Savannah Bee Company

An Interview with Mark Haney, President and CFO of Savannah Bee Company & Ted Dennard, Owner and Founder

Ted Dennard was 11 when he was first introduced to bees and has been on a mission to share his passion for beekeeping ever since. He experimented with honey and beeswax to make quality skin care products and lip balms and founded Savannah Bee Company in 2002. 

The retail store was a booming success and Ted and Mark Haney, President of Savannah Bee, looked to Ameris Bank to help them expand. “What Ameris says is pretty much gold - which is critically important,” says Haney, “I feel like they trust us to run our business, and our banker is very knowledgeable and transparent with us.” 

Being a local company themselves, partnering with a local bank gave Dennard and Haney a sense of community and shared understanding. “The banking team here in Savannah is fantastic; they keep us coming back. Our banker is always available and he’s invested in the success of our business,” says Haney. “They’ve been there for us in huge ways as a small business.” 

In 2021, Savannah Bee purchased a new warehouse with Ameris Bank’s help. Today, they continue to partner with Ameris for long-term construction financing and help navigating the Small Business Administration. Additionally, Savannah Bee Company employees have moved many personal accounts to Ameris. “I can’t speak highly enough about our Savannah team and the bank in general. They care all the time.”