AmSouth Bank bolsters biz loan portfolio.

AmSouth Bank increased its number of loans to Central Florida businesses by 45 percent in 2000, and the bank hopes to continue that pace this year.

That's a tall order for AmSouth's business banking division, which serves clients that have $5 million or less in annual sales.

But Susan Martinez, AmSouth's executive vice president and market executive for Central Florida, says her team can meet the challenge because it includes two of the fastest-growing metro areas in AmSouth's six-state franchise: Orlando, where Martinez is based, and Jacksonville. (AmSouth's Central Florida area also includes Ocala and Melbourne and has $1.4 billion in deposits.)

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