Jerry Banks was born in Orlando, Florida, graduating from Bishop Moore High School in 1975, honored by the faculty as the "Outstanding Student" of his class. He attended Florida State University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business in 1979. Following college, Mr. Banks was a correspondent mortgage banker representing major national life insurance companies and financial institutions in their real estate loan and equity investments throughout the southeastern United States.

Mr. Banks took a sabbatical from his real estate career during 1984 and 1985 to study philosophy and theology in consideration of entering into the Catholic priesthood.

In 1986, Mr. Banks founded Rowena Corporation, an institutional real estate investment and development advisor located in Maitland, Florida. Its primary focus is on land, medical development, and long-term investment. Mr. Banks' clients have included: American General Corporation; Ayrshire Corporation/Mitsubishi Estate; Colonial Properties Trust; Beazer Homes; Centex Homes; Bank of America; The Orlando Heart Center; and The Nemours Foundation.

In the Fall of 1991, Mr. Banks was selected to participate in "Leadership Orlando," the ten month community leadership program of the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce.

In 1994, Mr. Banks accepted a position as a commercial real estate developer with one of his clients, American General Corporation. Through 1997, Mr. Banks was responsible for the commercial development of "Hunter's Creek", a 4,000 acre master-planned community in Orlando, Florida. During his tenure, the Hunter's Creek project experienced the sale of approximately $100 million of land and the completion of over $500 million of vertical development. During this time, Hunter's Creek was recognized as one of the nation's leading community developments. Upon the sale of American General's real estate portfolio, Mr. Banks returned to Rowena Corporation.

In August 2003, Mr. Banks became president of Action Ice, LLC, a leading manufacturer and distributor of packaged ice in Florida.

In 2004, Mr. Banks was selected to attend the National Security Forum (NSF) by the United States Department of Defense. The NSF exposes influential American civilians to the United States Armed Forces in order to gain perspective while concurrently providing a unique opportunity for senior military commanders and war college faculty and students to hear civilian leaders' views.

Mr. Banks is a member of the Nemours Children's Clinics Florida Board of Managers (Jacksonville, Florida). He is a former chairman of the Florida State University College of Business Board of Governors (Tallahassee, Florida). He is also a former chairman of the St. Margaret Mary School Board of Education (Winter Park, Florida) and a former member of the Bishop Moore Catholic High School Board of Education (Orlando, Florida). He is a past board chairman of the Newman Centers of Central Florida and a past board and selection committee member of the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Mr. Banks has been a member of the Florida State University Real Estate Advisory Board and leader in the founding of its esteemed annual conference. He holds memberships in the National Rifle Association; Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce; International Packaged Ice Association; The Society for Food Science and Technology; and the Florida State University Alumni Association.

He is married to the former Lea Ann Glenn of Linden, Texas, a former television news anchor turned corporate litigation partner at the national law firm, Baker & Hostetler. Mrs. Banks has retired to be a full-time mother to the Banks' two sons, ages 14 and 11. The Banks reside in Maitland, Florida.