Charles H. Block

Charles H. Block was co-founder, President, and CEO of Community Banks of Florida and former Mr. Seminole (1994)

Mr. Block was born in Fort Branch, In, and received his education at Indiana University, Purdue University and the American Institute of Banking. During his service in WWII (1942-46), he served in the Adjutant General's Department, which included 30 months of overseas duty in Northern Ireland, England, France, and Belgium.

Following the war, he began his 50 plus-year-banking career with the First National Bank and Trust Co. in Crawfordsville, IN. In 1955, he and his family moved to Palm Beach County, where he served as Executive Vice President of First Marine Bank in Riviera Beach. In 1965, Mr. Block and his family moved to Pinellas County, where he served as the President, CEO and a Director of the Bank of Seminole.

In the late 1960s, he and his business associate, Richard C. "Dick" Johnson, began organizing state charted commercial banks in Pinellas, Pasco and Manatee Counties. In the mid-1970s, Community Banks of Florida was formed with Mr. Block as its president and CEO. Eventually, Community Banks would grow to 24 banking offices in three Florida counties. In 1981, Mr. Block, as President and CEO, led the negotiating team for the sale of the Bank Holding Company of Community Banks of Florida to Southeast Banking Corp. of Miami. Mr. Block and his associates then formed Community Bank of Bradenton, where he held the position of Chairman. In 1985, Mr. Block joined with several businessmen in chartering Marine Bank in St. Petersburg. This successfully operated bank was sold in 1998 to SouthTrust Corp.

In 1980, Linton Tibbitts, the founder of COX Lumber Company and long-time friend, invited Block to serve as a director. Block served on that board until 2006, when he was 83 years of age. Mr. Block served on many Boards of Directors and committees during his banking career including, Chairmanship of the Commercial, Real Estate and Investment Committees of the Florida Bankers Association, President and Director of the Seminole Chamber of Commerce. 

Mr. Block served as the President and Director of the Kiwanis Club of Seminole, Co-Founder of the Upper Pinellas County Bankers Council, Member of the Advisory Council on Banking for the Comptroller of the State Banking Department, Member of the Bond Investment Review Committee of Pinellas County, and Certified Instructor for the American Institute of Banking in the fields of Bank Investments and Banking Law.

He was also a member of the St. Petersburg Suncoasters, Seminole Tuesday Club, Over the Hill Gang, St Petersburg Yacht Club, Committee of 100 of Pinellas Co., charter member of the Seminole High Twelve Club, a 50-year member of the Masonic Lodge, a lifetime member of the American Legion Post # 273 Madeira Beach and a lifetime member of the Seminole VFW Post # 9272. As a dedicated Kiwanian, he received the Jesse W. Johnson Distinguished Fellow Award, the George F. Hixon Fellow Kiwanian Award, and was named an honorary Lifetime Distinguished Kiwanian. For many years, he was a Trustee of the Seminole Kiwanis Foundation. He was also named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary International Foundation. In 1994, he was chosen to represent the community of Seminole, as Mr. Seminole.