The Florida International Bankers Association has bolstered its leadership ranks with the appointment of Dario Fuentes as president of the organization.

Fuentes, a Spanish national, is the senior vice president and general manager of Caja Mediterraneo's Miami operation. He officially assumes his new position on 1 July.

"International banking is very important to Florida, particularly in South Florida," said Tom Cardwell, the Florida commissioner of financial regulation, in a statement. "We need to have stable and healthy agencies and offices to serve the international clients and funds that are such a large part of our economy."

Fuentes said that elevating Miami's role in the international economy will help it move on, particularly after suffering losses during the recent global financial crisis. The first conference under his tenure is scheduled for November in China, with the second one set for Spain next spring.

FIBA, which has around 1,700 members, offers various seminars, plus access to 700 online courses as continuing education for financial professionals. The state of Florida presently regulates 26 agency and branch offices with $14 billion in combined assets.