Our Leadership

Palmer Proctor is CEO of Ameris Bank and CEO of Ameris Bancorp and serves on the Board of Directors of both. Proctor holds degrees from Auburn University and The Stonier Graduate School of Banking, Georgetown University. He is a director of Brown & Brown, Inc., a member of the Advisory Board of Allied Financial, director of Choate Construction Company and served as past chairman of the Georgia Bankers Association. Proctor is involved in many civic activities, serving as emeritus director and past president of Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, former trustee of Fernbank Museum of Natural History, past cabinet member for the Westside Future Fund Campaign and administrative chairman of Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. He is also a member of the Rotary Club of Atlanta and the Buckhead Lions Club. Proctor and his wife founded the Night of Hope Gala, supporting research for MDA/ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and serves on its executive committee. In August 2021, Palmer Proctor was recognized by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of the Most Admired CEOs.

Lawton E. Bassett, III, has served as Ameris Bank president and Ameris Bancorp chief banking officer, since February 2017. Prior to his current position, Bassett served as executive vice president and chief banking officer for the Company’s Georgia and Alabama regions beginning January 2016, and regional president and market president from 2006 to 2016. From 2003 to 2006, he served as president and chief executive officer of Citizens Security Bank, formerly a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. Prior to joining the Company, Bassett served in various commercial lending and leadership roles at Barnett Bank and SunTrust.

Nicole S. Stokes has served as Ameris Bank and Ameris Bancorp executive vice president and chief financial officer since January 2018. Nicole joined Ameris Bank in December 2010 as controller and served as Ameris Bank chief financial officer beginning June 2016. Prior to joining Ameris Bank, she served as chief financial officer of PAB Bankshares and Park Avenue Bank in Valdosta, Georgia, controller of The Bank in Birmingham, Alabama, and senior auditor of Synovus Financial Corporation in Columbus, Georgia.

Ross L. Creasy has served as corporate executive vice president and chief information officer of Ameris Bank since July 2019. Prior to joining Ameris Bank, Creasy was the chief information officer at Fidelity Bank where he had oversight of Technology and Operations. With over 24 years of experience in banking and technology, Creasy has held many leadership positions, including at E*TRADE, Capital One, and the Federal Reserve. He has a MBA from Averett University and resides in Atlanta with his wife and two daughters.

James A. (Jim) LaHaise III has served as executive vice president and chief strategy officer since June 2018. Prior to this role, he served as executive vice president and chief banking officer for Georgia and Alabama since January 2016. He was executive vice president and commercial banking executive from June 2014-January 2016. LaHaise served as president and chief executive officer of Coastal Bankshares, Inc. and The Coastal Bank from January 2013-June 2014. He was executive vice president and chief banking officer of The Coastal Bank from May 2007 – January 2013.

William (Bill) McKendry has served as executive vice president and chief risk officer since September 2017. Prior to joining Ameris Bank, McKendry served as executive vice president and chief risk officer for Bank of North Carolina. Prior to that, he served as deputy general auditor at First Citizens Bancshares and as an audit and consulting leader for both Wachovia and Bank One Corporation.

Michael Pierson has served as corporate executive vice president and chief governance officer of Ameris Bank and Ameris Bancorp since March 2020, and as corporate secretary since January 2022. Previously, he served as executive vice president and chief operations officer of Ameris Bank and Ameris Bancorp July 2019 to March 2020. Prior to joining Ameris, Pierson was with Fidelity Southern Corporation and Fidelity Bank for 21 years where he served in several leadership roles including head of commercial banking, mergers and acquisitions, and chief risk officer.

Jody L. Spencer has served as executive vice president and general counsel of Ameris Bank since July 2019. Prior to joining Ameris, Spencer was an attorney with Rogers & Hardin LLP in Atlanta where he was a partner for more than 11 years and worked closely with Ameris. He earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Georgia School of Law, and holds a master’s in accounting from the University of Virginia and a bachelor’s in accounting from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Douglas D. (Doug) Strange is executive vice president and chief credit officer for Ameris Bank. Strange joined the company in 2005 and was named the Company’s first regional credit officer in 2008. Prior to Ameris, he worked for Bank of America Business Capital and KPMG. Strange earned his degree in accounting from the University of Georgia and is a certified public accountant. He is also a graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.

James B. Miller Jr. has served as Chairman of Ameris Bank since July 2019. Prior to Ameris Bank, Mr. Miller served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Southern Corporation since its inception in 1979.  He graduated from Florida State University and Vanderbilt Law School. Mr. Miller served as a civilian army lawyer at Redstone Arsenal Facility in Huntsville, Alabama. He clerked at the Florida Supreme Court and ran Ageka Wohnungsbau GmbH in Berlin, Germany before acquiring Fidelity in 1976. He was elected a director of the Bank in 1976. Mr. Miller has served on many community boards and now serves as a Director of Interface, Inc. and American Software, Inc. He is a member of Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. Mr. Miller has three children and six grandchildren.

Leo J. Hill has served as a director of Ameris Bancorp and as a director of Ameris Bank since January 2013. Mr. Hill is the owner of Advisor Network Solutions, LLC, a consulting services firm, and currently serves as lead independent director of Transamerica Mutual Funds. He became a Transamerica director in 2001, currently serves on the audit committee, and previously chaired the governance, nominating and valuation committees. Prior to his service with Transamerica, Mr. Hill held various positions in banking, including senior vice president and senior loan administration officer for Wachovia Bank of Georgia’s southeastern corporate lending unit, president and chief executive officer of Barnett Treasure Coast Florida with Barnett Banks and market president of Sun Coast Florida with Bank of America. He has a bachelor’s degree in management and a master’s degree in finance, both from Georgia State University, and he is a graduate of Louisiana State University’s Graduate School of Banking. Mr. Hill is involved with the Investment Company Institute, the Conference of Fund Leaders, the National Association of Corporate Directors and the Institute for Independent Business.

Palmer has served as CEO of Ameris Bank and Ameris Bancorp since July 2019. Prior to his current role, Palmer held the positions of President and CEO of Fidelity Bank and President of Fidelity Southern Corporation, and served on the Boards of Directors of both. Palmer held numerous management positions at Fidelity Bank, including Senior Vice President of retail and consumer banking, trust and investments, bank operations, and commercial banking activities.

William I. Bowen, Jr. has served as a director of Ameris Bancorp and as a director of Ameris Bank since November 2014. Mr. Bowen resides in our Tifton, Georgia market, and he currently serves as chairman of the community board of the Bank for that market. He has served as a member of the community board since 2012. Mr. Bowen is a partner and the president of Bowen Donaldson Home for Funerals. He also serves as managing partner of Bowen Farming Enterprises, LLC, a timber, cattle, cotton and peanut farming operation, Bowen Land and Timber, LLC, Bowen Family Partnership and Fulwood Family Partnership, a farming and real estate development firm. He also serves as Trustee of Tift County Hospital Authority and is a member of the Georgia Board of Funeral Service. Mr. Bowen holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Georgia.

Mr. Bullard was elected to the Board on July 1, 2019. He leads Chick-fil-A’s Corporate Social Responsibility.  Prior to his role at Chick-fil-A, Rodney served as an Assistant United States Attorney. Previously, Rodney was selected as a White House Fellow. As a White House Fellow, Rodney was placed at NASA working directly for the NASA Administrator. A decorated veteran, Rodney also served in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps working as a trial attorney and eventually at the Pentagon as a Congressional Legislative Liaison in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force.

Wm. Millard Choate was elected to the Board on July 1, 2019. Mr. Choate is Founder and Chairman of Choate Construction Company, which he founded in 1989. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University, with BA degrees in Economics and Business. Mr. Choate is active in many organizations such as Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta, Bright Futures Academy, Shepherd Center, Street Grace and Homestretch. He is a member of the Atlanta Rotary, various chambers of commerce, and several business organizations. Mr. Choate and his wife Sue live in Atlanta. They have two daughters.

Daniel B. Jeter has served as a director of Ameris Bancorp since 1997 and as a director of Ameris Bank since 2002. He was chairman of the board and of the board of directors of the Bank from May 2007 to December 2017. From January 2018 until September 2018, Mr. Jeter served as lead director of Ameris Bancorp and Ameris Bank. He also serves on the community bank board for the Company’s Moultrie, Georgia market. Mr. Jeter is the chairman and co-owner of Standard Discount Corporation, a family-owned consumer finance company. He joined Standard in 1979 and is an officer and director of each of Standard’s affiliates, including Colquitt Loan Company, Globe Loan Company of Hazelhurst, Globe Loan Company of Tifton, Globe Loan Company of Moultrie, Peach Finance Company, Personal Finance Service of Statesboro and Globe Financial Services of Thomasville. He is co-owner of Classic Insurance Company and President of Cavalier Insurance Company, both of which are re-insurance companies. Mr. Jeter is also a partner in a real estate partnership that develops owner-occupied commercial properties for office and professional use. He serves as a director and an officer of the Georgia Industrial Loan Corporation and as a director of Allied Business Systems. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Georgia.

Robert P. Lynch has served as a director of Ameris Bancorp since 2000 and as a director of the Bank since February 2006. Mr. Lynch is the vice president and chief financial officer of Lynch Management Company, which owns and manages seven automobile dealerships located in the Southeast. He has been with Lynch Management Company for more than 30 years. Mr. Lynch’s family also owns and operates Shady Dale Farm, a beef cattle operation located in Shady Dale, Georgia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Florida. Mr. Lynch resides in Jacksonville, Florida and currently serves as a member of the community board of the Bank for that market.

Claire McLean was named to the board of directors in February 2024. Ms. McLean is chief operating officer and EVP of Preferred Capital Securities, LLC and president of Preferred Shareholder Services. She is a seasoned executive in the financial services industry with deep financial and regulatory experience and previously served as a managing director in the Assurance Services practice of Ernst & Young, LLP. During her 20+ year career in financial services, Ms. McLean advised a range of clients, from startup businesses to multinational corporations, both privately held and publicly traded. She holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Accountancy from Auburn University and lives in Atlanta.

William H. Stern has served as a director of Ameris Bancorp and as a director of Ameris Bank since November 2013. Mr. Stern currently serves as chairman of the Bank’s community board for the state of South Carolina. Mr. Stern has been president and chief executive officer of Stern & Stern and Associates, a real estate development firm doing work throughout the Southeast, since 1980. He currently serves as chairman of the board of the South Carolina State Ports Authority and as a member of the board of the South Carolina Coordinating Council for Economic Development.