Ameris Bancorp

Ameris Bancorp

Company type	Public
Industry	Banking
Predecessor	American Banking Company
Founded	October 1, 1971 (1971-10-01) in Moultrie, Georgia, United States
Founder	Eugene M. Vereen, Jr.
Headquarters	Atlanta, Georgia , United States
Area served	Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee
Key people	H. Palmer Proctor Jr. (CEO)
Products	Retail banking, mortgage services, commercial banking, small business banking, digital and mobile banking solutions
Website	www.amerisbank.com

Ameris Bancorp is a bank holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Operating through its subsidiary, Ameris Bank, it maintains full-service branches in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina, while also offering mortgage-only offices in Virginia, Maryland, and Tennessee. The firm delivers digital and mobile banking solutions tailored for both individual consumers and business clients.

History

Established on October 1, 1971, in Moultrie, Georgia, under the name American Banking Company by Eugene M. Vereen, Jr., the institution began with a single branch and an initial capital of $1 million. Vereen’s vision was to build a progressive bank that challenged traditional banking practices.

In 1979, the bank acquired Toney Brothers Bank located in Doerun, Georgia. The parent organization, ABC Holding Company, was created in 1980 and later renamed ABC Bancorp in 1986. The company went public in 1987 and started trading on Nasdaq by 1994. It rebranded as Ameris Bancorp in 2005.

Growth Across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Regions

Initially serving South Georgia as a regional bank, Ameris expanded its operations into Alabama in 1996, Florida by 2000, South Carolina in 2006, and North Carolina as recently as 2020. Currently, it operates 166 full-service branches throughout these five states along with additional mortgage-only locations reaching into Virginia, Maryland, and Tennessee.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Since 1979, Ameris Bank has completed 35 mergers and acquisitions. Notable transactions include the purchases of Prosperity Banking Company for $24.5 million in 2013; Coastal Bankshares at $37.3 million in 2014; Merchants & Southern Banks of Florida for $50 million in 2015; Jacksonville Bank at $96.4 million in 2016; Atlantic Coast Financial for $169.3 million in 2018; Hamilton State Bank at $397.1 million also in 2018; and Fidelity Southern Corporation for $869.3 million in 2019. The acquisition of Fidelity Southern brought CEO H. Palmer Proctor, Jr., who took over leadership and influenced the refreshed branding incorporating Fidelity’s Lion emblem.

Between 2009 and 2012, Ameris acquired several failed banks through FDIC-facilitated deals, including American United Bank, United Security Bank, Satilla Community Bank, First Bank of Jacksonville, Darby Bank & Trust, Tifton Banking Company, One Georgia Bank, High Trust Bank, Central Bank of Georgia, and Montgomery Bank & Trust.

In 2021, Ameris broadened its presence in online business lending by acquiring Balboa Capital, a nationwide provider serving small to mid-sized enterprises.

Ameris Bank (subsidiary)

The executive leadership of Ameris Bank moved to Jacksonville, Florida in 2016 where they remained for three years before relocating headquarters to Atlanta in 2019. In 2020, the company further extended its commercial banking reach throughout the Southeast. On July 23, 2024, Ameris Bancorp’s common shares commenced trading on the NYSE under the ticker "ABCB."

Awards and Recognition

Ameris Bank has received numerous honors recognizing excellence in customer service, business banking solutions, and corporate culture. In 2025, it was included on Forbes’ America’s Best Companies list after evaluation across more than sixty criteria such as customer feedback, public trustworthiness, cybersecurity measures, employee satisfaction levels, workforce retention rates, and financial stability. Additionally, it earned a spot among North America’s Top 100 Inspiring Workplaces for cultivating an engaging environment that boosts morale and productivity. The bank also secured five Greenwich Excellence Awards specifically for Small Business Banking and was ranked within only thirty-nine institutions nationwide for Distinctive Quality in this sector.

At the local level, Ameris was honored as one of Atlanta’s Top Workplaces due to its commitment to embracing diverse viewpoints that enhance client service and was recognized by the Florida Times-Union as one of Jacksonville’s Top Workplaces for 2024.

Retail Banking and Mortgage Solutions

Ameris Bank offers a variety of conventional banking services, including checking and savings accounts, money market funds, retirement savings options, certificates of deposit, as well as auto and leisure vehicle loans. Additionally, it provides personal credit lines and mortgage financing. The bank also supplies educational materials focused on saving strategies, financial planning, and fraud prevention.

Commercial and Small Business Banking

The institution caters to small business and commercial clients by providing services such as business checking accounts, commercial credit cards, SBA-backed loans, financing for equipment and property acquisitions, working capital loans, and treasury management solutions. Ameris Bank employs industry-focused bankers with expertise in sectors like agribusiness, legal services, dental care, education, healthcare, manufacturing, municipal government, nonprofit organizations, professional services, water and waste management, and veterinary practices.

Community Engagement and Sponsorship Initiatives

Ameris actively contributes to civic and social causes through monetary support and volunteer efforts. Its initiatives emphasize food collection drives, youth development programs, financial education, career advancement projects, disaster assistance, among others. The bank has been a sponsor for events including the Jacksonville Marathon in Florida, the Peachtree Road Race in Georgia, the Autism Speaks Walk, Estamos Aqui Fiesta, the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

The Ameris Foundation

Established in 2020, the Ameris Foundation is dedicated to promoting education, mental and physical health, and economic resilience within underserved populations across its operational areas.

In 2022, the Foundation introduced the Courageous Fund aimed at granting financial aid to employees impacted by emergencies such as hurricanes or other urgent circumstances.

By 2024, the Foundation had distributed more than 80 grants totaling $70,000 to employees in need and contributed over $100,000 to nonprofit organizations including United Way, Boys and Girls Club, City of Refuge, InspiredU, among others.

Leadership

Name	Title
James B. Miller, Jr.	Chairman of Ameris Bancorp
Leo J. Hill	Lead Independent Director Transamerica Mutual Funds
H. Palmer Proctor Jr.	Chief Executive Officer of Ameris Bank and Ameris Bancorp
William I. Bowen Jr.	Funeral Services Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals
Rodney Bullard	Vice President of Community Affairs at Chick-fil-A Inc. Executive Director of the Chick-fil-A Foundation
Millard Choate	Founder and President of Choate Construction Company
Daniel B. Jeter	Consumer Finance Standard Discount Corporation
Robert P. Lynch	Automobile Sales Lynch Management Company
Claire McLean	Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President at Preferred Capital Securities LLC President of Preferred Shareholder Services
William H. Stern	President & CEO - Real Estate Stern & Stern and Associates

Headquarters & Locations

Ameris Bank's main office is situated in Atlanta, Georgia, with branch offices located throughout the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.