First Foundation Bank Celebrates Grand Reopening in Naples, Florida 

 DALLAS — December 20, 2023 — First Foundation Inc. (NYSE: FFWM) (“First Foundation” or the “Company”), a financial services company with two wholly-owned operating subsidiaries, First Foundation Advisors and First Foundation Bank, announced today the reopening of their Fifth Avenue office in Naples, Florida.

First Foundation's Fifth Avenue office has reopened today after being closed for fifteen months due to the destruction caused by Hurricane Ian in Southwest Florida in September 2022. The storm brought in a surge that flooded downtown Naples with several feet of water. The Fifth Avenue office building, located at the Four Corners of the entry to downtown Naples, was severely damaged by the flooding, which rose over four feet inside the building.

During the rebuild, First Foundation took the opportunity to remodel the office, providing a modern and comfortable upgrade to the location for clients, both new and existing, to visit and meet with Heather Wertz, the Vice President and Branch Manager, and her experienced team.

“Collier County has been an important region for First Foundation since our expansion into Florida two years ago, and we are excited to present clients with our upgraded location,” said Scott F. Kavanaugh, CEO, First Foundation Inc.  “The client’s experience in our branches and offices is crucial to our business, and the reopening of Fifth Avenue demonstrates our commitment to continually improve for our clients. It is also an added benefit to have the leadership and expertise of a talented branch team that maintains strong ties to the local community.”

First Foundation has awarded a $5,000 Supporting Our Communities grant to Children's Advocacy Center of Collier County to honor the team's community support and celebrate the reopening. The funds donated to CAC of Collier County will assist the organization to rebuild and replace their equipment and contents lost to Ian’s flooding.

“Hurricane Ian left its mark on us along with many of our neighbors. I’m thrilled to finally reopen our branch on Fifth Avenue,” said Executive Vice President and Florida Market President Garrett Richter. “Our commitment to serving the community remains unwavering, and we look forward to resuming normal operations to better assist our valued customers with their financial needs, while providing superior customer service.”

The branch office is located at 895 Fifth Avenue South, Naples, FL 34102.

https://www.firstfoundationinc.com/find-location/5th-avenue

About First Foundation

First Foundation Inc. (NYSE: FFWM) and its subsidiaries offer personal banking, business banking, and private wealth management services, including investment, trust, insurance, and philanthropy services. This comprehensive platform of financial services is designed to help clients at any stage in their financial journey. The broad range of financial products and services offered by First Foundation are more consistent with those offered by larger financial institutions, while its high level of personalized service, accessibility, and responsiveness to clients is more aligned with community banks and boutique wealth management firms. This combination of an integrated platform of comprehensive financial products and personalized service differentiates First Foundation from many of its competitors and has contributed to the growth of its client base and business. Learn more at firstfoundationinc.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Contact:

First Foundation Bank

Heather Tice

VP – Marketing Manager

239-325-3750

htice@ff-inc.com