Portrait Bank Opens in Winter Park as Central Florida’s First De Novo Bank in Nearly a Decade

WINTER PARK, Fla., Sept. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Portrait Bank, Central Florida’s first de novo bank since 2017, is now open for business, giving small-to-midsize business owners and residents a true local alternative to the out-of-market regional and national banks that hold most of the region’s deposits.

Backed by more than $43 million raised from 256 local investors, Portrait Bank enters the market with strong community support after receiving its charter from the Florida Office of Financial Regulation in June and spending the summer onboarding its first clients.

The opening closes a gap that had been widening for two decades. The four-county Orlando area, which includes Orange, Seminole, Osceola and Lake counties, was home to 38 community banks in 2000. By early 2025, that number had fallen to six. It has further decreased in recent months due to the sale of Winter Park National Bank and One Florida Bank to out-of-state rivals. As those banks have continued to disappear, business owners have lost the personalized service and long-term relationships that have historically come with banking locally.

Founder Erik Weiner spent 30 years in banking, including senior roles at Fifth Third Bank, BankUnited and City National Bank, before deciding the region’s growth had outpaced its banking options. The Orlando metro area added nearly 40,000 residents between 2024 and 2025, the 10th-fastest growth rate among U.S. metro areas, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Weiner said business owners have struggled to find good local partners who understand their business, make solid recommendations, and act with a sense of urgency. Entrepreneurs seeking a loan decision or fraud resolution are often routed to call centers or underwriters with no ties to the local market, leaving them without anyone who can advocate on their behalf.

“This region has grown significantly, and it needs a bank that’s committed to evolving with it,” said Weiner, who serves as Portrait Bank’s president and CEO. “We created this bank for businesses and people who want sophisticated financial solutions without losing the personal relationships and local decision-making that define a great community bank.”

Portrait Bank has adopted agentic AI into its fraud detection systems and digital banking platforms, giving clients access to technology that is still uncommon among community banks in the region. Clients benefit from faster, automated fraud alerts while maintaining direct access to the local people behind lending decisions.

“The response from our investors is more than we typically see for a startup community bank, and it tells you something about the appetite for this kind of bank in Central Florida,” said Ed Timberlake, chairman of Portrait Bank’s board of directors. “Our investors have a real stake in Portrait Bank’s success. That’s what will set us apart as we grow.”

Portrait Bank is open at 941 W. Morse Ave. in Winter Park. For hours and account information, visit www.portraitbank.com or call (407) 213-BANK (2265). A media kit with headshots, executive bios and photos of the bank’s location is available here.

About Portrait Bank

Portrait Bank is Central Florida’s first new community bank since 2017. Focused on serving commercial businesses, consumers and private wealth clients, Portrait Bank combines personalized service with advanced technology, like agentic AI for fraud detection, to deliver the highest level of financial solutions. With a strong commitment to the local community and a focus on long-term, relationship-based banking, Portrait Bank is committed to becoming a trusted partner in the Orlando MSA and beyond. Portrait Bank is headquartered in Winter Park, Florida.

Media Contact

Bethany Rhodes
Uproar by Moburst for Portrait Bank
bethany@moburst.com