COLUMBUS, Ga. (Business Wire) -- Synovus (NYSE: SNV) today announced the grand opening of Synovus Bank of Jacksonville in the Jacksonville, Florida market. This is the first de novo community bank Synovus has launched.
"Jacksonville is a strong market and presents an excellent opportunity for Synovus," said Richard E. Anthony, Synovus President and COO. "Synovus Bank of Jacksonville will capitalize on the strength of the market with a capable team making decisions so that we are responsive to customer needs. Our holding company will provide a broad array of quality products along with capital to support growth."
Synovus Bank of Jacksonville is the first Synovus-branded bank in the Synovus network of affiliate banks. The bank offers a full range of integrated financial services, including banking, trust, brokerage, mortgage and insurance, with a special focus on serving privately owned businesses and professionals. The main office of Synovus Bank of Jacksonville is located at 10407 Centurion Parkway North, in the J. Turner Butler Corridor area of Jacksonville. Branch locations will be added as necessary and appropriate. Synovus Bank of Jacksonville serves Duval and also reaches into Clay and St. Johns counties in northeast Florida.
The bank is led by a Synovus team which includes three key executives to manage the affiliate. William J. "Bill" Hammel will oversee bank operations as Chairman and CEO. Damon B. Olinto serves as the bank's President and Chief Operating Officer and Jerry L. Dean is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
Prior to Hammel's position of Chairman and CEO at Synovus Bank of Jacksonville, he served as Vice President and Member of the Executive Committee at Coastal Construction Products, Inc., in Jacksonville. He began his career in 1969 as Assistant Vice President of United National Bank in Canton, Ohio. In 1981, Hammel served as Vice President and Corporate Banking Division Team Leader at BancOhio National Bank in Canton and then became Senior Vice President of Florida National Bank in Jacksonville, Florida. Six years later, he served as Senior Vice President and Senior Lending Officer of Compass Bank in Jacksonville. Hammel is a volunteer for the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, United Way and the Building and Fund Raising Committees for Holy Family Church. Hammel attended Xavier University in Canton, Ohio and graduated with a B.A. degree in History from Walsh University in North Canton, Ohio.
Prior to Damon Olinto serving as Synovus Bank's President and Chief Operating Officer, he helped lead the CNB National Bank team in Jacksonville as Senior Vice President. He began his career at Florida National Bank as a Banking Officer for Private Banking and Business Banking. Olinto also served as a Commercial Real Estate Lender. In 1990, he served as Vice President of Compass Bank in Jacksonville. Olinto is President of the Board of Governors of the San Jose Country Club; a Otis Smith Kids Foundation Board Member and a Northeast Florida Builders Association Board Member. Olinto received his B.B.A. in Banking and Finance from the University of North Florida.
Prior to Jerry Dean serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, he served as the Executive Vice President and Senior Lending Officer for First Alliance Bank of Jacksonville. Dean also served as Senior Vice President of Branch Administration and Retail Lending for 18 branches within Florida National Bank of Jacksonville. He was promoted to this position after having served as President of Florida National Bank of Fernandina Beach, Florida. Dean spent 16 years at BancOhio National Bank in various capacities, including President of the affiliate in Bellefontaine, Ohio and Senior Vice President and Senior Lender for the bank in Springfield, Ohio.
A special ribbon cutting celebration is scheduled for today at 4:30 p.m. ET at the main office.
Synovus (NYSE: SNV) is a diversified financial services holding company with more than $24 billion in assets based in Columbus, Georgia. Synovus provides integrated financial services including banking, financial management, insurance, mortgage and leasing services through 40 affiliate banks and other Synovus offices in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida and Tennessee; and electronic payment processing through an 81-percent stake in TSYS (NYSE: TSS), the world's largest third-party processor of international payments. In 2004, FORTUNE magazine named Synovus as one of "America's Most Admired Companies" and also ranked Synovus No. 20 on its list of "The 100 Best Companies To Work For." See Synovus on the Web at www.synovus.com.
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