03-27396. Formations of, Acquisitions by, and Mergers of Bank Holding Companies

The companies listed in this notice have applied to the Board for approval, pursuant to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841 et seq.) (BHC Act), Regulation Y (12 CFR Part 225), and all other applicable statutes and regulations to become a bank holding company and/or to acquire the assets or the ownership of, control of, or the power to vote shares of a bank or bank holding company and all of the banks and nonbanking companies owned by the bank holding company, including the companies listed below.

The applications listed below, as well as other related filings required by the Board, are available for immediate inspection at the Federal Reserve Bank indicated. The application also will be available for inspection at the offices of the Board of Governors. Interested persons may express their views in writing on the standards enumerated in the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1842(c)). If the proposal also involves the acquisition of a nonbanking company, the review also includes whether the acquisition of the nonbanking company complies with the standards in section 4 of the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1843). Unless otherwise noted, nonbanking activities will be conducted throughout the United States. Additional information on all bank holding companies may be obtained from the National Information Center website at www.ffiec.gov/​nic/​.

Unless otherwise noted, comments regarding each of these applications must be received at the Reserve Bank indicated or the offices of the Board of Governors not later than November 24, 2003.

A. Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta (Sue Costello, Vice President) 1000 Peachtree Street, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30303:

1. First National Bankshares of Florida, Inc., Naples, Florida; to become a bank holding company by acquiring 100 percent of the voting shares of First National Bank of Florida, Naples, Florida.

In connection with this proposal, First National Bankshares of Florida, Inc., Naples, Florida, has applied to engage de novo through its subsidiary, First National Wealth Management Company, Naples, Florida, in trust activities, pursuant to section 225.28(b)(5) of Regulation Y, and to acquire 100 percent of the voting shares of Roger Bouchard Insurance, Inc., Clearwater, Florida, and thereby engage in the sale of credit-insurance, pursuant to section 225.28(b)(11)(i) of Regulation Y.

2. Synovus Financial Corp., Columbus, Georgia; to merge with Peoples Florida Banking Corporation, Palm Harbor, Florida, and thereby indirectly acquire Peoples Bank, Palm Harbor, Florida.

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, October 27, 2003.

Robert deV. Frierson,

Deputy Secretary of the Board.