Wells Fargo Veteran and Florida Chamber Board Member Jim Themides to Retire

Wells Fargo announced that Leila Tooley has been named Florida Gulf Coast Market Executive for Commercial Banking, succeeding Jim Themides, who will retire at the end of 2026 after 40 years with the bank. Following many years of collaboration, Themides and Tooley will work hand in hand to ensure continuity for clients and support a smooth transition across Wells Fargo’s work in the West Florida community. Tooley will oversee a team of local bankers serving middle market businesses with revenues ranging from $25 million to $2 billion. She brings more than two decades of banking experience with Wells Fargo, working with commercial companies across a wide range of industries and growth stages. Most recently, Tooley served as Division Sales Executive for the Southeast, where she managed a team of business development officers and helped guide strategy for division leadership.

A graduate of the University of Florida, she is based in Tampa and has long‑standing ties with the West Florida business community. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Starting Right Now, a local organization dedicated to empowering unaccompanied homeless youth to become self-sufficient and break the cycle of generational homelessness and poverty. “As Jim prepares for his well-deserved retirement, Leila is the ideal leader to step into the Florida Gulf Coast Market Executive role,” said Jessica Murphy, Commercial Banking Southeast Division Executive. “Over four decades with the bank, Jim’s steady leadership and involvement in the Tampa Bay community have helped shape Wells Fargo’s presence in West Florida, while his focus on developing leaders and building talented teams has enabled a succession from one strong leader to the next. Leila is positioned to build on that foundation, bringing deep business development experience and a clear ability to simplify complexity in ways that will benefit our clients and our team of bankers that serve the market.”

In addition to most recently serving as Commercial Banking Florida Gulf Coast Market Executive, Themides has been actively involved in the Tampa Bay business community, including serving as past chair of the Tampa Downtown Partnership, a former board member of the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council, and a current board member of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, where he also serves on the audit committee.

“Serving the Florida Gulf Coast for so many years has been a privilege,” said Themides. “Tampa Bay is a remarkable market with a strong and growing business community, and I’m proud of the role Wells Fargo and our teams have played in supporting local businesses. Having worked closely with Leila for many years, I’m confident in her leadership and in the future of Wells Fargo’s Commercial Banking team in the region.”