Ameris Bank Executives Jim LaHaise and Bill McKendry Announce Retirement
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 24 2026
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Should l Buy ABCB?
Ameris Bank announced that Chief Strategy Officer Jim LaHaise and Chief Risk Officer Bill McKendry each has announced his intention to retire this year. "Jim and Bill have been exemplary leaders, guiding our organization with integrity and a steadfast commitment to excellence in serving our customers," said Palmer Proctor, CEO of Ameris Bank. "On behalf of the entire Ameris team, I share our sincere gratitude for their outstanding leadership and dedicated service to Ameris Bank." David Boggs, currently General Auditor at Ameris, will be promoted to Chief Risk Officer, following a period of transition. Boggs joined Ameris in 2018 and currently leads the Internal Audit and Credit Risk Review functions, overseeing the development and execution of audit and loan review plans, ensuring regulatory compliance and reporting results to executive leadership. Chief Governance Officer, Michael Pierson, with nearly thirty years of experience with the company, will take on executive oversight of Ameris Bank Mortgage, Ameris Bank Equipment Finance and US Premium Finance from LaHaise.
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Analyst Views on ABCB
Wall Street analysts forecast ABCB stock price to rise
5 Analyst Rating
3 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 79.320
Low
84.00
Averages
87.80
High
94.00
Current: 79.320
Low
84.00
Averages
87.80
High
94.00
About ABCB
Ameris Bancorp is a financial holding company, through its banking subsidiary, Ameris Bank (the Bank), which provides a full range of banking services to its retail and commercial customers, who are primarily concentrated in select markets in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina. Its Banking Division provides full-service financial services to include commercial loans, consumer loans and deposit accounts. Its Retail Mortgage Division is engaged in the origination, sales and servicing of one-to-four family residential mortgage loans. Its Warehouse Lending Division is engaged in the origination and servicing of warehouse lines to other businesses that are secured by underlying one-to-four family residential mortgage loans and residential mortgage servicing rights. Its Premium Finance Division is engaged in the origination and servicing of commercial insurance premium finance loans. It operates 164 full-service domestic banking offices.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Leading Asset Size: As the largest bank by assets among the top 15, Ameris Bank manages $27.5 billion in assets, indicating its strong position and influence in the industry, capable of meeting diverse customer needs.
- Commitment to Customer Experience: CEO Palmer Proctor stated that this recognition reflects the team's dedication to providing high-quality financial services and exceptional customer experiences, emphasizing their expertise and attention in serving both individual and corporate clients.
- Authoritative Evaluation Criteria: The list is compiled by Forbes based on 11 growth, credit quality, and profitability metrics from 200 publicly traded banks, with Ameris Bank standing out for its remarkable performance across these metrics, further solidifying its market position.
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- Executive Retirements: Ameris Bank announces the retirement of Chief Strategy Officer Jim LaHaise and Chief Risk Officer Bill McKendry this year, with CEO Palmer Proctor expressing gratitude for their exemplary leadership and commitment to customer service excellence.
- New Chief Risk Officer: David Boggs is promoted to Chief Risk Officer, previously serving as General Auditor, where he has led internal audit and credit risk review since joining Ameris in 2018, ensuring compliance and reporting results to executive leadership.
- Leadership Experience: With over 20 years in financial institutions, Boggs previously held several leadership roles at First Citizens Bank, and Proctor expresses confidence in his technical expertise and commitment to quality assurance, believing he will build upon the strong foundation of the risk organization.
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- Wide Applicability: DirectBiller is particularly beneficial for businesses with high invoice volumes or subscription services, expected to serve various industries including utilities, healthcare, government services, insurance, and property management, addressing their robust receivable needs.
- Expanded Customer Base: Ameris Bank states that this solution is available for businesses of all sizes, especially commercial clients, aiming to enhance customer experience and improve market competitiveness through efficient billing management tools.
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- Social Media Impact: Despite the interview not airing on television, the video garnered over 4.4 million views on YouTube, indicating significant public interest and support for Talarico, which could influence the outcome of the Texas Democratic primary.
- Political Context: This incident occurs amid Paramount's hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, potentially affecting the company's relationship with the Trump administration and its political stance in Texas.
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- Robust Asset Quality: Despite over $500 million in commercial real estate (CRE) payoffs in Q4, Ameris Bancorp's loan assets grew nearly 5%, maintaining healthy asset quality with an allowance of 1.62% of loans, showcasing its strong risk management strategy.
- Positive Outlook: Management anticipates mid-single-digit growth in loans and deposits going forward, focusing on organic growth and selective hiring despite deposit cost pressures, ensuring sustained profitability and competitive positioning.
See More
Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) Q4 2025 Earnings Transcript
See More
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- Ranking Improvement: Ameris Bank has achieved a significant leap to #15 on Forbes' 2026 Best Banks list, up from #26 in 2025, reflecting its outstanding performance and market recognition in the financial services sector.
- Leading Asset Size: As the largest bank by assets among the top 15, Ameris Bank manages $27.5 billion in assets, indicating its strong position and influence in the industry, capable of meeting diverse customer needs.
- Commitment to Customer Experience: CEO Palmer Proctor stated that this recognition reflects the team's dedication to providing high-quality financial services and exceptional customer experiences, emphasizing their expertise and attention in serving both individual and corporate clients.
- Authoritative Evaluation Criteria: The list is compiled by Forbes based on 11 growth, credit quality, and profitability metrics from 200 publicly traded banks, with Ameris Bank standing out for its remarkable performance across these metrics, further solidifying its market position.
See More
Ameris Bank Executives Retire and Promote Successor
- Executive Retirements: Ameris Bank announces the retirement of Chief Strategy Officer Jim LaHaise and Chief Risk Officer Bill McKendry this year, with CEO Palmer Proctor expressing gratitude for their exemplary leadership and commitment to customer service excellence.
- New Chief Risk Officer: David Boggs is promoted to Chief Risk Officer, previously serving as General Auditor, where he has led internal audit and credit risk review since joining Ameris in 2018, ensuring compliance and reporting results to executive leadership.
- Leadership Experience: With over 20 years in financial institutions, Boggs previously held several leadership roles at First Citizens Bank, and Proctor expresses confidence in his technical expertise and commitment to quality assurance, believing he will build upon the strong foundation of the risk organization.
- Governance Function Transition: Chief Governance Officer Michael Pierson will take on executive oversight of Ameris Bank Mortgage, Equipment Finance, and US Premium Finance, ensuring stable operations and service quality amid executive transitions.
See More
Ameris Bank Launches Digital Invoicing Platform for Businesses
- Digital Invoicing Solution: Ameris Bank's newly launched DirectBiller platform aims to replace traditional manual billing processes, significantly reducing paper invoicing costs and speeding up payment collection, thereby improving business cash flow.
- Streamlined Payment Process: The platform enables businesses to send invoices via email, SMS, or a customer portal, allowing customers to view invoice details and pay using their preferred method, ensuring secure payments while reducing administrative workload.
- Wide Applicability: DirectBiller is particularly beneficial for businesses with high invoice volumes or subscription services, expected to serve various industries including utilities, healthcare, government services, insurance, and property management, addressing their robust receivable needs.
- Expanded Customer Base: Ameris Bank states that this solution is available for businesses of all sizes, especially commercial clients, aiming to enhance customer experience and improve market competitiveness through efficient billing management tools.
See More
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- Show Blocked: Colbert accused CBS of blocking his broadcast of Texas Rep. Talarico's interview, labeling CBS's statement as 'crap' and urging the network to stand up against 'bullies' in the Trump administration.
- Legal Intervention: CBS lawyers informed Colbert that airing the interview could violate new FCC guidelines requiring adherence to the equal time provision, resulting in the show's inability to air as planned.
- Social Media Impact: Despite the interview not airing on television, the video garnered over 4.4 million views on YouTube, indicating significant public interest and support for Talarico, which could influence the outcome of the Texas Democratic primary.
- Political Context: This incident occurs amid Paramount's hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, potentially affecting the company's relationship with the Trump administration and its political stance in Texas.
See More
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- Optimized Capital Management: The company paid off all subordinated debt in 2025 and repurchased nearly 1% of its stock in Q4, totaling $77 million at an average price below $67, demonstrating confidence in its value and effective capital allocation.
- Robust Asset Quality: Despite over $500 million in commercial real estate (CRE) payoffs in Q4, Ameris Bancorp's loan assets grew nearly 5%, maintaining healthy asset quality with an allowance of 1.62% of loans, showcasing its strong risk management strategy.
- Positive Outlook: Management anticipates mid-single-digit growth in loans and deposits going forward, focusing on organic growth and selective hiring despite deposit cost pressures, ensuring sustained profitability and competitive positioning.
See More
Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) Q4 2025 Earnings Transcript
See More
