Lakeland Financial Corp (LKFN) Exchange: NASDAQ

Lakeland Financial Corp (LKFN) is a bank holding company headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana. Established in 1982, Lakeland has grown to become a highly-respected financial services provider in the Midwest leading the way in banking, trust and investments. It serves customers through 87 branch locations in Northern and Central Indiana and 1 branch location in Southern Michigan. Lakeland currently has over 800 banking professionals, which includes back office personnel, loan officers and trust officers. As of 2019, Lakeland Financial Corporation had $5.5 billion in total assets and employed some 895 people. Publicly-traded on the Nasdaq, the bank has seen tremendous growth since its inception. In just the past 10 years, total deposits increased from $2.5 billion to over $4.2 billion, total assets grew from $3.4 billion to $5.5 billion, and its loan portfolio expanded from $1.7 billion to more than $4.7 billion. During this time, the bank's operating efficiency has also improved drastically due to increased automation and process efficiencies. Lakeland Financial's profits have increased from $38 million in the third quarter of 2018 to $61.1 million in the same period of 2020. Building on its success in its current markets, Lakeland Financial Corp (LKFN) has identified several key growth initiatives to expand its financial services portfolio and increase product value for customers. In addition to expanding its loan services and developing new product offerings, Lakeland Financial is actively looking for opportunities to acquire other financial institutions. As a regional financial services provider, the bank is committed to supporting the communities it serves and providing services in line with its core values of integrity, customer service, and excellence in all areas of banking.