Welcome to the 75th anniversary edition of In Good Company. For 75 years, we’ve been dedicated to serving our customers, communities, and partners. This issue celebrates that legacy with stories and insights reflecting our mission.
We’re pleased to spotlight one of our longeststanding customers, whose loyalty exemplifies the trust and shared values at the core of our history. You’ll also find articles on prioritizing workforce wellness as a strategy for success and tips to eliminate inefficiencies and boost productivity.
We address the growing threat of elder fraud, sharing how we protect our senior customers and steps you can take to safeguard loved ones. Educating and protecting our community remains central to our work.
Thank you for being part of our journey. We hope you enjoy this special edition filled with progress and purpose.
Here’s to 75 years—and many more ahead!
Lynn Harton Chairman and CEO, United Community
18 POWER OF COMMUNITY
United Community Chairman and CEO, Lynn Harton, reflects on what ensures United communities will thrive for years to come.
22 GIVING BACK
How 75 years of dedication to the community has shaped United Community’s purpose.
12 75 YEARS OF PROGRESS
A timeline marking the history and growth of United Community.
25 PEOPLE OVER PROCESS
Eliminating over management and promoting productivity in the workplace.
26 SUCCESS
Private Wealth services help make complex lives simpler.
28 BUILT TO LAST
A customer partnership that’s spanned five decades and three generations. 29 LEGACY PARTNERSHIP
Built on trust—a family’s enduring connection to United’s story.
Overcoming Obstacles
United Community employees’ very personal response to the tragedy of Hurricane Helene
By John Jeter
When we think of first responders, we immediately think of firefighters and police, emergency medical personnel, and search-and-rescue teams. But bankers? Consider this: When a hurricane destroys your community, your home, what’s one thing you need to get by? Cash.
That’s where United Community and its employees come in.
The morning of Sept. 27, 2024, when Hurricane Helene lashed Burnsville, North Carolina, Christy Shuford and most United employees could not get out of their homes or driveways. As soon as paths were cut, Christy and other co-workers made their way to their offices. They all left severe damage and hardship at their homes to come help their customers and community.
“So, imagine the apocalypse, where there’s no outside connection, you can’t get anywhere,” says Christy, who now serves as the branch’s Assistant Vice President.
“There’s no food because you can’t go to a grocery store, there’s only limited gas you can get, and you have to pay with cash.”
The bank’s power was down, too:
no ATMs, no connection to the bank’s six-state network, and hundreds of her colleagues facing personal devastation—like hers.
That morning, the storm destroyed her husband Chris’s business, Shuford Automotive. Photos from the Raleigh News & Observer showed the destruction on their property: an old school bus, mangled and flipped, against trees, and a pickup truck up to its windshield in the South Toe River’s rushing muddy waters.
Nevertheless, she persisted: “I was in the drive-thru when we opened. I was out there consoling everybody, even though our business was gone.”
At the office where she has worked for 13 years and knows 90% of her customers by name, Christy was doling out drivethru hugs and as much cash as was available in any given account.
Then John Goins appeared.
John serves as Regional President for North Carolina and previously co-chaired the Together for Good Council, the bank’s internal professional committee that seeks to make a difference in the community. In anticipation of Helene’s
“
” It chokes me up to think about watching our people work. They didn’t come for themselves. They came to help their neighbors and customers, and they left their problems at home.
– John Goins
wrath, he and senior leadership had charted a survival course: secure ample hard currency, determine logistics for power outages that would take out ATMs and the bank’s network, and, most importantly, take care of their employees.
When the storm hit John’s hometown of Hendersonville, he, like most others, was trapped by storm debris and road closures. After finding his way into downtown, John discovered Starlink at the Hands On! Children’s Museum, which had become an emergency hub. He spent most of the day sitting in a toddler’s chair, finally able to communicate with bank leadership and some employees.
“At that particular time, there were 72 employees that we had not even heard from. We didn’t know if they had survived the storm,” he says.
He was asking himself, “What kind of leader am I? I’ve got a lot of people out there. What am I going to do? Well, I couldn’t get out, I was trying to help neighbors and take care of my own problems. But I had that deep sense of responsibility that I needed to do something.” Then John drove a treacherous 60 miles from home to Burnsville.
When Christy saw him pull up, she says, “He was like my saving grace. It made me feel like somebody did care—he’s the boss, the boss’s boss.”
And he watched as Christy doled out cash and compassion.
“When I got there, she was crawling in the back of somebody’s car, hugging their children,” he says. “They’re all crying. She’s saying, ‘Are y’all OK? Are you safe?’ She basically lost her business, and she is out there in the drive-thru, and she is more worried about opening up to get these people cash so they can buy diapers, gas, medicine, or emergency supplies.”
In nearby Spruce Pine, a bank employee opened her home to provide shelter to 18 people. One of them was Mary Wiseman, who stayed with her fellow teller for three months after Helene flooded her home of 17 years with 6 feet of water.
“It was very comforting, I can tell you that, because normally I live alone. I felt like I needed to be around people, and they took me in just like I was their own,” she says of her co-worker, who declined to accept any public recognition for her generosity.
Today, John says, “It chokes me up to think about watching our people work. They didn’t come for themselves. They came to help their neighbors and customers, and they left their problems at home.”
Of United Community, he adds, “Our company puts their employees and their customers on a pedestal—that’s the reason I came to the bank 19 years ago. Nothing else can get in the way of that.”
Starting a Small Business? Preparedness Is Key
SBA loans can be critical in keeping the entrepreneurial economy afloat
By Jerry Salley
Small businesses start with big ideas, and the United States has had plenty of those. So many, in fact, that, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), 99.9% of businesses in this country are independent businesses employing fewer than 500 people. They employ 45.9% of American workers, and they account for 43.5% of the GDP.
They’re also not always easy to keep afloat, says Patrick Mizzell, SBA President for United Community. “People could have the greatest business idea in the world,” Mizzell says, “but if they don’t have the money to get the business out there, to manufacture and market it correctly, it’s simply not going to work.”
The data tells the story. Nearly half of all small businesses fail within their first five years, and only 30% make it to year 10, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Access to capital is often the make-or-break factor, which is where the SBA comes in. Created by the Eisenhower administration in 1953, the federal agency aims to strengthen the U.S. economy by assisting the small businesses that contribute so much to it.
In fiscal year 2024 alone, the SBA
approved more than $31 billion in 7(a) loans—its primary business-loan program—nationwide, with an average nationwide loan size of more than $400,000. During that time, United Community worked with its small-business customers to secure more than $100 million in loans—a process made simpler by the ability to make unilateral loan decisions as an SBA Preferred Lender, says Mizzell.
“If you get an approval from United Community, you don’t have to go through a secondary process with the SBA,” he says. “It just speeds things up. Our federal government is many things, but I don’t think anyone would call it the most effective and efficient way of doing business.”
Foresight is another critical factor in an entrepreneur’s success, says Mizzell, who has worked in SBA and franchise lending at United Community since 2015. “Often, the successful people are the ones who are financially prepared to not make one dollar in the foreseeable future,” he says. “Are you living within your means or above your means? Are you personally leveraged? What happens if you can’t take a salary for six months?”
SMALL BIZ, BIG IMPACT
United Community’s SBA lending specialists can use their deep knowledge of specific markets to help a broad range of businesses succeed, says Mizzell—helping their communities to thrive in turn.
“We are truly creating jobs,” he says. “And we’re able to help all industry types within our footprint. Our focus is and will remain in our own backyard.”
ACCORDING TO THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION OFFICE OF ADVOCACY, AS OF 2024:
• 99.9% of businesses are considered a small business.
• There are 34,752,434 small businesses in the United States.
• Small businesses employ 45.9% of American workers, or about 59 million people.
• Small businesses are 43.5% of GDP.
• Small businesses pay 39% of all private sector payroll.
• 26.5% of federal contracting dollars went to small businesses in FY 2022.
PATRICK MIZZELL
Edging Out Elder Abuse
United Community helps keep seniors safe from cons
By Jerry Salley
You’re sitting at home one day when your phone rings. “Grandma, I got into an accident,” says the voice on the other end. “I’m in jail, and I need your help. Please don’t tell Mom and Dad.”
Next, you hear a voice who identifies himself as an attorney or law enforcement officer. You can help your grandchild, but only if you wire several thousand dollars within two hours.
The “grandparent scam” and other cons have been around for a while, but social media and other technology advances make them more dangerous by allowing fraudsters access to personal information. Seniors may also be victims of elder abuse and financial exploitation by family members or caregivers. Worldwide, more than 100,000 people 60 and over lost a combined $3.4 billion to fraud in 2023 alone, according to an FBI report.
“It’s a very complex problem, and, unfortunately, it’s a very prevalent problem,” says Ron Fox, Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer for United Community. “And it’s only getting worse.” Much of the money that’s been lost cannot be recovered, Fox says, but customers and financial institutions can help stop fraud before it’s too late.
“It’s really about knowing your customer,” he says. “If someone who usually makes smaller withdrawals suddenly makes a request for a $30,000 wire transfer, that kind of anomaly is a red flag.”
TOP FRAUD SCAMS
Con artists are always looking for new ways to try to separate you from your money. The top 10 scam categories reported to the National Consumers League in 2024 were:
• Prizes/Sweepstakes/Free Gifts:
• Phishing/Spoofi ng:
• Internet: General Merchandise:
• Investments: Other:
• Fake Check Scams:
• Advance Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers:
• Friendship and Sweetheart Swindles:
An elder’s best protection comes from knowledge and communication, Fox says.
“As a family, you need to talk about the extent and possibility of fraud and elder abuse,” he says. “The more those conversations take place, the more we can do our best to prevent it.”
• Family/Friend Imposter:
• Internet: Information/Adult Services:
• Misc. Other:
For more information, visit fraud.org/top-ten-scams-report-for-2024.
RON FOX
Healthy Returns
Harton talks nutrition and wellness with United Community
Earlier this year, the International WELL Building Institute awarded United Community the WELL Certification for its United Center headquarters in Greenville—but the facility itself is only the beginning of a widespread wellness effort benefiting United’s staff and board of directors.
Nutrition coach Flavia Harton is a vital resource for members of the United team looking to make lifestyle changes that make a significant impact. “It’s not about diets or drastic changes. Nobody needs another diet,” she says. “Food from a bag is processed food and less than ideal. You can start by avoiding that, and at home, cooking with grassfed butter or avocado oil is an easy switch.”
In 2024, Harton offered three popular programs: Nutrition and Movement, Stress Management, and Sleep and Improving Cognitive Function. The seminars were optional, but attendance grew with each event, and enthusiasm spread as the presentations were shared with
the entire company via their intranet.
Technology was a notable topic as participants were invited to submit questions prior to Harton’s presentations; she received many inquiries about apps that monitor and manage everything from calorie intake to blood pressure.
Flavia Harton
“We need a break from constant information and electronic devices,” Harton says. “These things can actually drain energy. We’re aiming for small changes that yield a noticeable increase in energy, and this is the perfect place to do it.”
Harton firmly believes that one’s surroundings affect attitude and enhance both quality of life and productivity. She advises United employees to choose healthy snacks available on-site and take advantage of the quiet spaces and beautiful views that contributed to the Camperdown building’s WELL designation. “Leave your phone at your desk and take a ten-minute walk—stare at the waterfall,” she says.
Harton has always been focused on fitness and owned a Pure Barre yoga studio, which she sold just before the pandemic. During that time, she became fascinated by nutrition. Since then, she’s been certified by Cornell University and the Food Matters Institute and has coached numerous individuals and corporate groups to better health. “The pandemic taught us that if we don’t have our health, we don’t have anything,” she says.
The United Center features access to the Swamp Rabbit Trail and two terraces allowing employees to easily get fresh air throughout the day. Harton points to elements such as live plants and art that enhance the employee experience.
“I’ve seen people bring their families into the facility and say, ‘I just wanted you to see where I work,’” she says. “I have a passion for workplace wellness, and it’s wonderful to be part of United’s commitment to that.”
“ ” I have a passion for workplace wellness, and it’s wonderful to be part of United’s commitment to that.
– Flavia Harton
PROGRESS 75 Years of
A timeline of United Community’s growth, marked by a continued commitment
to community
From its origin in Blairsville, Georgia, in 1950, United Community has grown through decades of mergers, acquisitions, and expansion— evolving into one of the Southeast’s most wellrespected financial institutions. Today, with $28 billion in assets and more than 200 offices across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee, the Greenville–headquartered United now ranks as the largest bank based in South Carolina. While the bank’s growth has been tremendous, its dedication to customer service and community has held firm.
1950
Union County Bank was founded in 1950 in Blairsville, Georgia.
1984
By 1984, the year Jimmy C. Tallent was appointed president, Union County Bank’s assets had grown to $42 million.
1987
In 1987, United Community Banks, Inc. was incorporated as a holding company. The next year, it acquired Union County Bank, which was renamed United Community Bank (Georgia) in 1996. During this time, the company expanded its presence through a series of regional acquisitions.
1990
In 1990, the bank moved outside of Georgia, acquiring Citizens Bank of Murphy, North Carolina, which became United Community Bank (North Carolina). Additional acquisitions included United Community Bank Towns County in 1992, White County Bank of Cleveland, Georgia, in 1995, and Rabun County Bank in 1997. United expanded its North Carolina operations in 1995, adding branches in Andrews, Franklin, and Waynesville.
1997
Following changes in Georgia’s banking laws, United began opening branches in addition to making acquisitions. In 1997, the company acquired the assets of a bank in Cornelia, Georgia, and First Clayton Bank and Trust, further extending its footprint in northern Georgia.
1999
In 1999, United acquired Bank of Adairsville parent Adairsville Bancshares for $7.1 million plus additional costs, along with 1st Floyd Bank. Both institutions became part of United Community Bank (Georgia) in 2001.
2000
Expansions continued in 2000 with the acquisitions of North Point Bancshares Inc., Independent Bancshares Inc., and consulting firm Brintech Inc. That same year, Lendmark Financial Services Inc. purchased most of United’s consumer finance company subsidiaries.
2002
In 2002, United Community Banks, Inc. was listed on the Nasdaq, marking a major milestone in its growth as a public company.
2003
In 2003, the company acquired First Georgia Holding Inc. for approximately $42 million and added First Central Bank of Lenior, Tennessee, to its portfolio. By 2004, the bank’s assets surpassed $5 billion, and additional acquisitions included Fairbanco Holding Co. for $24.7 million, Eagle National Bank for $12.4 million, and Liberty National Bancshares Inc. for $42.5 million.
2005
United completed its first public stock offering in 2005.
2006
In 2006, the company acquired Southern Bancorp, the parent company of Southern National Bank, in a stock transaction valued at $67.8 million. Also that year, United expanded its North Carolina presence by purchasing two Sylva offices from First Charter Bank, bringing its total locations in the state to 19.
2007
In 2007, United purchased Gwinnett Commercial Group, parent of First Bank of the South, for $222.9 million. That same year, the bank made the acquisition of assets and most liabilities of Southern Community Bank, with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp providing $31 million in support of the deal.
2014
Between 2014 and 2020, United undertook a period of significant expansion, acquiring several financial institutions across the Southeast. Major acquisitions during this period included Business Carolina Inc. for $31.3 million in 2014, MoneyTree Corp. and its wholly owned bank subsidiary, First National Bank of Lenoir City, Tennessee, and Palmetto Bancshares Inc. in South Carolina in 2015.
2012
H. Lynn Harton joined United in 2012 as Chief Operating Officer. Harton later served as president of the bank and on the boards for United Community Banks, Inc. and its bank subsidiary. He was named Chief Executive Officer of the bank in 2017 and of United Community Banks, Inc. in 2018. Today, Harton is Chairman, President, and CEO of United Community Banks, Inc. and Chairman and CEO of the bank.
2017
In 2017, the bank acquired Four Oaks Fincorp of North Carolina in a $124 million deal, adding 14 branches and an additional $737 million in assets. In 2018, United entered the equipment finance sector by acquiring NLFC Holdings Corp. and its wholly owned subsidiary Navitas Credit Corp. for $130 million.
2020
In 2020, United acquired Three Shores Bancorporation and its wholly owned subsidiary, Seaside National Bank and Trust, expanding into the Florida market with 14 locations.
2021
In January 2021, United announced plans to relocate its corporate headquarters to downtown Greenville, South Carolina, with the construction of a new $65 million building. Later that year, the company expanded further in North Carolina with the acquisition of Aquesta Financial Holdings Inc. for $131 million in a cash-and-stock transaction. This acquisition brought the company’s total assets to approximately $18.6 billion.
2022
In early 2022, United completed a merger with Reliant Bancorp in Tennessee, followed by another with Progress Bank & Trust of Huntsville, Alabama, later that year.
2023
In July 2023, United Community Bank introduced a new brand identity, changing its name and logo to simply “United Community.” Additionally, the bank acquired First National Bank of South Miami for $116 million, further expanding into the Florida market.
2024
In April 2024, United Community officially opened its new corporate headquarters in Greenville, South Carolina. The 200,000-square-foot facility, known as the United Center, houses over 300 employees. The building earned the distinction of being South Carolina’s first WELL Certified structure for its emphasis on employee health and well-being.
2025
In 2025, the company finalized the acquisition of ANB Holdings Inc., the parent company of American National Bank based in Oakland Park, Florida, an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $80 million.
COMMUNITY The Power of
For 75 years, a focus on fueling healthy growth has helped ensure United communities thrive for decades to come
By J. Morgan McCallum
At United, we believe that the communities we serve need three things to thrive: vision, freedom, and connection,” reflects Lynn Harton, United Community Chairman and CEO. “I’ve had the opportunity to live in a lot of different places over the course of my career, including Greenville, South Carolina—and the Upstate is a place where it’s easy to see what makes a community really work well and be successful.”
unique atmosphere of opportunity, where collaboration between the business community, political leadership, and community advocates has cultivated an environment of growth. “This collaboration is something other cities would love to duplicate, but that doesn’t happen overnight. It is the result of a long-term vision that different people have created and invested in,” adds Harton.
Greenville, South Carolina, was selected as the headquarters for United for many reasons—including its inviting nature and
““ This collaboration is something other cities would love to duplicate, but that doesn’t happen overnight. It is the result of a long-term vision that different people have created and invested in.
Across its footprint, United strives to build communities by striking the balance between the key ingredients of vision, freedom, and connection. “It starts with more than a strong strategic plan and a welcoming culture,” says Harton.
”– Lynn Harton, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
“You need a real free enterprise system and a business-forward mindset. The freedom to try something new is one reason some communities thrive and others don’t. For instance, there are a lot of former textile cities that have remained weakened by the decline of that industry, whereas Greenville asked, ‘what can we pivot to?’”
Every United Community branch plays a pivotal role in the story, too. “We support local businesses, which are the true engines of growth. From the local building supply company to the newest restaurant, these are what make a community stronger, and that’s who we bank with and invest our time and money in,” says Harton. From granting start-up loans to forging connections between neighbors, this entrepreneurial spirit of saying “yes”—when paired with a culture that welcomes newcomers, new ideas, and new sources of demand—is what fuels the growth that communities need to be vibrant, healthy places to live, work, and play.
And a healthy vision for building community extends far beyond business loans, property choices, and infrastructure. “It’s equally important to support the nonprofits that enrich the quality of life in a community,
whether it’s an arts organization or a schoolsupport organization,” says Harton, who nods to the long-term strategy that resulted in Greenville’s Peace Center. The Peace family, longtime Greenville business owners, wanted to give something back after the sale of their enterprise. Rather than just distribute their gift in one-time donations, they had the vision to invest and create a world-class performing-arts venue—a destination that now welcomes over 300,000 patrons annually. “It’s a tremendous economic engine for the city,” adds Harton.
Since United’s founding in Blairsville, Georgia, in 1950, a strong vision—rooted in putting the customer first—has guided its growth into a foundational part of every community it serves. Now, as it celebrates its 75th anniversary, that commitment remains as strong as ever. “We focus on you as an individual and not a number, because you have to know someone’s story before you want to take a risk,” reflects Harton, “and you don’t know the people in the community unless you’re living in that community, staying plugged in, and making local decisions there. We’ve always been communityfirst, and if we keep that up for the next 75 years, I think we’ll continue to be very successful.”
“ ” We’ve always been community-first, and if we keep that up for the next 75 years, I think we’ll continue to be very successful.
– Lynn Harton
It’s about more than money. It’s about your best interest.
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75 Years of Giving Back
How the United Community Bank Foundation builds on a legacy of giving
By J. Morgan McCallum
The ability to leave the world a better place—from even the smallest action to significant change—is one of life’s greatest gifts. United Community’s team members know this well, because a commitment to supporting the communities they call home has guided and grounded the company from the very beginning. After decades of growth and giving back across the region, the United Community Bank Foundation was created in 2020 to support and amplify the volunteer efforts of employees while fostering vibrant communities.
“What’s really unique about our foundation is that it truly reflects the work that our employees are doing in the community and the causes they’re passionate about,” says Holly Boynton, Community Development Senior Manager. Rather than accepting outside grant requests, the foundation focuses its support on organizations that align with employee interests and where team members are personally investing their time and energy.
Employees are encouraged to nominate organizations they actively support for grant consideration. Grant submissions are reviewed by the foundation’s board of directors, with awards being issued six times during the year. “We prioritize established relationships—those where employees are consistently engaged, whether through volunteering, board service, or other meaningful contributions,” explains Boynton. She offers a simple framework to describe this kind of involvement: “Time, talent, or resources. That might mean financial donations, sharing expertise, or showing up
to serve in hands-on ways.”
When the foundation was established, a company-wide survey helped identify four key pillars to guide its charitable giving: Economic Empowerment, Artistic Expression, Housing Strategies, and Youth Development. These pillars are more than focus areas—they represent the foundation’s commitment to strengthening the financial health of the communities United serves.
“Educating and preparing youth for the future is key to long-term financial health,” says Boynton. “Putting people on a pathway to homeownership and ensuring they have the knowledge and skills to thrive are essential to building strong, resilient communities. And while the arts are a powerful economic engine, they also carry significance for many of our employees. Anytime we invest in an organization doing meaningful work within one of these pillars, we know we’re advancing our mission and making a lasting impact.”
To further the foundation’s impact, each year it invests in affiliates of Goodwill Industries, Habitat for Humanity, and Junior Achievement, as well as arts programs in Title I schools, where creative opportunities can be especially transformative.
Local markets are encouraged to join these efforts by volunteering with partner organizations, which not only expands the foundation’s reach but also deepens the overall impact. This approach allows employees to discover new causes and engage in service that strengthens the communities they call home.
The power of this collective effort is especially evident in moments of crisis. Following Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact, the foundation pledged $350,000 in disaster relief grants, while employees stepped up to volunteer, rebuild, and care for those affected.
HOLLY BOYNTON
Beyond emergency response, the United team comes together throughout the year to make a measurable difference through volunteering and targeted giving.
On five “Good Days,” selected for their significance to employees, team members unite not only to serve, but to celebrate the spirit of giving in action. “There’s real strength in our ability to unite around a shared purpose,” says Boynton. Having come from the nonprofit world, Boynton has a deep appreciation for the privilege of being on the other side of the table. “It’s incredibly meaningful to be part of an organization that invests in the work of nonprofit organizations making a real difference in our communities—and to see the volunteer efforts of employees recognized,” she shares with a smile. “Seeing how engaged our employees are in their communities and how proud they are of that involvement… it’s truly inspiring.”
5 GOOD DAYS
People Over Process
United Community’s Chief Risk Officer aims to “Give a Nudge to the Sludge”
By Amanda Caps
The banking industry, for obvious reasons, is highly regulated, with layers of oversight designed to protect customers.
“Bureaucracy,” a term that typically has negative connotations, seems almost inevitable in such an environment, but Rob Edwards, Chief Risk Officer with United Community, recently set out to clarify the language and tackle “corporate slowdown.”
During United’s Spring Leadership Conference in March, Edwards presented a message titled “Nudge the Sludge.” Inspired by Cass Sunstein’s book, “Sludge: What Stops Us from Getting Things Done and What to Do about It,” Edwards encouraged leaders to boost morale by removing obstacles that impede their teams. He does contend, however, that some aspects of bureaucracy, such as a clear hierarchy and division of labor, translate to organizational strength—and even efficiency.
“Instead of avoiding bureaucracy altogether, what we really want to do is change some of the burdensome processes and make our work more impactful,” Edwards said. Negative aspects of maintaining a large company can include a lack of flexibility, inability to change, and the
perception—or reality—of being unresponsive to customers’ individual needs.
Edwards notes that institutions sometimes add sludge by enforcing regulations beyond what’s actually required. Accurate interpretation of those regulations is key to best practices for implementation.
Over management is another factor affecting workflow.
According to Edwards, one way to measure bureaucracy is to count the levels of management between the customer and the CEO. At United, there are only six. The bank’s leadership also rewards initiative and delegates decision making, stating that the people in front of the customer should have enough authority to manage their specific environments. “We believe in people over process,” Edwards said. That philosophy requires sound judgment on the part of employees, which does make the hiring process crucial. “We have to trust the right people and empower them to act,” he said.
Since Edwards’ presentation, he’s set up an email account dedicated to sludge. Employees send messages about anything that unnecessarily overtaxes them and make suggestions that are already improving processes for both customers and staff. “It’s started a lot of good conversations. People are gathering the information they need to present ideas we can enact, and them taking ownership like this furthers the culture as we clear the sludge,” he said.
ROB EDWARDS
Straightforward Success
Private Wealth services help make complex lives simpler
By Jerry Salley
KURT SCHUMACHER
During a recent meeting with a prospective client in Knoxville, Tennessee, Kurt Schumacher saw an expression he’s seen many times throughout his career counseling highnet-worth individuals.
“This was a guy who came up from nothing; he never had anything in his life,” says Schumacher, Wealth Strategist for United Community. “Now, as a result of his hard work, he’s come into meaningful wealth…and the complexity that comes with it. He’s been managing everything on his own, and I could literally see the exhaustion on his face.”
It can be overwhelming for individuals and families to deal with a complex financial situation on their own. They face challenges that could include deciding where and how to invest, finding proper insurance, planning retirement, transitioning a business, or setting up and administering a trust or estate plan.
Schumacher says clients, particularly business owners, attain financial success but often remain unprepared for key business and life events. “While they’ve done superb work growing their business or personal wealth, they often haven’t taken basic, but crucial, steps to maximize the sale value of the business, or to make sure that at the end of the day their wealth is transferred to loved ones in a tax-efficient and asset-protected manner,” he says. “It’s shocking how many wealthy clients have wills or buy-sell agreements that are 20 years old.”
Helping those clients is the goal for Schumacher and his colleagues at United Community Private Wealth, part of a comprehensive wealth management division the bank launched in early 2025. The program allows a client to work one-on-one with a Private Banker, who coordinates planning and investment services with other team members as appropriate for each client.
United Community is in an optimal position to meet the needs of these clients, says Schumacher.
“There’s not a lot of people in our market who can offer comprehensive services like us,” he says. “The large banks have essentially abandoned all but the highest-net-worth clients, and small local banks just don’t have the capacity to do what we’re doing.”
And the United team is prepared for the challenge. “Everyone who’s joining Private Wealth has a ton of experience,” says Schumacher. “We’re attracting the best people to create a new and unique group.”
Providing investment advisory services and—at no additional cost—high-end counseling on estate planning, tax strategies, philanthropy, and business transfers is the core aim of United Community Private Wealth. And potential clients, like the one in Knoxville, are taking notice.
“We can take the burden of complexity off of his shoulders,” says Schumacher. “And that will give him the most valuable thing of all—peace of mind.”
A POWERFUL PARTNERSHIP
Small-business owners and their United Community bankers share their stories
Built to Last
Long-time client says personal service is at the heart of relationship with United Community
By John Jeter
Time and distance may have separated the businessman and his banker, but their close relationship hasn’t changed since February 1, 1978, when 93-year-old Max Ware opened his business account with what was then Union County Bank.
Back then, Max and a couple of partners deposited $10,000 in the bank to open Ware Chevrolet in a 1940s-era building that would later become a pawn shop. Their automobile dealership on Blue Ridge Street sat only a few blocks from the bank just off Town Square.
That deposit soon opened the door to a $25,000 startup loan.
In the ’90s, both businesses made big moves. Ware Chevrolet relocated about 4 miles outside of town and built a showroom and repair shop totaling nearly 20,000 square feet. The bank renamed itself United Community Bank.
From then on, Max says, “I had no reason to change, you know, I had nobody treating me any better.”
Today, with more than 100 years’ combined sales experience, Max and his team serve a customer base that has expanded beyond North Georgia to North Carolina, with buyers from as far away as Florida and Virginia. United now operates 200 branches in six states, including two in Blairsville.
Max has been banking with United Community for about half his life. Max’s son-in-law, James Shope, has been the dealership’s General Manager for 30 years, and Max’s grandson, Hunter Shope, is ushering in the third generation of ownership and management.
Adam Born has been with United Community for 20 years
“ ” He valued a personal relationship with the bank, and that’s what we’ve built our foundation on.
– Adam Born
and now serves as the bank’s Blairsville President. Even before his professional relationship started with Ware Chevrolet, Adam had already known Max for about 10 years and bought a couple of cars from him.
Adam says Max would come into the bank once a week for payroll and other business. He still drops in now and then, though James has taken over those duties.
“It’s wonderful to have a customer like Max because he still values the personal touch, the personal level of service,” Adam says, calling Max a poster child for the bank’s customers. After all, Ware Chevrolet is one of its oldest.
“He’s one of those business owners who have been here with us through thick and thin,” Adam says. “He valued a personal relationship with the bank, and that’s what we’ve built our foundation on.”
L-R: James Shope (son-in-law to Max Ware and General Manager of Ware Chevrolet), Hunter Shope (James’ son, Max’s grandson, and salesman at Ware Chevrolet), and Max Ware
Roots Run Deep
Shared history, values mark decades-long partnership between Nelson Tractor Co. and United Community
By John Jeter
Nelson Tractor Co. and Union County Bank—now United Community—practically grew up together. The two were born about a year and a few blocks apart in Blairsville, Georgia. They’re still family, whose shared values helped them grow.
“Our corporate culture really matches theirs quite a bit,” says Will Nelson, who serves as the third-generation President of the company his grandfather, Cecil Nelson, started.
Adam Born, the bank’s Blairsville Market President, says virtually the same thing: “Their culture mirrors our own at United Community—a shared dedication to integrity, relationships, and the long-term well-being of our community.”
Speaking of long term, the companies’ histories are deeply, inextricably linked. Will’s father, W.C., joined the bank’s Board of Directors in 1974 as its youngest member and remained on the board through 1988, when Union County Bank became United Community Bank. He was named lead director in 2015.
Today, the bank is celebrating its 75th anniversary and operating 200 branches in six states. The farm-equipment dealership opened in 1949, and its three stores now serve Northeast Georgia, Western North Carolina, and Eastern Tennessee.
“Listening to the old stories about our bank’s early days is more than just nostalgia—it’s a reminder of how far we’ve come and how deeply we’re connected to Blairsville’s growth,” Adam says.
Will credits the companies’ parallel growth paths with the way each has always operated and continues to operate.
He tells about a customer who once came into the store, purchased a tractor, and left Will one of the best compliments he ever got about how some things never change.
“His daddy bought one from Granddad,” Will recalls, “and
“
” … You can go anywhere you want t0 bank, so why do you go to United? Because of the people and how they treat you.
– Will Nelson
W.D. Nelson, former United Community Director
he said, ‘Well, son, honestly, I can’t really tell the difference.’ That’s what I want. I want them to still be able to say, ‘It’s just like doing business with your granddad.’”
Will then immediately mentions United Community.
“There’s two types of business. There’s relational business and there’s transactional business. We do relational business. United Community does relational business. A lot of your large banks do transactional business,” he says.
“I always tell people here, ‘Look, you can go anywhere in the world you want to go and buy some other tractor.’ Why do you come here? Because of the people, because of the culture. You can say the same thing about United Community. You can go anywhere you want to bank, so why do you go to United? Because of the people and how they treat you.”
Three quarters of a century. And we’re just getting started.
We’ve spent the last 75 years serving our communities and helping our customers reach their nancial goals. If you think that’s something, just wait ‘til you see what we do with the next 75.
To hear more of our stories and see how we’ve celebrated 75 years, scan the code or visit ucbi.com/united-in-our-communities
UNITED AT-A-GLANCE
STATES
Proudly serving customers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, along with a national SBA lending franchise and a national equipment lending subsidiary (Navitas).
With 75 years of proven performance and the best bankers in the industry, United Community is one of the strongest and most secure banks in the Southeast. We operate on the philosophy of providing exceptional banking service while caring deeply for the communities we serve.
ACCOLADES INCLUDE #1 in Customer Satisfaction for Consumer Banking in the Southeast2 - J.D. Power awards for small business banking and middle market banking - Coalition Greenwich in 2024 for the eighth consecutive year. - American Banker
