouraging friends to open a money market account, sharing the bank's history, or even suggesting a new Surety branch for his hometown of Lake Helen, Lewis proudly recommends the bank he's trusted for more than half a century.
"I wouldn't champion the bank if I didn't believe in these folks and believe in this bank," he says. "Everybody is important. They see past whatever's bothering someone that day and still treat people with kindness and respect."
As Surety Bank celebrates 100 years of serving Central Florida, customers like Lewis remind us that while banking has evolved, some things should never change. Genuine relationships, exceptional service, and a commitment to the community remain at the heart of everything we do.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
Strong Communities Are Built Through Strong Partnerships
For 100 years, Surety Bank has believed that community banking means more than serving customers inside the walls of a branch. It means investing in the people, organizations, and partnerships that help our communities thrive.
That commitment is something Carla Quann, Director of Community Relations for the Volusia Sheriff's Office, has experienced firsthand.
"Our goal is to support everyone in our community," Carla explains. "Ryan [James] wanted to be a part of what we're doing because he cares about the community."
The partnership between Surety Bank and the Volusia Sheriff's Office began when Surety Bank President & CEO Ryan James joined the Volusia Sheriff's Foundation Board. Since then, the relationship has grown into a collaborative effort focused on addressing some of the community's greatest needs.
One example came during the holiday season, when thousands of local families faced uncertainty after SNAP benefits were unexpectedly interrupted. Through the combined efforts of businesses, volunteers, and community organizations, more than 3,500 grocery bags were distributed to families throughout Volusia County.
According to Carla, Surety Bank was an important part of making that effort possible.
Beyond community events and charitable initiatives, the partnership has also helped strengthen public safety.
As financial scams targeting older adults became increasingly common, Surety Bank worked alongside the Sheriff's Office to provide education, share industry expertise, and help detectives better recognize the warning signs of fraud.
That collaboration ultimately helped lead to the creation of the Volusia Sheriff's Office Financial Crimes Unit—a dedicated team focused on protecting residents from fraud and financial exploitation.
Working together, those efforts have helped recover more than $2 million for local victims of financial crimes.
For Carla, those results reflect what makes Surety Bank different.
"They're not just another hometown bank," she says. "They care about their community."
She believes that commitment starts with customer service but extends far beyond banking. Whether supporting nonprofit organizations, helping law enforcement address emerging scams, or simply answering the phone when someone needs help, Surety Bank has built relationships rooted in trust.
"People trust them," Carla says. "They've built that trust with their customers, and that's why people stay."
As Surety Bank celebrates a century of serving Central Florida, partnerships like this demonstrate that community banking isn't defined only by financial services—it's measured by the impact a bank has on the people and communities it serves.
For 100 years, Surety Bank has believed that when communities succeed, everyone succeeds. Through partnerships built on trust, service, and shared purpose, that commitment continues today—and will continue for generations to come.
For Dan Glenn, Pastor of Stetson Baptist Church in DeLand, Surety Bank has become much more than the place where the church did its banking. Over the years, the initial banking relationship has grown into a partnership centered around a shared commitment to the community.
That partnership took on new meaning in 2018 when Stetson Baptist Church launched Night to Shine, an unforgettable prom experience for people with special needs held in partnership with the Tim Tebow Foundation.
Creating an experience like Night to Shine requires significant support, and Surety Bank was one of the event's earliest sponsors.
“Surety was one that came on very early saying, ‘Hey, we want to support that. We want to be a part of it.’”
For Dan, that moment marked a shift in the relationship. It became much more personal and community focused.
Surety continued supporting Night to Shine year after year, but one experience in particular showed Dan what that partnership truly meant.
After the first Night to Shine, Dan realized the church had never properly thanked Surety for its sponsorship. When it came time to plan the event again, he felt hesitant approaching Surety for another year of support.
The response surprised him.
There was no hesitation. Surety wanted to be involved again.
Years later, that commitment went even further when Surety reached out to the church without being asked and offered to increase its support.
“They have an intention to be generous, even when generosity may or may not be expected or requested.”
For Dan, that willingness to look for opportunities to make a greater impact is part of what distinguishes Surety Bank as a community organization.
Instead of simply waiting for someone to present a sponsorship request, Surety has been willing to ask a different question: How can we do more?
That philosophy extends beyond a single event.
Dan describes Surety not simply as a community bank, but as a “community-centered organization” that genuinely cares about DeLand and the relationships it has built throughout the city.
That personal connection is something Dan has experienced firsthand. His relationship with Surety isn't limited to the organization itself. It's also built through relationships with the people behind it.
As Surety Bank celebrates 100 years, Dan believes that commitment to people and community helps explain why the bank has remained part of DeLand for generations.
Over the past century, both the bank and the city have grown and changed. Yet Surety has continued to serve the community throughout that growth.
For Dan, that's exactly why Surety's 100th anniversary message, “How we've always done it is how we'll always do it,” resonates.
“The way they've always done things has been people centered, relationships centered, community centered.”
Those values create something that goes beyond banking. They create trust. They allow organizations like Stetson Baptist Church to know what to expect from a partner that has consistently shown up before and intends to continue showing up in the future.
After years of partnership, Dan hopes that part of Surety never changes.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
Growing Something of His Own: How DeLand’s Austin Scott Launched Coastal Green Pest Solutions
For Austin Scott, starting a business wasn’t the result of a lifelong plan. It was something that grew over time, much like the lawns he now helps his customers care for.
Born and raised in DeLand, Austin is the owner of Coastal Green Pest Solutions, a new Volusia County business specializing in lawn treatments, pest management, fertilization, and the care of palms and shrubs.
The company may be new, but Austin is far from new to the work.
Before entering the lawn and pest control industry, Austin was selling auto parts at O’Reilly Auto Parts. Then a landscaper friend suggested he take a job with a local pest control company.
He gave it a shot and discovered an industry that fascinated him.
“I like that I could learn something new every day,” Austin says. “You get to see different problems, and you get to see the benefits of your own labor making a lawn beautiful. You get to see it go from nothing to something.”
Austin spent nearly six years in the industry, gradually developing an understanding of not only what products to use, but why lawns develop problems in the first place.
Interestingly, the work even gave him a new appreciation for a subject he once struggled with: chemistry.
In school, chemistry had never come naturally to Austin. But working with fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and nutrients gave those concepts a real-world application.
“You get to learn something and then apply it directly,” he says.
And the more Austin learned, the more he realized there was an opportunity to do things differently.
Solving the Problem Behind the Problem
Austin believes one of the biggest shortcomings in the lawn and pest control industry isn't necessarily the products or treatment programs companies use. It's the communication that happens, or doesn't happen, between the company, technician, and homeowner.
A lawn problem can be the result of insects, fungus, nutrient deficiencies, irrigation issues, environmental stress, or a combination of factors. Simply treating the symptom doesn't always solve the underlying problem.
Austin wants Coastal Green Pest Solutions to be different.
“I take pride in being the solution and the end to the revolving door when it comes to these lawn programs,” he says.
That means spending time with homeowners, explaining what is happening on their property, and helping them understand what needs to change.
Austin compares a lawn or landscape to the human body. One problem can affect the health of the entire system. Killing an insect, for example, may address the immediate issue, but it doesn't necessarily explain why the lawn became susceptible to the pest in the first place.
“If you can be the middleman between the problem, the chemicals, and the customer, and you can explain all that smoothly, that's normally the end,” Austin says. “A lot of people don't take the time to talk to their customers and make sure they understand.”
It's an approach built around education and relationships as much as treatment.
Building Coastal Green Pest Solutions
When the company Austin had worked for was sold, he saw an opportunity to take everything he'd learned and build something of his own.
Coastal Green Pest Solutions was born.
Today, Austin primarily works with residential customers throughout Volusia County who care about the long-term health and appearance of their properties.
His services include:
Lawn treatments and fertilization
Insect and pest treatments for lawns
Herbicide and weed management
Fungicide treatments
Palm tree treatments
Shrub treatments
Nutrient deficiency management
Lawn and landscape health assessments
Irrigation guidance and trusted referrals
Austin's philosophy isn't about simply “spraying and praying,” as he puts it. Every property is different, so understanding what's actually happening comes before recommending a solution.
That philosophy also shapes how he plans to grow the business.
A Local Bank Helps a Local Entrepreneur Get Started
Starting a company requires more than expertise and ambition. There are trucks, equipment, products, operating expenses, and the reality that revenue doesn't necessarily arrive the moment the business opens its doors.
Austin knew he needed some financial breathing room as he got Coastal Green Pest Solutions off the ground.
That's where Surety Bank came in.
Austin first learned about Surety through his father, who had worked in real estate and developed a relationship with Surety Bank CEO Ryan James over the years.
When Austin was preparing to launch Coastal Green Pest Solutions, that local connection opened the door to a conversation.
“I was just looking for a good little loan—something to get me by, that way I had a little bit of breathing room,” Austin says. “I was very questionable on how I was going to make everything work, and honestly, I'm very grateful for Surety stepping in.”
Surety provided a business loan directly to Coastal Green Pest Solutions, giving Austin additional resources and flexibility during the critical early months of building the company.
For Austin, the experience demonstrated one of the advantages of working with a community bank: relationships matter.
Ryan knew Austin's family. He'd seen Austin working around town. And instead of Austin simply being another application, there was an opportunity to understand the person and business behind it.
That trust helped a local entrepreneur take the next step.
Growing the Right Way
Just a couple of months into the business when we spoke with him, Austin already had big ambitions for Coastal Green Pest Solutions.
Eventually, he'd like to have multiple trucks on the road, a dedicated irrigation team, a sales team, and expanded services including home pest and termite control.
But he's in no hurry to grow simply for the sake of getting bigger.
Austin wants to make sure the service and customer experience that distinguish Coastal Green today remain intact as the company expands.
“If I'm not taking the time to personalize your service and making sure that I'm putting down what I'm promising, then there's no point in me opening up the next step,” he says.
He describes his philosophy simply as “natural growth or no growth.”
It's an especially fitting philosophy for someone who spends his days helping things grow.
For now, Austin is focused on building relationships, earning the trust of homeowners and landscapers throughout Volusia County, and developing Coastal Green one customer at a time.
And he's doing it in the community he has always called home.
“I still enjoy the small-town aspect of DeLand,” Austin says. “Raising a family here, having good friends here, it's very nice. DeLand's a good home base.”
As DeLand and Volusia County continue to grow, Austin hopes Coastal Green Pest Solutions will grow right alongside them, without losing the personal relationships that helped get the business started in the first place.
Coastal Green Pest Solutions serves homeowners throughout Volusia County. For homeowners who care about the health and appearance of their lawn and landscaping, Austin and Coastal Green provide personalized lawn treatment, pest management, fertilization, and plant health solutions.
Personal Fraud Is on the Rise: Simple Steps to Help Protect Yourself
Personal fraud continues to evolve, and scammers are finding increasingly sophisticated ways to target consumers. From AI-powered messages that appear surprisingly convincing to attempts to gain access to entire financial accounts. Recognizing the warning signs is becoming more important than ever.
While you can't prevent every fraud attempt, knowing what to watch for and taking a few proactive steps can make it much harder for scammers to succeed.
Three Fraud Trends to Watch
1. AI-Powered Scams Are Becoming More Convincing
Artificial intelligence is making fraudulent calls and text messages feel more personal and legitimate. Scammers can use AI to create convincing communications designed to make you believe you're interacting with a trusted person or organization.
Be cautious when you receive an unexpected call or message asking for personal information, money, or access to an account. Before responding or taking action, reach out to Surety Bank directly to verify they are the ones calling. This step could mean not being scammed out of your money.
2. Scammers Are Targeting Entire Financial Accounts
Fraudsters are increasingly looking beyond individual credit card numbers and attempting to gain access to entire financial profiles, including personal bank and investment accounts.
Protect your accounts by regularly reviewing activity for transactions you don't recognize and using multifactor authentication whenever it's available. Never provide your password, login credentials, or verification codes to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.
If you notice something unusual in your Surety Bank account, contact us promptly.
3. Financial Fraud Targeting Older Adults Is Growing
Older adults continue to be frequent targets of financial scams, particularly those involving tech support and investment-related schemes.
These scams often rely on urgency or fear to convince someone to act before they have an opportunity to question what's happening. Talk with older family members about common scams and encourage them to check with someone they trust before sending money or providing sensitive information in response to an unexpected request.
Taking a few minutes to verify a situation can help prevent a significant financial loss.
A Few Simple Habits Can Make a Difference
Protecting yourself doesn't require becoming a fraud expert. Start by being skeptical of unexpected requests for money or information, especially when someone pressures you to act immediately.
Use strong, unique passwords and enable multifactor authentication when available. Avoid clicking links in unexpected emails or text messages, and regularly review your bank accounts and credit reports for activity you don't recognize.
Most importantly, trust your instincts. If something doesn't feel right, stop and verify before taking action.
Resources to Help Protect Your Information
If you'd like to take additional steps to protect yourself, here are three resources worth exploring:
FTC IdentityTheft.gov Best for someone who thinks their identity has already been compromised. The FTC provides a personalized recovery plan and steps for addressing identity theft. Visit IdentityTheft.gov
FTC Credit Freeze & Fraud Alert Guide Customers can place a free credit freeze, which can prevent identity thieves from opening new credit accounts in their name, or add a fraud alert. Learn About Credit Freezes & Fraud Alerts
Aura For those interested in a paid protection service, Aura offers identity and financial monitoring tools and other fraud-protection features. I’d position this as an optional third-party tool, not something Surety is recommending over other services. Explore Aura
These resources are provided for informational purposes. Surety Bank does not endorse or guarantee any third-party product or service.
Stay Alert and Take Your Time
Fraud tactics will continue to change, but one of your strongest defenses is also one of the simplest: slow down.
Scammers often depend on creating urgency so you act before thinking. If you're unsure about a request involving your Surety Bank account, don't rely on the phone number, link, or contact information provided in the message. Contact Surety Bank directly through a trusted channel.
We're here to help you protect your financial information and recognize potential fraud before it becomes a loss.
For Maria Bonfiglio, working at Surety Bank has always been about more than banking. It's about taking care of people.
Maria has been part of the Surety Bank family for nine years, but her journey began with a simple text message. A former boss she had stayed in touch with reached out years after they had worked together and told her, "I have the perfect job for you." Maria's response was simple: "Where should I sign?"
Nine years later, her enthusiasm hasn't changed.
"I love it. I love my job."
Over the years, Maria's role has evolved, giving her the opportunity to learn new skills and develop deeper relationships with customers. She has gotten to know some of them so well that she can recognize who is calling just by the sound of their voice. For Maria, those relationships are what make Surety feel less like a workplace and more like a family.
That personal connection also shapes the way Maria approaches protecting customers.
When something doesn't seem right, she isn't afraid to ask questions. Whether she's reviewing a check or helping someone resolve an issue with an account, Maria understands that taking a little extra time can make a significant difference.
"We really care about our customers," Maria explains. Even when customers may wonder why the bank is asking additional questions, she wants them to understand the reason behind it. "We don't want them to lose money."
For Maria, that care isn't limited to customers. She has experienced it personally as an employee.
During some of the most difficult moments of her life, including an extended hospital stay and the loss of her son, Maria remembers her Surety family checking on her, visiting her, and making sure she knew she wasn't alone. Those experiences showed her that the relationships Surety talks about aren't simply something customers experience. They're part of the culture inside the bank, too.
It's also why Maria believes Surety Bank has remained part of the community for 100 years. She has worked at other banks, but says Surety's involvement in the community feels different. The bank isn't trying to be the biggest. Instead, it has remained focused on the people and communities it serves.
That same philosophy comes through in Maria's relationships with her customers. Some have developed such a strong connection with her that when they call, they specifically ask for Maria. She takes pride in being someone they know they can turn to when they have a question or need assistance.
After nine years, Maria still says thank you for the opportunity that brought her to Surety Bank. Her story is a reminder that relationship banking begins with people who genuinely care about the people on the other side of the counter or phone.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
For Lewis Long III, banking with Surety Bank is a relationship that has lasted more than five decades.
As one of Surety Bank's longest-standing customers, Lewis has watched the bank grow alongside the community since his connection to Surety began more than 50 years ago. He originally opened a savings account after hearing from neighbors that the bank consistently offered strong value and genuinely cared about its customers.
Over the years, Lewis has seen a lot of change. He remembers making deposits with a passbook while employees manually updated balances using a hand-cranked adding machine. What hasn't changed, however, is the way Surety Bank treats the people who walk through its doors.
For Lewis, that commitment extends beyond his own banking experience. When his sons were born, he opened accounts for each of them at Surety Bank, continuing a family tradition that has now spanned generations. One of his sons even participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony when Surety Bank dedicated its current building in the early 1990s.
Throughout his life of military service, public service, and community involvement, Lewis has always returned to the same bank.
What has kept him loyal all these years?
The answer is simple: people.
"You couldn't ask for better service or better people," Lewis says. "I don't know how they remember everybody's name that walks in the door, but they do. They're just super folks. The people have always been a gift to us and to the community."
Lewis believes that the values Surety Bank was founded on continue to define the bank today. One story from the bank's early history has always stayed with him. During the Great Depression, he recalls hearing that Surety worked with customers rather than rushing to foreclose on them because they cared more about helping people than taking their property. That philosophy, he says, is still reflected in the way the bank serves its customers today.
It's one of the reasons Lewis has become an advocate for the bank wherever he goes.
Whether he's encouraging friends to open a money market account, sharing the bank's history, or even suggesting a new Surety branch for his hometown of Lake Helen, Lewis proudly recommends the bank he's trusted for more than half a century.
"I wouldn't champion the bank if I didn't believe in these folks and believe in this bank," he says. "Everybody is important. They see past whatever's bothering someone that day and still treat people with kindness and respect."
As Surety Bank celebrates 100 years of serving Central Florida, customers like Lewis remind us that while banking has evolved, some things should never change. Genuine relationships, exceptional service, and a commitment to the community remain at the heart of everything we do.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
Strong Communities Are Built Through Strong Partnerships
For 100 years, Surety Bank has believed that community banking means more than serving customers inside the walls of a branch. It means investing in the people, organizations, and partnerships that help our communities thrive.
That commitment is something Carla Quann, Director of Community Relations for the Volusia Sheriff's Office, has experienced firsthand.
"Our goal is to support everyone in our community," Carla explains. "Ryan [James] wanted to be a part of what we're doing because he cares about the community."
The partnership between Surety Bank and the Volusia Sheriff's Office began when Surety Bank President & CEO Ryan James joined the Volusia Sheriff's Foundation Board. Since then, the relationship has grown into a collaborative effort focused on addressing some of the community's greatest needs.
One example came during the holiday season, when thousands of local families faced uncertainty after SNAP benefits were unexpectedly interrupted. Through the combined efforts of businesses, volunteers, and community organizations, more than 3,500 grocery bags were distributed to families throughout Volusia County.
According to Carla, Surety Bank was an important part of making that effort possible.
Beyond community events and charitable initiatives, the partnership has also helped strengthen public safety.
As financial scams targeting older adults became increasingly common, Surety Bank worked alongside the Sheriff's Office to provide education, share industry expertise, and help detectives better recognize the warning signs of fraud.
That collaboration ultimately helped lead to the creation of the Volusia Sheriff's Office Financial Crimes Unit—a dedicated team focused on protecting residents from fraud and financial exploitation.
Working together, those efforts have helped recover more than $2 million for local victims of financial crimes.
For Carla, those results reflect what makes Surety Bank different.
"They're not just another hometown bank," she says. "They care about their community."
She believes that commitment starts with customer service but extends far beyond banking. Whether supporting nonprofit organizations, helping law enforcement address emerging scams, or simply answering the phone when someone needs help, Surety Bank has built relationships rooted in trust.
"People trust them," Carla says. "They've built that trust with their customers, and that's why people stay."
As Surety Bank celebrates a century of serving Central Florida, partnerships like this demonstrate that community banking isn't defined only by financial services—it's measured by the impact a bank has on the people and communities it serves.
For 100 years, Surety Bank has believed that when communities succeed, everyone succeeds. Through partnerships built on trust, service, and shared purpose, that commitment continues today—and will continue for generations to come.
For Dan Glenn, Pastor of Stetson Baptist Church in DeLand, Surety Bank has become much more than the place where the church did its banking. Over the years, the initial banking relationship has grown into a partnership centered around a shared commitment to the community.
That partnership took on new meaning in 2018 when Stetson Baptist Church launched Night to Shine, an unforgettable prom experience for people with special needs held in partnership with the Tim Tebow Foundation.
Creating an experience like Night to Shine requires significant support, and Surety Bank was one of the event's earliest sponsors.
“Surety was one that came on very early saying, ‘Hey, we want to support that. We want to be a part of it.’”
For Dan, that moment marked a shift in the relationship. It became much more personal and community focused.
Surety continued supporting Night to Shine year after year, but one experience in particular showed Dan what that partnership truly meant.
After the first Night to Shine, Dan realized the church had never properly thanked Surety for its sponsorship. When it came time to plan the event again, he felt hesitant approaching Surety for another year of support.
The response surprised him.
There was no hesitation. Surety wanted to be involved again.
Years later, that commitment went even further when Surety reached out to the church without being asked and offered to increase its support.
“They have an intention to be generous, even when generosity may or may not be expected or requested.”
For Dan, that willingness to look for opportunities to make a greater impact is part of what distinguishes Surety Bank as a community organization.
Instead of simply waiting for someone to present a sponsorship request, Surety has been willing to ask a different question: How can we do more?
That philosophy extends beyond a single event.
Dan describes Surety not simply as a community bank, but as a “community-centered organization” that genuinely cares about DeLand and the relationships it has built throughout the city.
That personal connection is something Dan has experienced firsthand. His relationship with Surety isn't limited to the organization itself. It's also built through relationships with the people behind it.
As Surety Bank celebrates 100 years, Dan believes that commitment to people and community helps explain why the bank has remained part of DeLand for generations.
Over the past century, both the bank and the city have grown and changed. Yet Surety has continued to serve the community throughout that growth.
For Dan, that's exactly why Surety's 100th anniversary message, “How we've always done it is how we'll always do it,” resonates.
“The way they've always done things has been people centered, relationships centered, community centered.”
Those values create something that goes beyond banking. They create trust. They allow organizations like Stetson Baptist Church to know what to expect from a partner that has consistently shown up before and intends to continue showing up in the future.
After years of partnership, Dan hopes that part of Surety never changes.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
Growing Something of His Own: How DeLand’s Austin Scott Launched Coastal Green Pest Solutions
For Austin Scott, starting a business wasn’t the result of a lifelong plan. It was something that grew over time, much like the lawns he now helps his customers care for.
Born and raised in DeLand, Austin is the owner of Coastal Green Pest Solutions, a new Volusia County business specializing in lawn treatments, pest management, fertilization, and the care of palms and shrubs.
The company may be new, but Austin is far from new to the work.
Before entering the lawn and pest control industry, Austin was selling auto parts at O’Reilly Auto Parts. Then a landscaper friend suggested he take a job with a local pest control company.
He gave it a shot and discovered an industry that fascinated him.
“I like that I could learn something new every day,” Austin says. “You get to see different problems, and you get to see the benefits of your own labor making a lawn beautiful. You get to see it go from nothing to something.”
Austin spent nearly six years in the industry, gradually developing an understanding of not only what products to use, but why lawns develop problems in the first place.
Interestingly, the work even gave him a new appreciation for a subject he once struggled with: chemistry.
In school, chemistry had never come naturally to Austin. But working with fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and nutrients gave those concepts a real-world application.
“You get to learn something and then apply it directly,” he says.
And the more Austin learned, the more he realized there was an opportunity to do things differently.
Solving the Problem Behind the Problem
Austin believes one of the biggest shortcomings in the lawn and pest control industry isn't necessarily the products or treatment programs companies use. It's the communication that happens, or doesn't happen, between the company, technician, and homeowner.
A lawn problem can be the result of insects, fungus, nutrient deficiencies, irrigation issues, environmental stress, or a combination of factors. Simply treating the symptom doesn't always solve the underlying problem.
Austin wants Coastal Green Pest Solutions to be different.
“I take pride in being the solution and the end to the revolving door when it comes to these lawn programs,” he says.
That means spending time with homeowners, explaining what is happening on their property, and helping them understand what needs to change.
Austin compares a lawn or landscape to the human body. One problem can affect the health of the entire system. Killing an insect, for example, may address the immediate issue, but it doesn't necessarily explain why the lawn became susceptible to the pest in the first place.
“If you can be the middleman between the problem, the chemicals, and the customer, and you can explain all that smoothly, that's normally the end,” Austin says. “A lot of people don't take the time to talk to their customers and make sure they understand.”
It's an approach built around education and relationships as much as treatment.
Building Coastal Green Pest Solutions
When the company Austin had worked for was sold, he saw an opportunity to take everything he'd learned and build something of his own.
Coastal Green Pest Solutions was born.
Today, Austin primarily works with residential customers throughout Volusia County who care about the long-term health and appearance of their properties.
His services include:
Lawn treatments and fertilization
Insect and pest treatments for lawns
Herbicide and weed management
Fungicide treatments
Palm tree treatments
Shrub treatments
Nutrient deficiency management
Lawn and landscape health assessments
Irrigation guidance and trusted referrals
Austin's philosophy isn't about simply “spraying and praying,” as he puts it. Every property is different, so understanding what's actually happening comes before recommending a solution.
That philosophy also shapes how he plans to grow the business.
A Local Bank Helps a Local Entrepreneur Get Started
Starting a company requires more than expertise and ambition. There are trucks, equipment, products, operating expenses, and the reality that revenue doesn't necessarily arrive the moment the business opens its doors.
Austin knew he needed some financial breathing room as he got Coastal Green Pest Solutions off the ground.
That's where Surety Bank came in.
Austin first learned about Surety through his father, who had worked in real estate and developed a relationship with Surety Bank CEO Ryan James over the years.
When Austin was preparing to launch Coastal Green Pest Solutions, that local connection opened the door to a conversation.
“I was just looking for a good little loan—something to get me by, that way I had a little bit of breathing room,” Austin says. “I was very questionable on how I was going to make everything work, and honestly, I'm very grateful for Surety stepping in.”
Surety provided a business loan directly to Coastal Green Pest Solutions, giving Austin additional resources and flexibility during the critical early months of building the company.
For Austin, the experience demonstrated one of the advantages of working with a community bank: relationships matter.
Ryan knew Austin's family. He'd seen Austin working around town. And instead of Austin simply being another application, there was an opportunity to understand the person and business behind it.
That trust helped a local entrepreneur take the next step.
Growing the Right Way
Just a couple of months into the business when we spoke with him, Austin already had big ambitions for Coastal Green Pest Solutions.
Eventually, he'd like to have multiple trucks on the road, a dedicated irrigation team, a sales team, and expanded services including home pest and termite control.
But he's in no hurry to grow simply for the sake of getting bigger.
Austin wants to make sure the service and customer experience that distinguish Coastal Green today remain intact as the company expands.
“If I'm not taking the time to personalize your service and making sure that I'm putting down what I'm promising, then there's no point in me opening up the next step,” he says.
He describes his philosophy simply as “natural growth or no growth.”
It's an especially fitting philosophy for someone who spends his days helping things grow.
For now, Austin is focused on building relationships, earning the trust of homeowners and landscapers throughout Volusia County, and developing Coastal Green one customer at a time.
And he's doing it in the community he has always called home.
“I still enjoy the small-town aspect of DeLand,” Austin says. “Raising a family here, having good friends here, it's very nice. DeLand's a good home base.”
As DeLand and Volusia County continue to grow, Austin hopes Coastal Green Pest Solutions will grow right alongside them, without losing the personal relationships that helped get the business started in the first place.
Coastal Green Pest Solutions serves homeowners throughout Volusia County. For homeowners who care about the health and appearance of their lawn and landscaping, Austin and Coastal Green provide personalized lawn treatment, pest management, fertilization, and plant health solutions.
Personal Fraud Is on the Rise: Simple Steps to Help Protect Yourself
Personal fraud continues to evolve, and scammers are finding increasingly sophisticated ways to target consumers. From AI-powered messages that appear surprisingly convincing to attempts to gain access to entire financial accounts. Recognizing the warning signs is becoming more important than ever.
While you can't prevent every fraud attempt, knowing what to watch for and taking a few proactive steps can make it much harder for scammers to succeed.
Three Fraud Trends to Watch
1. AI-Powered Scams Are Becoming More Convincing
Artificial intelligence is making fraudulent calls and text messages feel more personal and legitimate. Scammers can use AI to create convincing communications designed to make you believe you're interacting with a trusted person or organization.
Be cautious when you receive an unexpected call or message asking for personal information, money, or access to an account. Before responding or taking action, reach out to Surety Bank directly to verify they are the ones calling. This step could mean not being scammed out of your money.
2. Scammers Are Targeting Entire Financial Accounts
Fraudsters are increasingly looking beyond individual credit card numbers and attempting to gain access to entire financial profiles, including personal bank and investment accounts.
Protect your accounts by regularly reviewing activity for transactions you don't recognize and using multifactor authentication whenever it's available. Never provide your password, login credentials, or verification codes to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.
If you notice something unusual in your Surety Bank account, contact us promptly.
3. Financial Fraud Targeting Older Adults Is Growing
Older adults continue to be frequent targets of financial scams, particularly those involving tech support and investment-related schemes.
These scams often rely on urgency or fear to convince someone to act before they have an opportunity to question what's happening. Talk with older family members about common scams and encourage them to check with someone they trust before sending money or providing sensitive information in response to an unexpected request.
Taking a few minutes to verify a situation can help prevent a significant financial loss.
A Few Simple Habits Can Make a Difference
Protecting yourself doesn't require becoming a fraud expert. Start by being skeptical of unexpected requests for money or information, especially when someone pressures you to act immediately.
Use strong, unique passwords and enable multifactor authentication when available. Avoid clicking links in unexpected emails or text messages, and regularly review your bank accounts and credit reports for activity you don't recognize.
Most importantly, trust your instincts. If something doesn't feel right, stop and verify before taking action.
Resources to Help Protect Your Information
If you'd like to take additional steps to protect yourself, here are three resources worth exploring:
FTC IdentityTheft.gov Best for someone who thinks their identity has already been compromised. The FTC provides a personalized recovery plan and steps for addressing identity theft. Visit IdentityTheft.gov
FTC Credit Freeze & Fraud Alert Guide Customers can place a free credit freeze, which can prevent identity thieves from opening new credit accounts in their name, or add a fraud alert. Learn About Credit Freezes & Fraud Alerts
Aura For those interested in a paid protection service, Aura offers identity and financial monitoring tools and other fraud-protection features. I’d position this as an optional third-party tool, not something Surety is recommending over other services. Explore Aura
These resources are provided for informational purposes. Surety Bank does not endorse or guarantee any third-party product or service.
Stay Alert and Take Your Time
Fraud tactics will continue to change, but one of your strongest defenses is also one of the simplest: slow down.
Scammers often depend on creating urgency so you act before thinking. If you're unsure about a request involving your Surety Bank account, don't rely on the phone number, link, or contact information provided in the message. Contact Surety Bank directly through a trusted channel.
We're here to help you protect your financial information and recognize potential fraud before it becomes a loss.
For Maria Bonfiglio, working at Surety Bank has always been about more than banking. It's about taking care of people.
Maria has been part of the Surety Bank family for nine years, but her journey began with a simple text message. A former boss she had stayed in touch with reached out years after they had worked together and told her, "I have the perfect job for you." Maria's response was simple: "Where should I sign?"
Nine years later, her enthusiasm hasn't changed.
"I love it. I love my job."
Over the years, Maria's role has evolved, giving her the opportunity to learn new skills and develop deeper relationships with customers. She has gotten to know some of them so well that she can recognize who is calling just by the sound of their voice. For Maria, those relationships are what make Surety feel less like a workplace and more like a family.
That personal connection also shapes the way Maria approaches protecting customers.
When something doesn't seem right, she isn't afraid to ask questions. Whether she's reviewing a check or helping someone resolve an issue with an account, Maria understands that taking a little extra time can make a significant difference.
"We really care about our customers," Maria explains. Even when customers may wonder why the bank is asking additional questions, she wants them to understand the reason behind it. "We don't want them to lose money."
For Maria, that care isn't limited to customers. She has experienced it personally as an employee.
During some of the most difficult moments of her life, including an extended hospital stay and the loss of her son, Maria remembers her Surety family checking on her, visiting her, and making sure she knew she wasn't alone. Those experiences showed her that the relationships Surety talks about aren't simply something customers experience. They're part of the culture inside the bank, too.
It's also why Maria believes Surety Bank has remained part of the community for 100 years. She has worked at other banks, but says Surety's involvement in the community feels different. The bank isn't trying to be the biggest. Instead, it has remained focused on the people and communities it serves.
That same philosophy comes through in Maria's relationships with her customers. Some have developed such a strong connection with her that when they call, they specifically ask for Maria. She takes pride in being someone they know they can turn to when they have a question or need assistance.
After nine years, Maria still says thank you for the opportunity that brought her to Surety Bank. Her story is a reminder that relationship banking begins with people who genuinely care about the people on the other side of the counter or phone.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
For Lewis Long III, banking with Surety Bank is a relationship that has lasted more than five decades.
As one of Surety Bank's longest-standing customers, Lewis has watched the bank grow alongside the community since his connection to Surety began more than 50 years ago. He originally opened a savings account after hearing from neighbors that the bank consistently offered strong value and genuinely cared about its customers.
Over the years, Lewis has seen a lot of change. He remembers making deposits with a passbook while employees manually updated balances using a hand-cranked adding machine. What hasn't changed, however, is the way Surety Bank treats the people who walk through its doors.
For Lewis, that commitment extends beyond his own banking experience. When his sons were born, he opened accounts for each of them at Surety Bank, continuing a family tradition that has now spanned generations. One of his sons even participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony when Surety Bank dedicated its current building in the early 1990s.
Throughout his life of military service, public service, and community involvement, Lewis has always returned to the same bank.
What has kept him loyal all these years?
The answer is simple: people.
"You couldn't ask for better service or better people," Lewis says. "I don't know how they remember everybody's name that walks in the door, but they do. They're just super folks. The people have always been a gift to us and to the community."
Lewis believes that the values Surety Bank was founded on continue to define the bank today. One story from the bank's early history has always stayed with him. During the Great Depression, he recalls hearing that Surety worked with customers rather than rushing to foreclose on them because they cared more about helping people than taking their property. That philosophy, he says, is still reflected in the way the bank serves its customers today.
It's one of the reasons Lewis has become an advocate for the bank wherever he goes.
Whether he's encouraging friends to open a money market account, sharing the bank's history, or even suggesting a new Surety branch for his hometown of Lake Helen, Lewis proudly recommends the bank he's trusted for more than half a century.
"I wouldn't champion the bank if I didn't believe in these folks and believe in this bank," he says. "Everybody is important. They see past whatever's bothering someone that day and still treat people with kindness and respect."
As Surety Bank celebrates 100 years of serving Central Florida, customers like Lewis remind us that while banking has evolved, some things should never change. Genuine relationships, exceptional service, and a commitment to the community remain at the heart of everything we do.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
Strong Communities Are Built Through Strong Partnerships
For 100 years, Surety Bank has believed that community banking means more than serving customers inside the walls of a branch. It means investing in the people, organizations, and partnerships that help our communities thrive.
That commitment is something Carla Quann, Director of Community Relations for the Volusia Sheriff's Office, has experienced firsthand.
"Our goal is to support everyone in our community," Carla explains. "Ryan [James] wanted to be a part of what we're doing because he cares about the community."
The partnership between Surety Bank and the Volusia Sheriff's Office began when Surety Bank President & CEO Ryan James joined the Volusia Sheriff's Foundation Board. Since then, the relationship has grown into a collaborative effort focused on addressing some of the community's greatest needs.
One example came during the holiday season, when thousands of local families faced uncertainty after SNAP benefits were unexpectedly interrupted. Through the combined efforts of businesses, volunteers, and community organizations, more than 3,500 grocery bags were distributed to families throughout Volusia County.
According to Carla, Surety Bank was an important part of making that effort possible.
Beyond community events and charitable initiatives, the partnership has also helped strengthen public safety.
As financial scams targeting older adults became increasingly common, Surety Bank worked alongside the Sheriff's Office to provide education, share industry expertise, and help detectives better recognize the warning signs of fraud.
That collaboration ultimately helped lead to the creation of the Volusia Sheriff's Office Financial Crimes Unit—a dedicated team focused on protecting residents from fraud and financial exploitation.
Working together, those efforts have helped recover more than $2 million for local victims of financial crimes.
For Carla, those results reflect what makes Surety Bank different.
"They're not just another hometown bank," she says. "They care about their community."
She believes that commitment starts with customer service but extends far beyond banking. Whether supporting nonprofit organizations, helping law enforcement address emerging scams, or simply answering the phone when someone needs help, Surety Bank has built relationships rooted in trust.
"People trust them," Carla says. "They've built that trust with their customers, and that's why people stay."
As Surety Bank celebrates a century of serving Central Florida, partnerships like this demonstrate that community banking isn't defined only by financial services—it's measured by the impact a bank has on the people and communities it serves.
For 100 years, Surety Bank has believed that when communities succeed, everyone succeeds. Through partnerships built on trust, service, and shared purpose, that commitment continues today—and will continue for generations to come.
For Dan Glenn, Pastor of Stetson Baptist Church in DeLand, Surety Bank has become much more than the place where the church did its banking. Over the years, the initial banking relationship has grown into a partnership centered around a shared commitment to the community.
That partnership took on new meaning in 2018 when Stetson Baptist Church launched Night to Shine, an unforgettable prom experience for people with special needs held in partnership with the Tim Tebow Foundation.
Creating an experience like Night to Shine requires significant support, and Surety Bank was one of the event's earliest sponsors.
“Surety was one that came on very early saying, ‘Hey, we want to support that. We want to be a part of it.’”
For Dan, that moment marked a shift in the relationship. It became much more personal and community focused.
Surety continued supporting Night to Shine year after year, but one experience in particular showed Dan what that partnership truly meant.
After the first Night to Shine, Dan realized the church had never properly thanked Surety for its sponsorship. When it came time to plan the event again, he felt hesitant approaching Surety for another year of support.
The response surprised him.
There was no hesitation. Surety wanted to be involved again.
Years later, that commitment went even further when Surety reached out to the church without being asked and offered to increase its support.
“They have an intention to be generous, even when generosity may or may not be expected or requested.”
For Dan, that willingness to look for opportunities to make a greater impact is part of what distinguishes Surety Bank as a community organization.
Instead of simply waiting for someone to present a sponsorship request, Surety has been willing to ask a different question: How can we do more?
That philosophy extends beyond a single event.
Dan describes Surety not simply as a community bank, but as a “community-centered organization” that genuinely cares about DeLand and the relationships it has built throughout the city.
That personal connection is something Dan has experienced firsthand. His relationship with Surety isn't limited to the organization itself. It's also built through relationships with the people behind it.
As Surety Bank celebrates 100 years, Dan believes that commitment to people and community helps explain why the bank has remained part of DeLand for generations.
Over the past century, both the bank and the city have grown and changed. Yet Surety has continued to serve the community throughout that growth.
For Dan, that's exactly why Surety's 100th anniversary message, “How we've always done it is how we'll always do it,” resonates.
“The way they've always done things has been people centered, relationships centered, community centered.”
Those values create something that goes beyond banking. They create trust. They allow organizations like Stetson Baptist Church to know what to expect from a partner that has consistently shown up before and intends to continue showing up in the future.
After years of partnership, Dan hopes that part of Surety never changes.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
Growing Something of His Own: How DeLand’s Austin Scott Launched Coastal Green Pest Solutions
For Austin Scott, starting a business wasn’t the result of a lifelong plan. It was something that grew over time, much like the lawns he now helps his customers care for.
Born and raised in DeLand, Austin is the owner of Coastal Green Pest Solutions, a new Volusia County business specializing in lawn treatments, pest management, fertilization, and the care of palms and shrubs.
The company may be new, but Austin is far from new to the work.
Before entering the lawn and pest control industry, Austin was selling auto parts at O’Reilly Auto Parts. Then a landscaper friend suggested he take a job with a local pest control company.
He gave it a shot and discovered an industry that fascinated him.
“I like that I could learn something new every day,” Austin says. “You get to see different problems, and you get to see the benefits of your own labor making a lawn beautiful. You get to see it go from nothing to something.”
Austin spent nearly six years in the industry, gradually developing an understanding of not only what products to use, but why lawns develop problems in the first place.
Interestingly, the work even gave him a new appreciation for a subject he once struggled with: chemistry.
In school, chemistry had never come naturally to Austin. But working with fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and nutrients gave those concepts a real-world application.
“You get to learn something and then apply it directly,” he says.
And the more Austin learned, the more he realized there was an opportunity to do things differently.
Solving the Problem Behind the Problem
Austin believes one of the biggest shortcomings in the lawn and pest control industry isn't necessarily the products or treatment programs companies use. It's the communication that happens, or doesn't happen, between the company, technician, and homeowner.
A lawn problem can be the result of insects, fungus, nutrient deficiencies, irrigation issues, environmental stress, or a combination of factors. Simply treating the symptom doesn't always solve the underlying problem.
Austin wants Coastal Green Pest Solutions to be different.
“I take pride in being the solution and the end to the revolving door when it comes to these lawn programs,” he says.
That means spending time with homeowners, explaining what is happening on their property, and helping them understand what needs to change.
Austin compares a lawn or landscape to the human body. One problem can affect the health of the entire system. Killing an insect, for example, may address the immediate issue, but it doesn't necessarily explain why the lawn became susceptible to the pest in the first place.
“If you can be the middleman between the problem, the chemicals, and the customer, and you can explain all that smoothly, that's normally the end,” Austin says. “A lot of people don't take the time to talk to their customers and make sure they understand.”
It's an approach built around education and relationships as much as treatment.
Building Coastal Green Pest Solutions
When the company Austin had worked for was sold, he saw an opportunity to take everything he'd learned and build something of his own.
Coastal Green Pest Solutions was born.
Today, Austin primarily works with residential customers throughout Volusia County who care about the long-term health and appearance of their properties.
His services include:
Lawn treatments and fertilization
Insect and pest treatments for lawns
Herbicide and weed management
Fungicide treatments
Palm tree treatments
Shrub treatments
Nutrient deficiency management
Lawn and landscape health assessments
Irrigation guidance and trusted referrals
Austin's philosophy isn't about simply “spraying and praying,” as he puts it. Every property is different, so understanding what's actually happening comes before recommending a solution.
That philosophy also shapes how he plans to grow the business.
A Local Bank Helps a Local Entrepreneur Get Started
Starting a company requires more than expertise and ambition. There are trucks, equipment, products, operating expenses, and the reality that revenue doesn't necessarily arrive the moment the business opens its doors.
Austin knew he needed some financial breathing room as he got Coastal Green Pest Solutions off the ground.
That's where Surety Bank came in.
Austin first learned about Surety through his father, who had worked in real estate and developed a relationship with Surety Bank CEO Ryan James over the years.
When Austin was preparing to launch Coastal Green Pest Solutions, that local connection opened the door to a conversation.
“I was just looking for a good little loan—something to get me by, that way I had a little bit of breathing room,” Austin says. “I was very questionable on how I was going to make everything work, and honestly, I'm very grateful for Surety stepping in.”
Surety provided a business loan directly to Coastal Green Pest Solutions, giving Austin additional resources and flexibility during the critical early months of building the company.
For Austin, the experience demonstrated one of the advantages of working with a community bank: relationships matter.
Ryan knew Austin's family. He'd seen Austin working around town. And instead of Austin simply being another application, there was an opportunity to understand the person and business behind it.
That trust helped a local entrepreneur take the next step.
Growing the Right Way
Just a couple of months into the business when we spoke with him, Austin already had big ambitions for Coastal Green Pest Solutions.
Eventually, he'd like to have multiple trucks on the road, a dedicated irrigation team, a sales team, and expanded services including home pest and termite control.
But he's in no hurry to grow simply for the sake of getting bigger.
Austin wants to make sure the service and customer experience that distinguish Coastal Green today remain intact as the company expands.
“If I'm not taking the time to personalize your service and making sure that I'm putting down what I'm promising, then there's no point in me opening up the next step,” he says.
He describes his philosophy simply as “natural growth or no growth.”
It's an especially fitting philosophy for someone who spends his days helping things grow.
For now, Austin is focused on building relationships, earning the trust of homeowners and landscapers throughout Volusia County, and developing Coastal Green one customer at a time.
And he's doing it in the community he has always called home.
“I still enjoy the small-town aspect of DeLand,” Austin says. “Raising a family here, having good friends here, it's very nice. DeLand's a good home base.”
As DeLand and Volusia County continue to grow, Austin hopes Coastal Green Pest Solutions will grow right alongside them, without losing the personal relationships that helped get the business started in the first place.
Coastal Green Pest Solutions serves homeowners throughout Volusia County. For homeowners who care about the health and appearance of their lawn and landscaping, Austin and Coastal Green provide personalized lawn treatment, pest management, fertilization, and plant health solutions.
Personal Fraud Is on the Rise: Simple Steps to Help Protect Yourself
Personal fraud continues to evolve, and scammers are finding increasingly sophisticated ways to target consumers. From AI-powered messages that appear surprisingly convincing to attempts to gain access to entire financial accounts. Recognizing the warning signs is becoming more important than ever.
While you can't prevent every fraud attempt, knowing what to watch for and taking a few proactive steps can make it much harder for scammers to succeed.
Three Fraud Trends to Watch
1. AI-Powered Scams Are Becoming More Convincing
Artificial intelligence is making fraudulent calls and text messages feel more personal and legitimate. Scammers can use AI to create convincing communications designed to make you believe you're interacting with a trusted person or organization.
Be cautious when you receive an unexpected call or message asking for personal information, money, or access to an account. Before responding or taking action, reach out to Surety Bank directly to verify they are the ones calling. This step could mean not being scammed out of your money.
2. Scammers Are Targeting Entire Financial Accounts
Fraudsters are increasingly looking beyond individual credit card numbers and attempting to gain access to entire financial profiles, including personal bank and investment accounts.
Protect your accounts by regularly reviewing activity for transactions you don't recognize and using multifactor authentication whenever it's available. Never provide your password, login credentials, or verification codes to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.
If you notice something unusual in your Surety Bank account, contact us promptly.
3. Financial Fraud Targeting Older Adults Is Growing
Older adults continue to be frequent targets of financial scams, particularly those involving tech support and investment-related schemes.
These scams often rely on urgency or fear to convince someone to act before they have an opportunity to question what's happening. Talk with older family members about common scams and encourage them to check with someone they trust before sending money or providing sensitive information in response to an unexpected request.
Taking a few minutes to verify a situation can help prevent a significant financial loss.
A Few Simple Habits Can Make a Difference
Protecting yourself doesn't require becoming a fraud expert. Start by being skeptical of unexpected requests for money or information, especially when someone pressures you to act immediately.
Use strong, unique passwords and enable multifactor authentication when available. Avoid clicking links in unexpected emails or text messages, and regularly review your bank accounts and credit reports for activity you don't recognize.
Most importantly, trust your instincts. If something doesn't feel right, stop and verify before taking action.
Resources to Help Protect Your Information
If you'd like to take additional steps to protect yourself, here are three resources worth exploring:
FTC IdentityTheft.gov Best for someone who thinks their identity has already been compromised. The FTC provides a personalized recovery plan and steps for addressing identity theft. Visit IdentityTheft.gov
FTC Credit Freeze & Fraud Alert Guide Customers can place a free credit freeze, which can prevent identity thieves from opening new credit accounts in their name, or add a fraud alert. Learn About Credit Freezes & Fraud Alerts
Aura For those interested in a paid protection service, Aura offers identity and financial monitoring tools and other fraud-protection features. I’d position this as an optional third-party tool, not something Surety is recommending over other services. Explore Aura
These resources are provided for informational purposes. Surety Bank does not endorse or guarantee any third-party product or service.
Stay Alert and Take Your Time
Fraud tactics will continue to change, but one of your strongest defenses is also one of the simplest: slow down.
Scammers often depend on creating urgency so you act before thinking. If you're unsure about a request involving your Surety Bank account, don't rely on the phone number, link, or contact information provided in the message. Contact Surety Bank directly through a trusted channel.
We're here to help you protect your financial information and recognize potential fraud before it becomes a loss.
For Maria Bonfiglio, working at Surety Bank has always been about more than banking. It's about taking care of people.
Maria has been part of the Surety Bank family for nine years, but her journey began with a simple text message. A former boss she had stayed in touch with reached out years after they had worked together and told her, "I have the perfect job for you." Maria's response was simple: "Where should I sign?"
Nine years later, her enthusiasm hasn't changed.
"I love it. I love my job."
Over the years, Maria's role has evolved, giving her the opportunity to learn new skills and develop deeper relationships with customers. She has gotten to know some of them so well that she can recognize who is calling just by the sound of their voice. For Maria, those relationships are what make Surety feel less like a workplace and more like a family.
That personal connection also shapes the way Maria approaches protecting customers.
When something doesn't seem right, she isn't afraid to ask questions. Whether she's reviewing a check or helping someone resolve an issue with an account, Maria understands that taking a little extra time can make a significant difference.
"We really care about our customers," Maria explains. Even when customers may wonder why the bank is asking additional questions, she wants them to understand the reason behind it. "We don't want them to lose money."
For Maria, that care isn't limited to customers. She has experienced it personally as an employee.
During some of the most difficult moments of her life, including an extended hospital stay and the loss of her son, Maria remembers her Surety family checking on her, visiting her, and making sure she knew she wasn't alone. Those experiences showed her that the relationships Surety talks about aren't simply something customers experience. They're part of the culture inside the bank, too.
It's also why Maria believes Surety Bank has remained part of the community for 100 years. She has worked at other banks, but says Surety's involvement in the community feels different. The bank isn't trying to be the biggest. Instead, it has remained focused on the people and communities it serves.
That same philosophy comes through in Maria's relationships with her customers. Some have developed such a strong connection with her that when they call, they specifically ask for Maria. She takes pride in being someone they know they can turn to when they have a question or need assistance.
After nine years, Maria still says thank you for the opportunity that brought her to Surety Bank. Her story is a reminder that relationship banking begins with people who genuinely care about the people on the other side of the counter or phone.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
For Lewis Long III, banking with Surety Bank is a relationship that has lasted more than five decades.
As one of Surety Bank's longest-standing customers, Lewis has watched the bank grow alongside the community since his connection to Surety began more than 50 years ago. He originally opened a savings account after hearing from neighbors that the bank consistently offered strong value and genuinely cared about its customers.
Over the years, Lewis has seen a lot of change. He remembers making deposits with a passbook while employees manually updated balances using a hand-cranked adding machine. What hasn't changed, however, is the way Surety Bank treats the people who walk through its doors.
For Lewis, that commitment extends beyond his own banking experience. When his sons were born, he opened accounts for each of them at Surety Bank, continuing a family tradition that has now spanned generations. One of his sons even participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony when Surety Bank dedicated its current building in the early 1990s.
Throughout his life of military service, public service, and community involvement, Lewis has always returned to the same bank.
What has kept him loyal all these years?
The answer is simple: people.
"You couldn't ask for better service or better people," Lewis says. "I don't know how they remember everybody's name that walks in the door, but they do. They're just super folks. The people have always been a gift to us and to the community."
Lewis believes that the values Surety Bank was founded on continue to define the bank today. One story from the bank's early history has always stayed with him. During the Great Depression, he recalls hearing that Surety worked with customers rather than rushing to foreclose on them because they cared more about helping people than taking their property. That philosophy, he says, is still reflected in the way the bank serves its customers today.
It's one of the reasons Lewis has become an advocate for the bank wherever he goes.
Whether he's encouraging friends to open a money market account, sharing the bank's history, or even suggesting a new Surety branch for his hometown of Lake Helen, Lewis proudly recommends the bank he's trusted for more than half a century.
"I wouldn't champion the bank if I didn't believe in these folks and believe in this bank," he says. "Everybody is important. They see past whatever's bothering someone that day and still treat people with kindness and respect."
As Surety Bank celebrates 100 years of serving Central Florida, customers like Lewis remind us that while banking has evolved, some things should never change. Genuine relationships, exceptional service, and a commitment to the community remain at the heart of everything we do.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
Strong Communities Are Built Through Strong Partnerships
For 100 years, Surety Bank has believed that community banking means more than serving customers inside the walls of a branch. It means investing in the people, organizations, and partnerships that help our communities thrive.
That commitment is something Carla Quann, Director of Community Relations for the Volusia Sheriff's Office, has experienced firsthand.
"Our goal is to support everyone in our community," Carla explains. "Ryan [James] wanted to be a part of what we're doing because he cares about the community."
The partnership between Surety Bank and the Volusia Sheriff's Office began when Surety Bank President & CEO Ryan James joined the Volusia Sheriff's Foundation Board. Since then, the relationship has grown into a collaborative effort focused on addressing some of the community's greatest needs.
One example came during the holiday season, when thousands of local families faced uncertainty after SNAP benefits were unexpectedly interrupted. Through the combined efforts of businesses, volunteers, and community organizations, more than 3,500 grocery bags were distributed to families throughout Volusia County.
According to Carla, Surety Bank was an important part of making that effort possible.
Beyond community events and charitable initiatives, the partnership has also helped strengthen public safety.
As financial scams targeting older adults became increasingly common, Surety Bank worked alongside the Sheriff's Office to provide education, share industry expertise, and help detectives better recognize the warning signs of fraud.
That collaboration ultimately helped lead to the creation of the Volusia Sheriff's Office Financial Crimes Unit—a dedicated team focused on protecting residents from fraud and financial exploitation.
Working together, those efforts have helped recover more than $2 million for local victims of financial crimes.
For Carla, those results reflect what makes Surety Bank different.
"They're not just another hometown bank," she says. "They care about their community."
She believes that commitment starts with customer service but extends far beyond banking. Whether supporting nonprofit organizations, helping law enforcement address emerging scams, or simply answering the phone when someone needs help, Surety Bank has built relationships rooted in trust.
"People trust them," Carla says. "They've built that trust with their customers, and that's why people stay."
As Surety Bank celebrates a century of serving Central Florida, partnerships like this demonstrate that community banking isn't defined only by financial services—it's measured by the impact a bank has on the people and communities it serves.
For 100 years, Surety Bank has believed that when communities succeed, everyone succeeds. Through partnerships built on trust, service, and shared purpose, that commitment continues today—and will continue for generations to come.
For Dan Glenn, Pastor of Stetson Baptist Church in DeLand, Surety Bank has become much more than the place where the church did its banking. Over the years, the initial banking relationship has grown into a partnership centered around a shared commitment to the community.
That partnership took on new meaning in 2018 when Stetson Baptist Church launched Night to Shine, an unforgettable prom experience for people with special needs held in partnership with the Tim Tebow Foundation.
Creating an experience like Night to Shine requires significant support, and Surety Bank was one of the event's earliest sponsors.
“Surety was one that came on very early saying, ‘Hey, we want to support that. We want to be a part of it.’”
For Dan, that moment marked a shift in the relationship. It became much more personal and community focused.
Surety continued supporting Night to Shine year after year, but one experience in particular showed Dan what that partnership truly meant.
After the first Night to Shine, Dan realized the church had never properly thanked Surety for its sponsorship. When it came time to plan the event again, he felt hesitant approaching Surety for another year of support.
The response surprised him.
There was no hesitation. Surety wanted to be involved again.
Years later, that commitment went even further when Surety reached out to the church without being asked and offered to increase its support.
“They have an intention to be generous, even when generosity may or may not be expected or requested.”
For Dan, that willingness to look for opportunities to make a greater impact is part of what distinguishes Surety Bank as a community organization.
Instead of simply waiting for someone to present a sponsorship request, Surety has been willing to ask a different question: How can we do more?
That philosophy extends beyond a single event.
Dan describes Surety not simply as a community bank, but as a “community-centered organization” that genuinely cares about DeLand and the relationships it has built throughout the city.
That personal connection is something Dan has experienced firsthand. His relationship with Surety isn't limited to the organization itself. It's also built through relationships with the people behind it.
As Surety Bank celebrates 100 years, Dan believes that commitment to people and community helps explain why the bank has remained part of DeLand for generations.
Over the past century, both the bank and the city have grown and changed. Yet Surety has continued to serve the community throughout that growth.
For Dan, that's exactly why Surety's 100th anniversary message, “How we've always done it is how we'll always do it,” resonates.
“The way they've always done things has been people centered, relationships centered, community centered.”
Those values create something that goes beyond banking. They create trust. They allow organizations like Stetson Baptist Church to know what to expect from a partner that has consistently shown up before and intends to continue showing up in the future.
After years of partnership, Dan hopes that part of Surety never changes.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
Growing Something of His Own: How DeLand’s Austin Scott Launched Coastal Green Pest Solutions
For Austin Scott, starting a business wasn’t the result of a lifelong plan. It was something that grew over time, much like the lawns he now helps his customers care for.
Born and raised in DeLand, Austin is the owner of Coastal Green Pest Solutions, a new Volusia County business specializing in lawn treatments, pest management, fertilization, and the care of palms and shrubs.
The company may be new, but Austin is far from new to the work.
Before entering the lawn and pest control industry, Austin was selling auto parts at O’Reilly Auto Parts. Then a landscaper friend suggested he take a job with a local pest control company.
He gave it a shot and discovered an industry that fascinated him.
“I like that I could learn something new every day,” Austin says. “You get to see different problems, and you get to see the benefits of your own labor making a lawn beautiful. You get to see it go from nothing to something.”
Austin spent nearly six years in the industry, gradually developing an understanding of not only what products to use, but why lawns develop problems in the first place.
Interestingly, the work even gave him a new appreciation for a subject he once struggled with: chemistry.
In school, chemistry had never come naturally to Austin. But working with fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and nutrients gave those concepts a real-world application.
“You get to learn something and then apply it directly,” he says.
And the more Austin learned, the more he realized there was an opportunity to do things differently.
Solving the Problem Behind the Problem
Austin believes one of the biggest shortcomings in the lawn and pest control industry isn't necessarily the products or treatment programs companies use. It's the communication that happens, or doesn't happen, between the company, technician, and homeowner.
A lawn problem can be the result of insects, fungus, nutrient deficiencies, irrigation issues, environmental stress, or a combination of factors. Simply treating the symptom doesn't always solve the underlying problem.
Austin wants Coastal Green Pest Solutions to be different.
“I take pride in being the solution and the end to the revolving door when it comes to these lawn programs,” he says.
That means spending time with homeowners, explaining what is happening on their property, and helping them understand what needs to change.
Austin compares a lawn or landscape to the human body. One problem can affect the health of the entire system. Killing an insect, for example, may address the immediate issue, but it doesn't necessarily explain why the lawn became susceptible to the pest in the first place.
“If you can be the middleman between the problem, the chemicals, and the customer, and you can explain all that smoothly, that's normally the end,” Austin says. “A lot of people don't take the time to talk to their customers and make sure they understand.”
It's an approach built around education and relationships as much as treatment.
Building Coastal Green Pest Solutions
When the company Austin had worked for was sold, he saw an opportunity to take everything he'd learned and build something of his own.
Coastal Green Pest Solutions was born.
Today, Austin primarily works with residential customers throughout Volusia County who care about the long-term health and appearance of their properties.
His services include:
Lawn treatments and fertilization
Insect and pest treatments for lawns
Herbicide and weed management
Fungicide treatments
Palm tree treatments
Shrub treatments
Nutrient deficiency management
Lawn and landscape health assessments
Irrigation guidance and trusted referrals
Austin's philosophy isn't about simply “spraying and praying,” as he puts it. Every property is different, so understanding what's actually happening comes before recommending a solution.
That philosophy also shapes how he plans to grow the business.
A Local Bank Helps a Local Entrepreneur Get Started
Starting a company requires more than expertise and ambition. There are trucks, equipment, products, operating expenses, and the reality that revenue doesn't necessarily arrive the moment the business opens its doors.
Austin knew he needed some financial breathing room as he got Coastal Green Pest Solutions off the ground.
That's where Surety Bank came in.
Austin first learned about Surety through his father, who had worked in real estate and developed a relationship with Surety Bank CEO Ryan James over the years.
When Austin was preparing to launch Coastal Green Pest Solutions, that local connection opened the door to a conversation.
“I was just looking for a good little loan—something to get me by, that way I had a little bit of breathing room,” Austin says. “I was very questionable on how I was going to make everything work, and honestly, I'm very grateful for Surety stepping in.”
Surety provided a business loan directly to Coastal Green Pest Solutions, giving Austin additional resources and flexibility during the critical early months of building the company.
For Austin, the experience demonstrated one of the advantages of working with a community bank: relationships matter.
Ryan knew Austin's family. He'd seen Austin working around town. And instead of Austin simply being another application, there was an opportunity to understand the person and business behind it.
That trust helped a local entrepreneur take the next step.
Growing the Right Way
Just a couple of months into the business when we spoke with him, Austin already had big ambitions for Coastal Green Pest Solutions.
Eventually, he'd like to have multiple trucks on the road, a dedicated irrigation team, a sales team, and expanded services including home pest and termite control.
But he's in no hurry to grow simply for the sake of getting bigger.
Austin wants to make sure the service and customer experience that distinguish Coastal Green today remain intact as the company expands.
“If I'm not taking the time to personalize your service and making sure that I'm putting down what I'm promising, then there's no point in me opening up the next step,” he says.
He describes his philosophy simply as “natural growth or no growth.”
It's an especially fitting philosophy for someone who spends his days helping things grow.
For now, Austin is focused on building relationships, earning the trust of homeowners and landscapers throughout Volusia County, and developing Coastal Green one customer at a time.
And he's doing it in the community he has always called home.
“I still enjoy the small-town aspect of DeLand,” Austin says. “Raising a family here, having good friends here, it's very nice. DeLand's a good home base.”
As DeLand and Volusia County continue to grow, Austin hopes Coastal Green Pest Solutions will grow right alongside them, without losing the personal relationships that helped get the business started in the first place.
Coastal Green Pest Solutions serves homeowners throughout Volusia County. For homeowners who care about the health and appearance of their lawn and landscaping, Austin and Coastal Green provide personalized lawn treatment, pest management, fertilization, and plant health solutions.
Personal Fraud Is on the Rise: Simple Steps to Help Protect Yourself
Personal fraud continues to evolve, and scammers are finding increasingly sophisticated ways to target consumers. From AI-powered messages that appear surprisingly convincing to attempts to gain access to entire financial accounts. Recognizing the warning signs is becoming more important than ever.
While you can't prevent every fraud attempt, knowing what to watch for and taking a few proactive steps can make it much harder for scammers to succeed.
Three Fraud Trends to Watch
1. AI-Powered Scams Are Becoming More Convincing
Artificial intelligence is making fraudulent calls and text messages feel more personal and legitimate. Scammers can use AI to create convincing communications designed to make you believe you're interacting with a trusted person or organization.
Be cautious when you receive an unexpected call or message asking for personal information, money, or access to an account. Before responding or taking action, reach out to Surety Bank directly to verify they are the ones calling. This step could mean not being scammed out of your money.
2. Scammers Are Targeting Entire Financial Accounts
Fraudsters are increasingly looking beyond individual credit card numbers and attempting to gain access to entire financial profiles, including personal bank and investment accounts.
Protect your accounts by regularly reviewing activity for transactions you don't recognize and using multifactor authentication whenever it's available. Never provide your password, login credentials, or verification codes to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.
If you notice something unusual in your Surety Bank account, contact us promptly.
3. Financial Fraud Targeting Older Adults Is Growing
Older adults continue to be frequent targets of financial scams, particularly those involving tech support and investment-related schemes.
These scams often rely on urgency or fear to convince someone to act before they have an opportunity to question what's happening. Talk with older family members about common scams and encourage them to check with someone they trust before sending money or providing sensitive information in response to an unexpected request.
Taking a few minutes to verify a situation can help prevent a significant financial loss.
A Few Simple Habits Can Make a Difference
Protecting yourself doesn't require becoming a fraud expert. Start by being skeptical of unexpected requests for money or information, especially when someone pressures you to act immediately.
Use strong, unique passwords and enable multifactor authentication when available. Avoid clicking links in unexpected emails or text messages, and regularly review your bank accounts and credit reports for activity you don't recognize.
Most importantly, trust your instincts. If something doesn't feel right, stop and verify before taking action.
Resources to Help Protect Your Information
If you'd like to take additional steps to protect yourself, here are three resources worth exploring:
FTC IdentityTheft.gov Best for someone who thinks their identity has already been compromised. The FTC provides a personalized recovery plan and steps for addressing identity theft. Visit IdentityTheft.gov
FTC Credit Freeze & Fraud Alert Guide Customers can place a free credit freeze, which can prevent identity thieves from opening new credit accounts in their name, or add a fraud alert. Learn About Credit Freezes & Fraud Alerts
Aura For those interested in a paid protection service, Aura offers identity and financial monitoring tools and other fraud-protection features. I’d position this as an optional third-party tool, not something Surety is recommending over other services. Explore Aura
These resources are provided for informational purposes. Surety Bank does not endorse or guarantee any third-party product or service.
Stay Alert and Take Your Time
Fraud tactics will continue to change, but one of your strongest defenses is also one of the simplest: slow down.
Scammers often depend on creating urgency so you act before thinking. If you're unsure about a request involving your Surety Bank account, don't rely on the phone number, link, or contact information provided in the message. Contact Surety Bank directly through a trusted channel.
We're here to help you protect your financial information and recognize potential fraud before it becomes a loss.
For Maria Bonfiglio, working at Surety Bank has always been about more than banking. It's about taking care of people.
Maria has been part of the Surety Bank family for nine years, but her journey began with a simple text message. A former boss she had stayed in touch with reached out years after they had worked together and told her, "I have the perfect job for you." Maria's response was simple: "Where should I sign?"
Nine years later, her enthusiasm hasn't changed.
"I love it. I love my job."
Over the years, Maria's role has evolved, giving her the opportunity to learn new skills and develop deeper relationships with customers. She has gotten to know some of them so well that she can recognize who is calling just by the sound of their voice. For Maria, those relationships are what make Surety feel less like a workplace and more like a family.
That personal connection also shapes the way Maria approaches protecting customers.
When something doesn't seem right, she isn't afraid to ask questions. Whether she's reviewing a check or helping someone resolve an issue with an account, Maria understands that taking a little extra time can make a significant difference.
"We really care about our customers," Maria explains. Even when customers may wonder why the bank is asking additional questions, she wants them to understand the reason behind it. "We don't want them to lose money."
For Maria, that care isn't limited to customers. She has experienced it personally as an employee.
During some of the most difficult moments of her life, including an extended hospital stay and the loss of her son, Maria remembers her Surety family checking on her, visiting her, and making sure she knew she wasn't alone. Those experiences showed her that the relationships Surety talks about aren't simply something customers experience. They're part of the culture inside the bank, too.
It's also why Maria believes Surety Bank has remained part of the community for 100 years. She has worked at other banks, but says Surety's involvement in the community feels different. The bank isn't trying to be the biggest. Instead, it has remained focused on the people and communities it serves.
That same philosophy comes through in Maria's relationships with her customers. Some have developed such a strong connection with her that when they call, they specifically ask for Maria. She takes pride in being someone they know they can turn to when they have a question or need assistance.
After nine years, Maria still says thank you for the opportunity that brought her to Surety Bank. Her story is a reminder that relationship banking begins with people who genuinely care about the people on the other side of the counter or phone.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
For Lewis Long III, banking with Surety Bank is a relationship that has lasted more than five decades.
As one of Surety Bank's longest-standing customers, Lewis has watched the bank grow alongside the community since his connection to Surety began more than 50 years ago. He originally opened a savings account after hearing from neighbors that the bank consistently offered strong value and genuinely cared about its customers.
Over the years, Lewis has seen a lot of change. He remembers making deposits with a passbook while employees manually updated balances using a hand-cranked adding machine. What hasn't changed, however, is the way Surety Bank treats the people who walk through its doors.
For Lewis, that commitment extends beyond his own banking experience. When his sons were born, he opened accounts for each of them at Surety Bank, continuing a family tradition that has now spanned generations. One of his sons even participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony when Surety Bank dedicated its current building in the early 1990s.
Throughout his life of military service, public service, and community involvement, Lewis has always returned to the same bank.
What has kept him loyal all these years?
The answer is simple: people.
"You couldn't ask for better service or better people," Lewis says. "I don't know how they remember everybody's name that walks in the door, but they do. They're just super folks. The people have always been a gift to us and to the community."
Lewis believes that the values Surety Bank was founded on continue to define the bank today. One story from the bank's early history has always stayed with him. During the Great Depression, he recalls hearing that Surety worked with customers rather than rushing to foreclose on them because they cared more about helping people than taking their property. That philosophy, he says, is still reflected in the way the bank serves its customers today.
It's one of the reasons Lewis has become an advocate for the bank wherever he goes.
Whether he's encouraging friends to open a money market account, sharing the bank's history, or even suggesting a new Surety branch for his hometown of Lake Helen, Lewis proudly recommends the bank he's trusted for more than half a century.
"I wouldn't champion the bank if I didn't believe in these folks and believe in this bank," he says. "Everybody is important. They see past whatever's bothering someone that day and still treat people with kindness and respect."
As Surety Bank celebrates 100 years of serving Central Florida, customers like Lewis remind us that while banking has evolved, some things should never change. Genuine relationships, exceptional service, and a commitment to the community remain at the heart of everything we do.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
Strong Communities Are Built Through Strong Partnerships
For 100 years, Surety Bank has believed that community banking means more than serving customers inside the walls of a branch. It means investing in the people, organizations, and partnerships that help our communities thrive.
That commitment is something Carla Quann, Director of Community Relations for the Volusia Sheriff's Office, has experienced firsthand.
"Our goal is to support everyone in our community," Carla explains. "Ryan [James] wanted to be a part of what we're doing because he cares about the community."
The partnership between Surety Bank and the Volusia Sheriff's Office began when Surety Bank President & CEO Ryan James joined the Volusia Sheriff's Foundation Board. Since then, the relationship has grown into a collaborative effort focused on addressing some of the community's greatest needs.
One example came during the holiday season, when thousands of local families faced uncertainty after SNAP benefits were unexpectedly interrupted. Through the combined efforts of businesses, volunteers, and community organizations, more than 3,500 grocery bags were distributed to families throughout Volusia County.
According to Carla, Surety Bank was an important part of making that effort possible.
Beyond community events and charitable initiatives, the partnership has also helped strengthen public safety.
As financial scams targeting older adults became increasingly common, Surety Bank worked alongside the Sheriff's Office to provide education, share industry expertise, and help detectives better recognize the warning signs of fraud.
That collaboration ultimately helped lead to the creation of the Volusia Sheriff's Office Financial Crimes Unit—a dedicated team focused on protecting residents from fraud and financial exploitation.
Working together, those efforts have helped recover more than $2 million for local victims of financial crimes.
For Carla, those results reflect what makes Surety Bank different.
"They're not just another hometown bank," she says. "They care about their community."
She believes that commitment starts with customer service but extends far beyond banking. Whether supporting nonprofit organizations, helping law enforcement address emerging scams, or simply answering the phone when someone needs help, Surety Bank has built relationships rooted in trust.
"People trust them," Carla says. "They've built that trust with their customers, and that's why people stay."
As Surety Bank celebrates a century of serving Central Florida, partnerships like this demonstrate that community banking isn't defined only by financial services—it's measured by the impact a bank has on the people and communities it serves.
For 100 years, Surety Bank has believed that when communities succeed, everyone succeeds. Through partnerships built on trust, service, and shared purpose, that commitment continues today—and will continue for generations to come.
For Dan Glenn, Pastor of Stetson Baptist Church in DeLand, Surety Bank has become much more than the place where the church did its banking. Over the years, the initial banking relationship has grown into a partnership centered around a shared commitment to the community.
That partnership took on new meaning in 2018 when Stetson Baptist Church launched Night to Shine, an unforgettable prom experience for people with special needs held in partnership with the Tim Tebow Foundation.
Creating an experience like Night to Shine requires significant support, and Surety Bank was one of the event's earliest sponsors.
“Surety was one that came on very early saying, ‘Hey, we want to support that. We want to be a part of it.’”
For Dan, that moment marked a shift in the relationship. It became much more personal and community focused.
Surety continued supporting Night to Shine year after year, but one experience in particular showed Dan what that partnership truly meant.
After the first Night to Shine, Dan realized the church had never properly thanked Surety for its sponsorship. When it came time to plan the event again, he felt hesitant approaching Surety for another year of support.
The response surprised him.
There was no hesitation. Surety wanted to be involved again.
Years later, that commitment went even further when Surety reached out to the church without being asked and offered to increase its support.
“They have an intention to be generous, even when generosity may or may not be expected or requested.”
For Dan, that willingness to look for opportunities to make a greater impact is part of what distinguishes Surety Bank as a community organization.
Instead of simply waiting for someone to present a sponsorship request, Surety has been willing to ask a different question: How can we do more?
That philosophy extends beyond a single event.
Dan describes Surety not simply as a community bank, but as a “community-centered organization” that genuinely cares about DeLand and the relationships it has built throughout the city.
That personal connection is something Dan has experienced firsthand. His relationship with Surety isn't limited to the organization itself. It's also built through relationships with the people behind it.
As Surety Bank celebrates 100 years, Dan believes that commitment to people and community helps explain why the bank has remained part of DeLand for generations.
Over the past century, both the bank and the city have grown and changed. Yet Surety has continued to serve the community throughout that growth.
For Dan, that's exactly why Surety's 100th anniversary message, “How we've always done it is how we'll always do it,” resonates.
“The way they've always done things has been people centered, relationships centered, community centered.”
Those values create something that goes beyond banking. They create trust. They allow organizations like Stetson Baptist Church to know what to expect from a partner that has consistently shown up before and intends to continue showing up in the future.
After years of partnership, Dan hopes that part of Surety never changes.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
Growing Something of His Own: How DeLand’s Austin Scott Launched Coastal Green Pest Solutions
For Austin Scott, starting a business wasn’t the result of a lifelong plan. It was something that grew over time, much like the lawns he now helps his customers care for.
Born and raised in DeLand, Austin is the owner of Coastal Green Pest Solutions, a new Volusia County business specializing in lawn treatments, pest management, fertilization, and the care of palms and shrubs.
The company may be new, but Austin is far from new to the work.
Before entering the lawn and pest control industry, Austin was selling auto parts at O’Reilly Auto Parts. Then a landscaper friend suggested he take a job with a local pest control company.
He gave it a shot and discovered an industry that fascinated him.
“I like that I could learn something new every day,” Austin says. “You get to see different problems, and you get to see the benefits of your own labor making a lawn beautiful. You get to see it go from nothing to something.”
Austin spent nearly six years in the industry, gradually developing an understanding of not only what products to use, but why lawns develop problems in the first place.
Interestingly, the work even gave him a new appreciation for a subject he once struggled with: chemistry.
In school, chemistry had never come naturally to Austin. But working with fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and nutrients gave those concepts a real-world application.
“You get to learn something and then apply it directly,” he says.
And the more Austin learned, the more he realized there was an opportunity to do things differently.
Solving the Problem Behind the Problem
Austin believes one of the biggest shortcomings in the lawn and pest control industry isn't necessarily the products or treatment programs companies use. It's the communication that happens, or doesn't happen, between the company, technician, and homeowner.
A lawn problem can be the result of insects, fungus, nutrient deficiencies, irrigation issues, environmental stress, or a combination of factors. Simply treating the symptom doesn't always solve the underlying problem.
Austin wants Coastal Green Pest Solutions to be different.
“I take pride in being the solution and the end to the revolving door when it comes to these lawn programs,” he says.
That means spending time with homeowners, explaining what is happening on their property, and helping them understand what needs to change.
Austin compares a lawn or landscape to the human body. One problem can affect the health of the entire system. Killing an insect, for example, may address the immediate issue, but it doesn't necessarily explain why the lawn became susceptible to the pest in the first place.
“If you can be the middleman between the problem, the chemicals, and the customer, and you can explain all that smoothly, that's normally the end,” Austin says. “A lot of people don't take the time to talk to their customers and make sure they understand.”
It's an approach built around education and relationships as much as treatment.
Building Coastal Green Pest Solutions
When the company Austin had worked for was sold, he saw an opportunity to take everything he'd learned and build something of his own.
Coastal Green Pest Solutions was born.
Today, Austin primarily works with residential customers throughout Volusia County who care about the long-term health and appearance of their properties.
His services include:
Lawn treatments and fertilization
Insect and pest treatments for lawns
Herbicide and weed management
Fungicide treatments
Palm tree treatments
Shrub treatments
Nutrient deficiency management
Lawn and landscape health assessments
Irrigation guidance and trusted referrals
Austin's philosophy isn't about simply “spraying and praying,” as he puts it. Every property is different, so understanding what's actually happening comes before recommending a solution.
That philosophy also shapes how he plans to grow the business.
A Local Bank Helps a Local Entrepreneur Get Started
Starting a company requires more than expertise and ambition. There are trucks, equipment, products, operating expenses, and the reality that revenue doesn't necessarily arrive the moment the business opens its doors.
Austin knew he needed some financial breathing room as he got Coastal Green Pest Solutions off the ground.
That's where Surety Bank came in.
Austin first learned about Surety through his father, who had worked in real estate and developed a relationship with Surety Bank CEO Ryan James over the years.
When Austin was preparing to launch Coastal Green Pest Solutions, that local connection opened the door to a conversation.
“I was just looking for a good little loan—something to get me by, that way I had a little bit of breathing room,” Austin says. “I was very questionable on how I was going to make everything work, and honestly, I'm very grateful for Surety stepping in.”
Surety provided a business loan directly to Coastal Green Pest Solutions, giving Austin additional resources and flexibility during the critical early months of building the company.
For Austin, the experience demonstrated one of the advantages of working with a community bank: relationships matter.
Ryan knew Austin's family. He'd seen Austin working around town. And instead of Austin simply being another application, there was an opportunity to understand the person and business behind it.
That trust helped a local entrepreneur take the next step.
Growing the Right Way
Just a couple of months into the business when we spoke with him, Austin already had big ambitions for Coastal Green Pest Solutions.
Eventually, he'd like to have multiple trucks on the road, a dedicated irrigation team, a sales team, and expanded services including home pest and termite control.
But he's in no hurry to grow simply for the sake of getting bigger.
Austin wants to make sure the service and customer experience that distinguish Coastal Green today remain intact as the company expands.
“If I'm not taking the time to personalize your service and making sure that I'm putting down what I'm promising, then there's no point in me opening up the next step,” he says.
He describes his philosophy simply as “natural growth or no growth.”
It's an especially fitting philosophy for someone who spends his days helping things grow.
For now, Austin is focused on building relationships, earning the trust of homeowners and landscapers throughout Volusia County, and developing Coastal Green one customer at a time.
And he's doing it in the community he has always called home.
“I still enjoy the small-town aspect of DeLand,” Austin says. “Raising a family here, having good friends here, it's very nice. DeLand's a good home base.”
As DeLand and Volusia County continue to grow, Austin hopes Coastal Green Pest Solutions will grow right alongside them, without losing the personal relationships that helped get the business started in the first place.
Coastal Green Pest Solutions serves homeowners throughout Volusia County. For homeowners who care about the health and appearance of their lawn and landscaping, Austin and Coastal Green provide personalized lawn treatment, pest management, fertilization, and plant health solutions.
Personal Fraud Is on the Rise: Simple Steps to Help Protect Yourself
Personal fraud continues to evolve, and scammers are finding increasingly sophisticated ways to target consumers. From AI-powered messages that appear surprisingly convincing to attempts to gain access to entire financial accounts. Recognizing the warning signs is becoming more important than ever.
While you can't prevent every fraud attempt, knowing what to watch for and taking a few proactive steps can make it much harder for scammers to succeed.
Three Fraud Trends to Watch
1. AI-Powered Scams Are Becoming More Convincing
Artificial intelligence is making fraudulent calls and text messages feel more personal and legitimate. Scammers can use AI to create convincing communications designed to make you believe you're interacting with a trusted person or organization.
Be cautious when you receive an unexpected call or message asking for personal information, money, or access to an account. Before responding or taking action, reach out to Surety Bank directly to verify they are the ones calling. This step could mean not being scammed out of your money.
2. Scammers Are Targeting Entire Financial Accounts
Fraudsters are increasingly looking beyond individual credit card numbers and attempting to gain access to entire financial profiles, including personal bank and investment accounts.
Protect your accounts by regularly reviewing activity for transactions you don't recognize and using multifactor authentication whenever it's available. Never provide your password, login credentials, or verification codes to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.
If you notice something unusual in your Surety Bank account, contact us promptly.
3. Financial Fraud Targeting Older Adults Is Growing
Older adults continue to be frequent targets of financial scams, particularly those involving tech support and investment-related schemes.
These scams often rely on urgency or fear to convince someone to act before they have an opportunity to question what's happening. Talk with older family members about common scams and encourage them to check with someone they trust before sending money or providing sensitive information in response to an unexpected request.
Taking a few minutes to verify a situation can help prevent a significant financial loss.
A Few Simple Habits Can Make a Difference
Protecting yourself doesn't require becoming a fraud expert. Start by being skeptical of unexpected requests for money or information, especially when someone pressures you to act immediately.
Use strong, unique passwords and enable multifactor authentication when available. Avoid clicking links in unexpected emails or text messages, and regularly review your bank accounts and credit reports for activity you don't recognize.
Most importantly, trust your instincts. If something doesn't feel right, stop and verify before taking action.
Resources to Help Protect Your Information
If you'd like to take additional steps to protect yourself, here are three resources worth exploring:
FTC IdentityTheft.gov Best for someone who thinks their identity has already been compromised. The FTC provides a personalized recovery plan and steps for addressing identity theft. Visit IdentityTheft.gov
FTC Credit Freeze & Fraud Alert Guide Customers can place a free credit freeze, which can prevent identity thieves from opening new credit accounts in their name, or add a fraud alert. Learn About Credit Freezes & Fraud Alerts
Aura For those interested in a paid protection service, Aura offers identity and financial monitoring tools and other fraud-protection features. I’d position this as an optional third-party tool, not something Surety is recommending over other services. Explore Aura
These resources are provided for informational purposes. Surety Bank does not endorse or guarantee any third-party product or service.
Stay Alert and Take Your Time
Fraud tactics will continue to change, but one of your strongest defenses is also one of the simplest: slow down.
Scammers often depend on creating urgency so you act before thinking. If you're unsure about a request involving your Surety Bank account, don't rely on the phone number, link, or contact information provided in the message. Contact Surety Bank directly through a trusted channel.
We're here to help you protect your financial information and recognize potential fraud before it becomes a loss.
For Maria Bonfiglio, working at Surety Bank has always been about more than banking. It's about taking care of people.
Maria has been part of the Surety Bank family for nine years, but her journey began with a simple text message. A former boss she had stayed in touch with reached out years after they had worked together and told her, "I have the perfect job for you." Maria's response was simple: "Where should I sign?"
Nine years later, her enthusiasm hasn't changed.
"I love it. I love my job."
Over the years, Maria's role has evolved, giving her the opportunity to learn new skills and develop deeper relationships with customers. She has gotten to know some of them so well that she can recognize who is calling just by the sound of their voice. For Maria, those relationships are what make Surety feel less like a workplace and more like a family.
That personal connection also shapes the way Maria approaches protecting customers.
When something doesn't seem right, she isn't afraid to ask questions. Whether she's reviewing a check or helping someone resolve an issue with an account, Maria understands that taking a little extra time can make a significant difference.
"We really care about our customers," Maria explains. Even when customers may wonder why the bank is asking additional questions, she wants them to understand the reason behind it. "We don't want them to lose money."
For Maria, that care isn't limited to customers. She has experienced it personally as an employee.
During some of the most difficult moments of her life, including an extended hospital stay and the loss of her son, Maria remembers her Surety family checking on her, visiting her, and making sure she knew she wasn't alone. Those experiences showed her that the relationships Surety talks about aren't simply something customers experience. They're part of the culture inside the bank, too.
It's also why Maria believes Surety Bank has remained part of the community for 100 years. She has worked at other banks, but says Surety's involvement in the community feels different. The bank isn't trying to be the biggest. Instead, it has remained focused on the people and communities it serves.
That same philosophy comes through in Maria's relationships with her customers. Some have developed such a strong connection with her that when they call, they specifically ask for Maria. She takes pride in being someone they know they can turn to when they have a question or need assistance.
After nine years, Maria still says thank you for the opportunity that brought her to Surety Bank. Her story is a reminder that relationship banking begins with people who genuinely care about the people on the other side of the counter or phone.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
For Lewis Long III, banking with Surety Bank is a relationship that has lasted more than five decades.
As one of Surety Bank's longest-standing customers, Lewis has watched the bank grow alongside the community since his connection to Surety began more than 50 years ago. He originally opened a savings account after hearing from neighbors that the bank consistently offered strong value and genuinely cared about its customers.
Over the years, Lewis has seen a lot of change. He remembers making deposits with a passbook while employees manually updated balances using a hand-cranked adding machine. What hasn't changed, however, is the way Surety Bank treats the people who walk through its doors.
For Lewis, that commitment extends beyond his own banking experience. When his sons were born, he opened accounts for each of them at Surety Bank, continuing a family tradition that has now spanned generations. One of his sons even participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony when Surety Bank dedicated its current building in the early 1990s.
Throughout his life of military service, public service, and community involvement, Lewis has always returned to the same bank.
What has kept him loyal all these years?
The answer is simple: people.
"You couldn't ask for better service or better people," Lewis says. "I don't know how they remember everybody's name that walks in the door, but they do. They're just super folks. The people have always been a gift to us and to the community."
Lewis believes that the values Surety Bank was founded on continue to define the bank today. One story from the bank's early history has always stayed with him. During the Great Depression, he recalls hearing that Surety worked with customers rather than rushing to foreclose on them because they cared more about helping people than taking their property. That philosophy, he says, is still reflected in the way the bank serves its customers today.
It's one of the reasons Lewis has become an advocate for the bank wherever he goes.
Whether he's encouraging friends to open a money market account, sharing the bank's history, or even suggesting a new Surety branch for his hometown of Lake Helen, Lewis proudly recommends the bank he's trusted for more than half a century.
"I wouldn't champion the bank if I didn't believe in these folks and believe in this bank," he says. "Everybody is important. They see past whatever's bothering someone that day and still treat people with kindness and respect."
As Surety Bank celebrates 100 years of serving Central Florida, customers like Lewis remind us that while banking has evolved, some things should never change. Genuine relationships, exceptional service, and a commitment to the community remain at the heart of everything we do.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
Strong Communities Are Built Through Strong Partnerships
For 100 years, Surety Bank has believed that community banking means more than serving customers inside the walls of a branch. It means investing in the people, organizations, and partnerships that help our communities thrive.
That commitment is something Carla Quann, Director of Community Relations for the Volusia Sheriff's Office, has experienced firsthand.
"Our goal is to support everyone in our community," Carla explains. "Ryan [James] wanted to be a part of what we're doing because he cares about the community."
The partnership between Surety Bank and the Volusia Sheriff's Office began when Surety Bank President & CEO Ryan James joined the Volusia Sheriff's Foundation Board. Since then, the relationship has grown into a collaborative effort focused on addressing some of the community's greatest needs.
One example came during the holiday season, when thousands of local families faced uncertainty after SNAP benefits were unexpectedly interrupted. Through the combined efforts of businesses, volunteers, and community organizations, more than 3,500 grocery bags were distributed to families throughout Volusia County.
According to Carla, Surety Bank was an important part of making that effort possible.
Beyond community events and charitable initiatives, the partnership has also helped strengthen public safety.
As financial scams targeting older adults became increasingly common, Surety Bank worked alongside the Sheriff's Office to provide education, share industry expertise, and help detectives better recognize the warning signs of fraud.
That collaboration ultimately helped lead to the creation of the Volusia Sheriff's Office Financial Crimes Unit—a dedicated team focused on protecting residents from fraud and financial exploitation.
Working together, those efforts have helped recover more than $2 million for local victims of financial crimes.
For Carla, those results reflect what makes Surety Bank different.
"They're not just another hometown bank," she says. "They care about their community."
She believes that commitment starts with customer service but extends far beyond banking. Whether supporting nonprofit organizations, helping law enforcement address emerging scams, or simply answering the phone when someone needs help, Surety Bank has built relationships rooted in trust.
"People trust them," Carla says. "They've built that trust with their customers, and that's why people stay."
As Surety Bank celebrates a century of serving Central Florida, partnerships like this demonstrate that community banking isn't defined only by financial services—it's measured by the impact a bank has on the people and communities it serves.
For 100 years, Surety Bank has believed that when communities succeed, everyone succeeds. Through partnerships built on trust, service, and shared purpose, that commitment continues today—and will continue for generations to come.
For Dan Glenn, Pastor of Stetson Baptist Church in DeLand, Surety Bank has become much more than the place where the church did its banking. Over the years, the initial banking relationship has grown into a partnership centered around a shared commitment to the community.
That partnership took on new meaning in 2018 when Stetson Baptist Church launched Night to Shine, an unforgettable prom experience for people with special needs held in partnership with the Tim Tebow Foundation.
Creating an experience like Night to Shine requires significant support, and Surety Bank was one of the event's earliest sponsors.
“Surety was one that came on very early saying, ‘Hey, we want to support that. We want to be a part of it.’”
For Dan, that moment marked a shift in the relationship. It became much more personal and community focused.
Surety continued supporting Night to Shine year after year, but one experience in particular showed Dan what that partnership truly meant.
After the first Night to Shine, Dan realized the church had never properly thanked Surety for its sponsorship. When it came time to plan the event again, he felt hesitant approaching Surety for another year of support.
The response surprised him.
There was no hesitation. Surety wanted to be involved again.
Years later, that commitment went even further when Surety reached out to the church without being asked and offered to increase its support.
“They have an intention to be generous, even when generosity may or may not be expected or requested.”
For Dan, that willingness to look for opportunities to make a greater impact is part of what distinguishes Surety Bank as a community organization.
Instead of simply waiting for someone to present a sponsorship request, Surety has been willing to ask a different question: How can we do more?
That philosophy extends beyond a single event.
Dan describes Surety not simply as a community bank, but as a “community-centered organization” that genuinely cares about DeLand and the relationships it has built throughout the city.
That personal connection is something Dan has experienced firsthand. His relationship with Surety isn't limited to the organization itself. It's also built through relationships with the people behind it.
As Surety Bank celebrates 100 years, Dan believes that commitment to people and community helps explain why the bank has remained part of DeLand for generations.
Over the past century, both the bank and the city have grown and changed. Yet Surety has continued to serve the community throughout that growth.
For Dan, that's exactly why Surety's 100th anniversary message, “How we've always done it is how we'll always do it,” resonates.
“The way they've always done things has been people centered, relationships centered, community centered.”
Those values create something that goes beyond banking. They create trust. They allow organizations like Stetson Baptist Church to know what to expect from a partner that has consistently shown up before and intends to continue showing up in the future.
After years of partnership, Dan hopes that part of Surety never changes.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
Growing Something of His Own: How DeLand’s Austin Scott Launched Coastal Green Pest Solutions
For Austin Scott, starting a business wasn’t the result of a lifelong plan. It was something that grew over time, much like the lawns he now helps his customers care for.
Born and raised in DeLand, Austin is the owner of Coastal Green Pest Solutions, a new Volusia County business specializing in lawn treatments, pest management, fertilization, and the care of palms and shrubs.
The company may be new, but Austin is far from new to the work.
Before entering the lawn and pest control industry, Austin was selling auto parts at O’Reilly Auto Parts. Then a landscaper friend suggested he take a job with a local pest control company.
He gave it a shot and discovered an industry that fascinated him.
“I like that I could learn something new every day,” Austin says. “You get to see different problems, and you get to see the benefits of your own labor making a lawn beautiful. You get to see it go from nothing to something.”
Austin spent nearly six years in the industry, gradually developing an understanding of not only what products to use, but why lawns develop problems in the first place.
Interestingly, the work even gave him a new appreciation for a subject he once struggled with: chemistry.
In school, chemistry had never come naturally to Austin. But working with fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and nutrients gave those concepts a real-world application.
“You get to learn something and then apply it directly,” he says.
And the more Austin learned, the more he realized there was an opportunity to do things differently.
Solving the Problem Behind the Problem
Austin believes one of the biggest shortcomings in the lawn and pest control industry isn't necessarily the products or treatment programs companies use. It's the communication that happens, or doesn't happen, between the company, technician, and homeowner.
A lawn problem can be the result of insects, fungus, nutrient deficiencies, irrigation issues, environmental stress, or a combination of factors. Simply treating the symptom doesn't always solve the underlying problem.
Austin wants Coastal Green Pest Solutions to be different.
“I take pride in being the solution and the end to the revolving door when it comes to these lawn programs,” he says.
That means spending time with homeowners, explaining what is happening on their property, and helping them understand what needs to change.
Austin compares a lawn or landscape to the human body. One problem can affect the health of the entire system. Killing an insect, for example, may address the immediate issue, but it doesn't necessarily explain why the lawn became susceptible to the pest in the first place.
“If you can be the middleman between the problem, the chemicals, and the customer, and you can explain all that smoothly, that's normally the end,” Austin says. “A lot of people don't take the time to talk to their customers and make sure they understand.”
It's an approach built around education and relationships as much as treatment.
Building Coastal Green Pest Solutions
When the company Austin had worked for was sold, he saw an opportunity to take everything he'd learned and build something of his own.
Coastal Green Pest Solutions was born.
Today, Austin primarily works with residential customers throughout Volusia County who care about the long-term health and appearance of their properties.
His services include:
Lawn treatments and fertilization
Insect and pest treatments for lawns
Herbicide and weed management
Fungicide treatments
Palm tree treatments
Shrub treatments
Nutrient deficiency management
Lawn and landscape health assessments
Irrigation guidance and trusted referrals
Austin's philosophy isn't about simply “spraying and praying,” as he puts it. Every property is different, so understanding what's actually happening comes before recommending a solution.
That philosophy also shapes how he plans to grow the business.
A Local Bank Helps a Local Entrepreneur Get Started
Starting a company requires more than expertise and ambition. There are trucks, equipment, products, operating expenses, and the reality that revenue doesn't necessarily arrive the moment the business opens its doors.
Austin knew he needed some financial breathing room as he got Coastal Green Pest Solutions off the ground.
That's where Surety Bank came in.
Austin first learned about Surety through his father, who had worked in real estate and developed a relationship with Surety Bank CEO Ryan James over the years.
When Austin was preparing to launch Coastal Green Pest Solutions, that local connection opened the door to a conversation.
“I was just looking for a good little loan—something to get me by, that way I had a little bit of breathing room,” Austin says. “I was very questionable on how I was going to make everything work, and honestly, I'm very grateful for Surety stepping in.”
Surety provided a business loan directly to Coastal Green Pest Solutions, giving Austin additional resources and flexibility during the critical early months of building the company.
For Austin, the experience demonstrated one of the advantages of working with a community bank: relationships matter.
Ryan knew Austin's family. He'd seen Austin working around town. And instead of Austin simply being another application, there was an opportunity to understand the person and business behind it.
That trust helped a local entrepreneur take the next step.
Growing the Right Way
Just a couple of months into the business when we spoke with him, Austin already had big ambitions for Coastal Green Pest Solutions.
Eventually, he'd like to have multiple trucks on the road, a dedicated irrigation team, a sales team, and expanded services including home pest and termite control.
But he's in no hurry to grow simply for the sake of getting bigger.
Austin wants to make sure the service and customer experience that distinguish Coastal Green today remain intact as the company expands.
“If I'm not taking the time to personalize your service and making sure that I'm putting down what I'm promising, then there's no point in me opening up the next step,” he says.
He describes his philosophy simply as “natural growth or no growth.”
It's an especially fitting philosophy for someone who spends his days helping things grow.
For now, Austin is focused on building relationships, earning the trust of homeowners and landscapers throughout Volusia County, and developing Coastal Green one customer at a time.
And he's doing it in the community he has always called home.
“I still enjoy the small-town aspect of DeLand,” Austin says. “Raising a family here, having good friends here, it's very nice. DeLand's a good home base.”
As DeLand and Volusia County continue to grow, Austin hopes Coastal Green Pest Solutions will grow right alongside them, without losing the personal relationships that helped get the business started in the first place.
Coastal Green Pest Solutions serves homeowners throughout Volusia County. For homeowners who care about the health and appearance of their lawn and landscaping, Austin and Coastal Green provide personalized lawn treatment, pest management, fertilization, and plant health solutions.
Personal Fraud Is on the Rise: Simple Steps to Help Protect Yourself
Personal fraud continues to evolve, and scammers are finding increasingly sophisticated ways to target consumers. From AI-powered messages that appear surprisingly convincing to attempts to gain access to entire financial accounts. Recognizing the warning signs is becoming more important than ever.
While you can't prevent every fraud attempt, knowing what to watch for and taking a few proactive steps can make it much harder for scammers to succeed.
Three Fraud Trends to Watch
1. AI-Powered Scams Are Becoming More Convincing
Artificial intelligence is making fraudulent calls and text messages feel more personal and legitimate. Scammers can use AI to create convincing communications designed to make you believe you're interacting with a trusted person or organization.
Be cautious when you receive an unexpected call or message asking for personal information, money, or access to an account. Before responding or taking action, reach out to Surety Bank directly to verify they are the ones calling. This step could mean not being scammed out of your money.
2. Scammers Are Targeting Entire Financial Accounts
Fraudsters are increasingly looking beyond individual credit card numbers and attempting to gain access to entire financial profiles, including personal bank and investment accounts.
Protect your accounts by regularly reviewing activity for transactions you don't recognize and using multifactor authentication whenever it's available. Never provide your password, login credentials, or verification codes to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.
If you notice something unusual in your Surety Bank account, contact us promptly.
3. Financial Fraud Targeting Older Adults Is Growing
Older adults continue to be frequent targets of financial scams, particularly those involving tech support and investment-related schemes.
These scams often rely on urgency or fear to convince someone to act before they have an opportunity to question what's happening. Talk with older family members about common scams and encourage them to check with someone they trust before sending money or providing sensitive information in response to an unexpected request.
Taking a few minutes to verify a situation can help prevent a significant financial loss.
A Few Simple Habits Can Make a Difference
Protecting yourself doesn't require becoming a fraud expert. Start by being skeptical of unexpected requests for money or information, especially when someone pressures you to act immediately.
Use strong, unique passwords and enable multifactor authentication when available. Avoid clicking links in unexpected emails or text messages, and regularly review your bank accounts and credit reports for activity you don't recognize.
Most importantly, trust your instincts. If something doesn't feel right, stop and verify before taking action.
Resources to Help Protect Your Information
If you'd like to take additional steps to protect yourself, here are three resources worth exploring:
FTC IdentityTheft.gov Best for someone who thinks their identity has already been compromised. The FTC provides a personalized recovery plan and steps for addressing identity theft. Visit IdentityTheft.gov
FTC Credit Freeze & Fraud Alert Guide Customers can place a free credit freeze, which can prevent identity thieves from opening new credit accounts in their name, or add a fraud alert. Learn About Credit Freezes & Fraud Alerts
Aura For those interested in a paid protection service, Aura offers identity and financial monitoring tools and other fraud-protection features. I’d position this as an optional third-party tool, not something Surety is recommending over other services. Explore Aura
These resources are provided for informational purposes. Surety Bank does not endorse or guarantee any third-party product or service.
Stay Alert and Take Your Time
Fraud tactics will continue to change, but one of your strongest defenses is also one of the simplest: slow down.
Scammers often depend on creating urgency so you act before thinking. If you're unsure about a request involving your Surety Bank account, don't rely on the phone number, link, or contact information provided in the message. Contact Surety Bank directly through a trusted channel.
We're here to help you protect your financial information and recognize potential fraud before it becomes a loss.
For Maria Bonfiglio, working at Surety Bank has always been about more than banking. It's about taking care of people.
Maria has been part of the Surety Bank family for nine years, but her journey began with a simple text message. A former boss she had stayed in touch with reached out years after they had worked together and told her, "I have the perfect job for you." Maria's response was simple: "Where should I sign?"
Nine years later, her enthusiasm hasn't changed.
"I love it. I love my job."
Over the years, Maria's role has evolved, giving her the opportunity to learn new skills and develop deeper relationships with customers. She has gotten to know some of them so well that she can recognize who is calling just by the sound of their voice. For Maria, those relationships are what make Surety feel less like a workplace and more like a family.
That personal connection also shapes the way Maria approaches protecting customers.
When something doesn't seem right, she isn't afraid to ask questions. Whether she's reviewing a check or helping someone resolve an issue with an account, Maria understands that taking a little extra time can make a significant difference.
"We really care about our customers," Maria explains. Even when customers may wonder why the bank is asking additional questions, she wants them to understand the reason behind it. "We don't want them to lose money."
For Maria, that care isn't limited to customers. She has experienced it personally as an employee.
During some of the most difficult moments of her life, including an extended hospital stay and the loss of her son, Maria remembers her Surety family checking on her, visiting her, and making sure she knew she wasn't alone. Those experiences showed her that the relationships Surety talks about aren't simply something customers experience. They're part of the culture inside the bank, too.
It's also why Maria believes Surety Bank has remained part of the community for 100 years. She has worked at other banks, but says Surety's involvement in the community feels different. The bank isn't trying to be the biggest. Instead, it has remained focused on the people and communities it serves.
That same philosophy comes through in Maria's relationships with her customers. Some have developed such a strong connection with her that when they call, they specifically ask for Maria. She takes pride in being someone they know they can turn to when they have a question or need assistance.
After nine years, Maria still says thank you for the opportunity that brought her to Surety Bank. Her story is a reminder that relationship banking begins with people who genuinely care about the people on the other side of the counter or phone.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
For Lewis Long III, banking with Surety Bank is a relationship that has lasted more than five decades.
As one of Surety Bank's longest-standing customers, Lewis has watched the bank grow alongside the community since his connection to Surety began more than 50 years ago. He originally opened a savings account after hearing from neighbors that the bank consistently offered strong value and genuinely cared about its customers.
Over the years, Lewis has seen a lot of change. He remembers making deposits with a passbook while employees manually updated balances using a hand-cranked adding machine. What hasn't changed, however, is the way Surety Bank treats the people who walk through its doors.
For Lewis, that commitment extends beyond his own banking experience. When his sons were born, he opened accounts for each of them at Surety Bank, continuing a family tradition that has now spanned generations. One of his sons even participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony when Surety Bank dedicated its current building in the early 1990s.
Throughout his life of military service, public service, and community involvement, Lewis has always returned to the same bank.
What has kept him loyal all these years?
The answer is simple: people.
"You couldn't ask for better service or better people," Lewis says. "I don't know how they remember everybody's name that walks in the door, but they do. They're just super folks. The people have always been a gift to us and to the community."
Lewis believes that the values Surety Bank was founded on continue to define the bank today. One story from the bank's early history has always stayed with him. During the Great Depression, he recalls hearing that Surety worked with customers rather than rushing to foreclose on them because they cared more about helping people than taking their property. That philosophy, he says, is still reflected in the way the bank serves its customers today.
It's one of the reasons Lewis has become an advocate for the bank wherever he goes.
Whether he's encouraging friends to open a money market account, sharing the bank's history, or even suggesting a new Surety branch for his hometown of Lake Helen, Lewis proudly recommends the bank he's trusted for more than half a century.
"I wouldn't champion the bank if I didn't believe in these folks and believe in this bank," he says. "Everybody is important. They see past whatever's bothering someone that day and still treat people with kindness and respect."
As Surety Bank celebrates 100 years of serving Central Florida, customers like Lewis remind us that while banking has evolved, some things should never change. Genuine relationships, exceptional service, and a commitment to the community remain at the heart of everything we do.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
Strong Communities Are Built Through Strong Partnerships
For 100 years, Surety Bank has believed that community banking means more than serving customers inside the walls of a branch. It means investing in the people, organizations, and partnerships that help our communities thrive.
That commitment is something Carla Quann, Director of Community Relations for the Volusia Sheriff's Office, has experienced firsthand.
"Our goal is to support everyone in our community," Carla explains. "Ryan [James] wanted to be a part of what we're doing because he cares about the community."
The partnership between Surety Bank and the Volusia Sheriff's Office began when Surety Bank President & CEO Ryan James joined the Volusia Sheriff's Foundation Board. Since then, the relationship has grown into a collaborative effort focused on addressing some of the community's greatest needs.
One example came during the holiday season, when thousands of local families faced uncertainty after SNAP benefits were unexpectedly interrupted. Through the combined efforts of businesses, volunteers, and community organizations, more than 3,500 grocery bags were distributed to families throughout Volusia County.
According to Carla, Surety Bank was an important part of making that effort possible.
Beyond community events and charitable initiatives, the partnership has also helped strengthen public safety.
As financial scams targeting older adults became increasingly common, Surety Bank worked alongside the Sheriff's Office to provide education, share industry expertise, and help detectives better recognize the warning signs of fraud.
That collaboration ultimately helped lead to the creation of the Volusia Sheriff's Office Financial Crimes Unit—a dedicated team focused on protecting residents from fraud and financial exploitation.
Working together, those efforts have helped recover more than $2 million for local victims of financial crimes.
For Carla, those results reflect what makes Surety Bank different.
"They're not just another hometown bank," she says. "They care about their community."
She believes that commitment starts with customer service but extends far beyond banking. Whether supporting nonprofit organizations, helping law enforcement address emerging scams, or simply answering the phone when someone needs help, Surety Bank has built relationships rooted in trust.
"People trust them," Carla says. "They've built that trust with their customers, and that's why people stay."
As Surety Bank celebrates a century of serving Central Florida, partnerships like this demonstrate that community banking isn't defined only by financial services—it's measured by the impact a bank has on the people and communities it serves.
For 100 years, Surety Bank has believed that when communities succeed, everyone succeeds. Through partnerships built on trust, service, and shared purpose, that commitment continues today—and will continue for generations to come.
For Dan Glenn, Pastor of Stetson Baptist Church in DeLand, Surety Bank has become much more than the place where the church did its banking. Over the years, the initial banking relationship has grown into a partnership centered around a shared commitment to the community.
That partnership took on new meaning in 2018 when Stetson Baptist Church launched Night to Shine, an unforgettable prom experience for people with special needs held in partnership with the Tim Tebow Foundation.
Creating an experience like Night to Shine requires significant support, and Surety Bank was one of the event's earliest sponsors.
“Surety was one that came on very early saying, ‘Hey, we want to support that. We want to be a part of it.’”
For Dan, that moment marked a shift in the relationship. It became much more personal and community focused.
Surety continued supporting Night to Shine year after year, but one experience in particular showed Dan what that partnership truly meant.
After the first Night to Shine, Dan realized the church had never properly thanked Surety for its sponsorship. When it came time to plan the event again, he felt hesitant approaching Surety for another year of support.
The response surprised him.
There was no hesitation. Surety wanted to be involved again.
Years later, that commitment went even further when Surety reached out to the church without being asked and offered to increase its support.
“They have an intention to be generous, even when generosity may or may not be expected or requested.”
For Dan, that willingness to look for opportunities to make a greater impact is part of what distinguishes Surety Bank as a community organization.
Instead of simply waiting for someone to present a sponsorship request, Surety has been willing to ask a different question: How can we do more?
That philosophy extends beyond a single event.
Dan describes Surety not simply as a community bank, but as a “community-centered organization” that genuinely cares about DeLand and the relationships it has built throughout the city.
That personal connection is something Dan has experienced firsthand. His relationship with Surety isn't limited to the organization itself. It's also built through relationships with the people behind it.
As Surety Bank celebrates 100 years, Dan believes that commitment to people and community helps explain why the bank has remained part of DeLand for generations.
Over the past century, both the bank and the city have grown and changed. Yet Surety has continued to serve the community throughout that growth.
For Dan, that's exactly why Surety's 100th anniversary message, “How we've always done it is how we'll always do it,” resonates.
“The way they've always done things has been people centered, relationships centered, community centered.”
Those values create something that goes beyond banking. They create trust. They allow organizations like Stetson Baptist Church to know what to expect from a partner that has consistently shown up before and intends to continue showing up in the future.
After years of partnership, Dan hopes that part of Surety never changes.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
Growing Something of His Own: How DeLand’s Austin Scott Launched Coastal Green Pest Solutions
For Austin Scott, starting a business wasn’t the result of a lifelong plan. It was something that grew over time, much like the lawns he now helps his customers care for.
Born and raised in DeLand, Austin is the owner of Coastal Green Pest Solutions, a new Volusia County business specializing in lawn treatments, pest management, fertilization, and the care of palms and shrubs.
The company may be new, but Austin is far from new to the work.
Before entering the lawn and pest control industry, Austin was selling auto parts at O’Reilly Auto Parts. Then a landscaper friend suggested he take a job with a local pest control company.
He gave it a shot and discovered an industry that fascinated him.
“I like that I could learn something new every day,” Austin says. “You get to see different problems, and you get to see the benefits of your own labor making a lawn beautiful. You get to see it go from nothing to something.”
Austin spent nearly six years in the industry, gradually developing an understanding of not only what products to use, but why lawns develop problems in the first place.
Interestingly, the work even gave him a new appreciation for a subject he once struggled with: chemistry.
In school, chemistry had never come naturally to Austin. But working with fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and nutrients gave those concepts a real-world application.
“You get to learn something and then apply it directly,” he says.
And the more Austin learned, the more he realized there was an opportunity to do things differently.
Solving the Problem Behind the Problem
Austin believes one of the biggest shortcomings in the lawn and pest control industry isn't necessarily the products or treatment programs companies use. It's the communication that happens, or doesn't happen, between the company, technician, and homeowner.
A lawn problem can be the result of insects, fungus, nutrient deficiencies, irrigation issues, environmental stress, or a combination of factors. Simply treating the symptom doesn't always solve the underlying problem.
Austin wants Coastal Green Pest Solutions to be different.
“I take pride in being the solution and the end to the revolving door when it comes to these lawn programs,” he says.
That means spending time with homeowners, explaining what is happening on their property, and helping them understand what needs to change.
Austin compares a lawn or landscape to the human body. One problem can affect the health of the entire system. Killing an insect, for example, may address the immediate issue, but it doesn't necessarily explain why the lawn became susceptible to the pest in the first place.
“If you can be the middleman between the problem, the chemicals, and the customer, and you can explain all that smoothly, that's normally the end,” Austin says. “A lot of people don't take the time to talk to their customers and make sure they understand.”
It's an approach built around education and relationships as much as treatment.
Building Coastal Green Pest Solutions
When the company Austin had worked for was sold, he saw an opportunity to take everything he'd learned and build something of his own.
Coastal Green Pest Solutions was born.
Today, Austin primarily works with residential customers throughout Volusia County who care about the long-term health and appearance of their properties.
His services include:
Lawn treatments and fertilization
Insect and pest treatments for lawns
Herbicide and weed management
Fungicide treatments
Palm tree treatments
Shrub treatments
Nutrient deficiency management
Lawn and landscape health assessments
Irrigation guidance and trusted referrals
Austin's philosophy isn't about simply “spraying and praying,” as he puts it. Every property is different, so understanding what's actually happening comes before recommending a solution.
That philosophy also shapes how he plans to grow the business.
A Local Bank Helps a Local Entrepreneur Get Started
Starting a company requires more than expertise and ambition. There are trucks, equipment, products, operating expenses, and the reality that revenue doesn't necessarily arrive the moment the business opens its doors.
Austin knew he needed some financial breathing room as he got Coastal Green Pest Solutions off the ground.
That's where Surety Bank came in.
Austin first learned about Surety through his father, who had worked in real estate and developed a relationship with Surety Bank CEO Ryan James over the years.
When Austin was preparing to launch Coastal Green Pest Solutions, that local connection opened the door to a conversation.
“I was just looking for a good little loan—something to get me by, that way I had a little bit of breathing room,” Austin says. “I was very questionable on how I was going to make everything work, and honestly, I'm very grateful for Surety stepping in.”
Surety provided a business loan directly to Coastal Green Pest Solutions, giving Austin additional resources and flexibility during the critical early months of building the company.
For Austin, the experience demonstrated one of the advantages of working with a community bank: relationships matter.
Ryan knew Austin's family. He'd seen Austin working around town. And instead of Austin simply being another application, there was an opportunity to understand the person and business behind it.
That trust helped a local entrepreneur take the next step.
Growing the Right Way
Just a couple of months into the business when we spoke with him, Austin already had big ambitions for Coastal Green Pest Solutions.
Eventually, he'd like to have multiple trucks on the road, a dedicated irrigation team, a sales team, and expanded services including home pest and termite control.
But he's in no hurry to grow simply for the sake of getting bigger.
Austin wants to make sure the service and customer experience that distinguish Coastal Green today remain intact as the company expands.
“If I'm not taking the time to personalize your service and making sure that I'm putting down what I'm promising, then there's no point in me opening up the next step,” he says.
He describes his philosophy simply as “natural growth or no growth.”
It's an especially fitting philosophy for someone who spends his days helping things grow.
For now, Austin is focused on building relationships, earning the trust of homeowners and landscapers throughout Volusia County, and developing Coastal Green one customer at a time.
And he's doing it in the community he has always called home.
“I still enjoy the small-town aspect of DeLand,” Austin says. “Raising a family here, having good friends here, it's very nice. DeLand's a good home base.”
As DeLand and Volusia County continue to grow, Austin hopes Coastal Green Pest Solutions will grow right alongside them, without losing the personal relationships that helped get the business started in the first place.
Coastal Green Pest Solutions serves homeowners throughout Volusia County. For homeowners who care about the health and appearance of their lawn and landscaping, Austin and Coastal Green provide personalized lawn treatment, pest management, fertilization, and plant health solutions.
Personal Fraud Is on the Rise: Simple Steps to Help Protect Yourself
Personal fraud continues to evolve, and scammers are finding increasingly sophisticated ways to target consumers. From AI-powered messages that appear surprisingly convincing to attempts to gain access to entire financial accounts. Recognizing the warning signs is becoming more important than ever.
While you can't prevent every fraud attempt, knowing what to watch for and taking a few proactive steps can make it much harder for scammers to succeed.
Three Fraud Trends to Watch
1. AI-Powered Scams Are Becoming More Convincing
Artificial intelligence is making fraudulent calls and text messages feel more personal and legitimate. Scammers can use AI to create convincing communications designed to make you believe you're interacting with a trusted person or organization.
Be cautious when you receive an unexpected call or message asking for personal information, money, or access to an account. Before responding or taking action, reach out to Surety Bank directly to verify they are the ones calling. This step could mean not being scammed out of your money.
2. Scammers Are Targeting Entire Financial Accounts
Fraudsters are increasingly looking beyond individual credit card numbers and attempting to gain access to entire financial profiles, including personal bank and investment accounts.
Protect your accounts by regularly reviewing activity for transactions you don't recognize and using multifactor authentication whenever it's available. Never provide your password, login credentials, or verification codes to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.
If you notice something unusual in your Surety Bank account, contact us promptly.
3. Financial Fraud Targeting Older Adults Is Growing
Older adults continue to be frequent targets of financial scams, particularly those involving tech support and investment-related schemes.
These scams often rely on urgency or fear to convince someone to act before they have an opportunity to question what's happening. Talk with older family members about common scams and encourage them to check with someone they trust before sending money or providing sensitive information in response to an unexpected request.
Taking a few minutes to verify a situation can help prevent a significant financial loss.
A Few Simple Habits Can Make a Difference
Protecting yourself doesn't require becoming a fraud expert. Start by being skeptical of unexpected requests for money or information, especially when someone pressures you to act immediately.
Use strong, unique passwords and enable multifactor authentication when available. Avoid clicking links in unexpected emails or text messages, and regularly review your bank accounts and credit reports for activity you don't recognize.
Most importantly, trust your instincts. If something doesn't feel right, stop and verify before taking action.
Resources to Help Protect Your Information
If you'd like to take additional steps to protect yourself, here are three resources worth exploring:
FTC IdentityTheft.gov Best for someone who thinks their identity has already been compromised. The FTC provides a personalized recovery plan and steps for addressing identity theft. Visit IdentityTheft.gov
FTC Credit Freeze & Fraud Alert Guide Customers can place a free credit freeze, which can prevent identity thieves from opening new credit accounts in their name, or add a fraud alert. Learn About Credit Freezes & Fraud Alerts
Aura For those interested in a paid protection service, Aura offers identity and financial monitoring tools and other fraud-protection features. I’d position this as an optional third-party tool, not something Surety is recommending over other services. Explore Aura
These resources are provided for informational purposes. Surety Bank does not endorse or guarantee any third-party product or service.
Stay Alert and Take Your Time
Fraud tactics will continue to change, but one of your strongest defenses is also one of the simplest: slow down.
Scammers often depend on creating urgency so you act before thinking. If you're unsure about a request involving your Surety Bank account, don't rely on the phone number, link, or contact information provided in the message. Contact Surety Bank directly through a trusted channel.
We're here to help you protect your financial information and recognize potential fraud before it becomes a loss.
For Maria Bonfiglio, working at Surety Bank has always been about more than banking. It's about taking care of people.
Maria has been part of the Surety Bank family for nine years, but her journey began with a simple text message. A former boss she had stayed in touch with reached out years after they had worked together and told her, "I have the perfect job for you." Maria's response was simple: "Where should I sign?"
Nine years later, her enthusiasm hasn't changed.
"I love it. I love my job."
Over the years, Maria's role has evolved, giving her the opportunity to learn new skills and develop deeper relationships with customers. She has gotten to know some of them so well that she can recognize who is calling just by the sound of their voice. For Maria, those relationships are what make Surety feel less like a workplace and more like a family.
That personal connection also shapes the way Maria approaches protecting customers.
When something doesn't seem right, she isn't afraid to ask questions. Whether she's reviewing a check or helping someone resolve an issue with an account, Maria understands that taking a little extra time can make a significant difference.
"We really care about our customers," Maria explains. Even when customers may wonder why the bank is asking additional questions, she wants them to understand the reason behind it. "We don't want them to lose money."
For Maria, that care isn't limited to customers. She has experienced it personally as an employee.
During some of the most difficult moments of her life, including an extended hospital stay and the loss of her son, Maria remembers her Surety family checking on her, visiting her, and making sure she knew she wasn't alone. Those experiences showed her that the relationships Surety talks about aren't simply something customers experience. They're part of the culture inside the bank, too.
It's also why Maria believes Surety Bank has remained part of the community for 100 years. She has worked at other banks, but says Surety's involvement in the community feels different. The bank isn't trying to be the biggest. Instead, it has remained focused on the people and communities it serves.
That same philosophy comes through in Maria's relationships with her customers. Some have developed such a strong connection with her that when they call, they specifically ask for Maria. She takes pride in being someone they know they can turn to when they have a question or need assistance.
After nine years, Maria still says thank you for the opportunity that brought her to Surety Bank. Her story is a reminder that relationship banking begins with people who genuinely care about the people on the other side of the counter or phone.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
For Lewis Long III, banking with Surety Bank is a relationship that has lasted more than five decades.
As one of Surety Bank's longest-standing customers, Lewis has watched the bank grow alongside the community since his connection to Surety began more than 50 years ago. He originally opened a savings account after hearing from neighbors that the bank consistently offered strong value and genuinely cared about its customers.
Over the years, Lewis has seen a lot of change. He remembers making deposits with a passbook while employees manually updated balances using a hand-cranked adding machine. What hasn't changed, however, is the way Surety Bank treats the people who walk through its doors.
For Lewis, that commitment extends beyond his own banking experience. When his sons were born, he opened accounts for each of them at Surety Bank, continuing a family tradition that has now spanned generations. One of his sons even participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony when Surety Bank dedicated its current building in the early 1990s.
Throughout his life of military service, public service, and community involvement, Lewis has always returned to the same bank.
What has kept him loyal all these years?
The answer is simple: people.
"You couldn't ask for better service or better people," Lewis says. "I don't know how they remember everybody's name that walks in the door, but they do. They're just super folks. The people have always been a gift to us and to the community."
Lewis believes that the values Surety Bank was founded on continue to define the bank today. One story from the bank's early history has always stayed with him. During the Great Depression, he recalls hearing that Surety worked with customers rather than rushing to foreclose on them because they cared more about helping people than taking their property. That philosophy, he says, is still reflected in the way the bank serves its customers today.
It's one of the reasons Lewis has become an advocate for the bank wherever he goes.
Whether he's encouraging friends to open a money market account, sharing the bank's history, or even suggesting a new Surety branch for his hometown of Lake Helen, Lewis proudly recommends the bank he's trusted for more than half a century.
"I wouldn't champion the bank if I didn't believe in these folks and believe in this bank," he says. "Everybody is important. They see past whatever's bothering someone that day and still treat people with kindness and respect."
As Surety Bank celebrates 100 years of serving Central Florida, customers like Lewis remind us that while banking has evolved, some things should never change. Genuine relationships, exceptional service, and a commitment to the community remain at the heart of everything we do.
This is how Surety Bank has always done it. It's how we will always do it.
Strong Communities Are Built Through Strong Partnerships
For 100 years, Surety Bank has believed that community banking means more than serving customers inside the walls of a branch. It means investing in the people, organizations, and partnerships that help our communities thrive.
That commitment is something Carla Quann, Director of Community Relations for the Volusia Sheriff's Office, has experienced firsthand.
"Our goal is to support everyone in our community," Carla explains. "Ryan [James] wanted to be a part of what we're doing because he cares about the community."
The partnership between Surety Bank and the Volusia Sheriff's Office began when Surety Bank President & CEO Ryan James joined the Volusia Sheriff's Foundation Board. Since then, the relationship has grown into a collaborative effort focused on addressing some of the community's greatest needs.
One example came during the holiday season, when thousands of local families faced uncertainty after SNAP benefits were unexpectedly interrupted. Through the combined efforts of businesses, volunteers, and community organizations, more than 3,500 grocery bags were distributed to families throughout Volusia County.
According to Carla, Surety Bank was an important part of making that effort possible.
Beyond community events and charitable initiatives, the partnership has also helped strengthen public safety.
As financial scams targeting older adults became increasingly common, Surety Bank worked alongside the Sheriff's Office to provide education, share industry expertise, and help detectives better recognize the warning signs of fraud.
That collaboration ultimately helped lead to the creation of the Volusia Sheriff's Office Financial Crimes Unit—a dedicated team focused on protecting residents from fraud and financial exploitation.
Working together, those efforts have helped recover more than $2 million for local victims of financial crimes.
For Carla, those results reflect what makes Surety Bank different.
"They're not just another hometown bank," she says. "They care about their community."
She believes that commitment starts with customer service but extends far beyond banking. Whether supporting nonprofit organizations, helping law enforcement address emerging scams, or simply answering the phone when someone needs help, Surety Bank has built relationships rooted in trust.
"People trust them," Carla says. "They've built that trust with their customers, and that's why people stay."
As Surety Bank celebrates a century of serving Central Florida, partnerships like this demonstrate that community banking isn't defined only by financial services—it's measured by the impact a bank has on the people and communities it serves.
For 100 years, Surety Bank has believed that when communities succeed, everyone succeeds. Through partnerships built on trust, service, and shared purpose, that commitment continues today—and will continue for generations to come.
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