SunTrust Bank is scheduled to open its newest branch in Miami-Dade on Aug. 16 in the Suniland Shopping Center in Pinecrest.

Pictured (l-r) are Olimpia Perruc, assistant vice president and branch manger; Cristina San Pedro, financial service representative, and Tanya Torres, operations manager, at the new SunTrust set to open in Pinecrest.

The branch will be SunTrust’s 26th in the county.

Olimpia Perruc, a SunTrust assistant vice president, also will be branch manager for the new office. She is moving to Pinecrest from the Hammocks branch, where she has served as branch manager. Perruc has worked with SunTrust for more than 15 years.

Perruc says that that kind of employee loyalty is typical of SunTrust.

"All of our staff is extremely capable, as we try and make sure they are acquainted with all sides of the business. This sort of broad mindedness encourages a creativity of thinking from even our most experienced of employees that allows us to promote from within, which in turn ensures that our staff remains extremely loyal," Perruc said.

The tremendous experience of the staff will make it easier to meet the chief goal of the new branch (and company-wide) — unparalleled customer service. However, as with any startup business, Perruc anticipates some bugs that will need to be worked out at the beginning, and consequently the formal grand opening will not be until Sept. 22.

SunTrust plans to send out invitations to Pinecrest residents for that event in an effort to create awareness of the new branch. Additionally, they are working on some special offers in conjunction with the grand opening celebration.

Perruc said that moving into Pinecrest was a natural for SunTrust, which also has a branch at The Falls.

"It is an affluent, tight-knit community, and given SunTrust’s emphasis on customer service and investment services, it was a natural fit," Perruc said.

Perruc just moved into Pinecrest, and is looking forward to meeting and serving her new neighbors.

"Between myself and [SunTrust’s Miami-Dade CEO and Pinecrest resident] John Hashagen, we at SunTrust have a vested interest in the community not just as business people but as people seeking to make our community a better place to live," she said.

SunTrust will be staffing the new office with experienced employees, many of which are being brought over by Perruc from the Hammocks office. The staff, at least initially, will consist of four tellers (with room for a fifth), two customer (or financial) service representatives, an operations manager, a residential lender, an investment consultant, and Perruc.

Perruc pointed out that while it isn’t a policy exclusive to SunTrust, having a full-time branch manager is definitely atypical these days.

"Many banks just don’t feel it necessary to have a manager present," she said. "No one is around to take responsibility for the branch or to be accountable to the customers. Not at SunTrust."

James Heilman, the investment consultant, came to SunTrust from J. P. Morgan about a year ago, and has done an outstanding job during that time period.

"James has done some outstanding work for our clients, and we thought he would be a perfect fit for the new office," Perruc said.