Agostinho Macedo

President, Chairman & CEO, Ocean Bank, Miami

Ocean Bank started in a trailer in 1982 on the site that now houses the bank’s corporate headquarters. The bank this year has $6.4 billion in assets, 650 employees and 23 branches throughout Miami-Dade, Broward and Orange counties. Macedo joined Ocean Bank in 2007, became CEO in 2008 and was named “Banker of the Year” in 2023 by the Florida Bankers Association. Ocean Bank this year donated $5.6 million to Florida International University to secure the naming rights for 10 years for the Ocean Bank Convocation Center, where FIU’s basketball and volleyball teams play.

EDUCATION: Universidad Metropolitana in Caracas, Venezuela (BS)

MENTOR: This may sound like a cliché, but my mentor has always been my father. I saw and admired his commitment to entrepreneurs and small businesses. I am proud to have followed in his footsteps and made banking my career.

READING/LISTENING: From a business perspective, I recommend Leading Change, by John Kotter. For recreation, I enjoy reading books by John Grisham. I also recommend MasterClass. It’s amazing to learn and hear from the best, be it negotiation skills or gourmet cooking.

MOTIVATIONAL MANTRA: Always keep a positive attitude. Always look for the solution instead of dwelling on the problem at hand. Be assertive, but temper aggressiveness with humility and being a team player.

WHAT I’VE LEARNED: In leading a business, put your ego aside. It’s about results, not gratification. It’s about your customers and how to meet their needs. Surround yourself with the very best, most competent people you can find and let them do their jobs. On a personal level, there is nothing more valuable than your family. Take the time to establish a strong relationship with those at home.