Question 1

What is Ameris Bank?

Accepted Answer

Ameris Bank is a large regional community bank headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, serving customers across the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States. With over $27 billion in assets and more than 200 financial centers, it is the largest community bank in Georgia. The bank operates as a subsidiary of Ameris Bancorp, a publicly-traded company on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "ABCB."

Ameris Bank provides comprehensive financial services with a focus on relationship banking and community engagement, distinguishing itself through customer-centered solutions rather than cookie-cutter approaches.

Question 2

When was Ameris Bank founded?

Accepted Answer

Ameris Bank was founded on October 1, 1971 in Moultrie, Georgia as American Banking Company by Eugene M. Vereen, Jr. The bank began with a single location and just $1 million in capital. Vereen envisioned a bank for the future that would move beyond tired banking norms to create solid, innovative solutions.

In 1980, ABC Holding Company was formed as the parent organization, which was renamed ABC Bancorp in 1986. The company went public in 1987 through an initial public offering and began trading on the NASDAQ in 1994. In 2005, ABC Bancorp rebranded to Ameris Bancorp, and in 2006, the company completed a multi-charter collapse into a single charter under the unified Ameris Bank brand.

In 2019, following the acquisition of Fidelity Southern Corporation, the bank relocated its headquarters from Moultrie to Atlanta, Georgia and adopted Fidelity's recognizable lion logo as part of an updated brand identity. The lion symbolizes the bank's strength and courage, earning the organization the motto "We Are Lionhearted."

Question 3

Where is Ameris Bank headquartered?

Accepted Answer

Ameris Bank is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia in Fulton County. The corporate offices are located at 3490 Piedmont Road NE, Suite 1550, in the Buckhead district. The bank relocated to Atlanta in 2019 after spending three years with its executive team in Jacksonville, Florida (2016-2019), having originally been based in Moultrie, Georgia from its founding in 1971.

Question 4

Where does Ameris Bank operate?

Accepted Answer

Ameris Bank operates more than 200 financial centers across the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States. The bank has full-service branches in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina, with mortgage-only locations in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Tennessee.

As a community bank, Ameris only lends and extends credit to the areas where its branches are located, ensuring deep local market knowledge and community engagement. Key markets include Atlanta, Jacksonville, Savannah, Birmingham, and numerous smaller communities throughout its five-state branch footprint.

Question 5

What services does Ameris Bank offer?

Accepted Answer

Ameris Bank offers a full range of financial services for individuals, businesses, and institutions. Personal banking services include checking and savings accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, retirement accounts, auto and recreational loans, personal lines of credit, and mortgage loans. The bank also provides educational resources on saving, planning, and fraud protection.

Small business and commercial banking services encompass business checking, business and commercial cards, SBA lending, equipment financing, commercial real estate financing, working capital loans, and treasury services. The bank has specialized bankers serving specific industries including agribusiness, attorneys, dental practices, educational institutions, healthcare, manufacturing, municipal entities, nonprofit organizations, professional services, water and waste disposal, and veterinary practices.

Additional services include wealth management, trust services, insurance premium financing, and treasury and cash management solutions. Through its acquisition of Balboa Capital in 2021, Ameris expanded its online business lending platform serving small and mid-sized businesses nationwide.

Digital banking capabilities include online and mobile banking options, mobile check deposit, and various self-service features for both personal and business customers.

Question 6

What makes Ameris Bank unique?

Accepted Answer

Ameris Bank distinguishes itself as the largest community bank in Georgia while maintaining a relationship-driven approach. The bank's founding principle of rejecting cookie-cutter solutions in favor of innovative, customer-centered banking continues to guide operations more than 50 years later.

The bank has grown strategically through 35 mergers and acquisitions since 1979, including 10 FDIC-assisted transactions between 2009 and 2012 that helped stabilize failed banks during the financial crisis. This disciplined acquisition strategy has expanded the bank's footprint while preserving its community banking focus.

Community service is embedded in the bank's DNA, with teammates encouraged to volunteer and contribute to their local communities. The bank's "Helping Fight Hunger" food drive program, launched in 2010, has collected over nine million food items and donated more than $900,000 to food banks. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ameris facilitated over $1.5 billion in PPP loans, intentionally reaching out to more than 400,000 minority and woman-owned businesses.

Ameris has been recognized as one of Atlanta's and Jacksonville's Top Workplaces for offering a nurturing environment where teammates are empowered to use diverse perspectives to help customers.

Question 7

What type of financial institution is Ameris Bank?

Accepted Answer

Ameris Bank is a State Non-Member Commercial Bank chartered under Georgia state banking laws and regulated by the FDIC and Georgia Department of Banking and Finance. As a full-service commercial bank, it provides comprehensive retail and commercial banking services.

The bank operates as the primary subsidiary of Ameris Bancorp, a publicly-traded bank holding company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. This structure combines the resources and capabilities of a large regional institution with the community-focused approach and local decision-making authority that defines community banking.

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