Pinnacle Financial Partners and Synovus Financial Corp. have named their market and specialty banking leaders across Georgia as part of the next phase in building the Southeast’s highest-performing regional bank. These appointments represent another step in bringing the two firms together to form a growth champion headquartered in Tennessee and Georgia.

Each leader will oversee local teams that reflect the combined firm’s go-forward model of community-based decision-making, where credit and client service authority reside closest to the people and businesses served.

“When leaders understand the people and businesses they serve, they can deepen relationships and build trust and long-term success for clients,” said Charlie Clark, Synovus president of community banking and Georgia geography leader for the combined firm. “Our Georgia team will demonstrate that excellence in driving growth for clients and strengthening our performance and purpose.” 

These appointments include:

• Atlanta Leaders

  • Charlie Clark – Atlanta overall leader

  • Paige Collier – Atlanta Regional President and commercial banking leader

    • Baimba Norman, David Venn, Scott Jordan, Chris Gruehn, Susan Godbee – Client Advisory Group leaders

  • Blake Gober – Commercial leader

    • Matt McClure and Charlie Barnwell – Client Advisory Group leaders

  • Cory Jackson – Commercial leader

  • Allyson Kiel – Private Wealth Client Advisory Group leader

• Georgia Regional Leaders

  • Heath Schondelmayer – Regional President for Columbus, LaGrange, Warner Robins, Phenix City and Macon

    • Jake Jones – LaGrange leader

    • Ron Weigle – Warner Robins leader

    • Will Thompson – Phenix City leader

    • Jim Manley – Macon leader

  • Jody Patton – Regional President for Athens, Augusta, Monroe, Statesboro, Savannah and Northwest Georgia

    • John Tebeau – Athens leader

    • Kevin Glass – Augusta leader

    • Meredith Malcolm – Monroe leader

    • Chad Wiggins – Statesboro leader

    • Ken Rabitsch – Savannah leader

    • Bill Davies – Northwest Georgia leader

  • Ty Turner – Regional President for Thomasville, Albany, Americus, Brunswick, Tifton and Valdosta

    • Pam Simmons – Albany leader

    • Emory Parker – Americus leader

    • Wayne Johnson – Brunswick leader

    • Peter Crowley – Tifton leader

    • Garrett Copeland – Valdosta leader

• Other Georgia Leaders

  • Gene Perkins – Private wealth state leader

  • Scott Asher – Georgia retail banking leader

  • Brad Beard – Georgia specialty leader

  • David Abee – Georgia COO

This leadership structure reflects Pinnacle’s geographic model, which places control in the hands of local teams and empowers lenders, treasury specialists, wealth advisors and more to collaborate under one local leader.

“Both Pinnacle and Synovus have built success by trusting experienced people to lead locally,” said Rob McCabe, Pinnacle founder and chairman and chief banking officer for the combined firm. “This model has driven extraordinary growth for both organizations. These local leaders will continue that trajectory by focusing on service, advice and extraordinary convenience for every client.”

The merger between Pinnacle and Synovus is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, pending shareholder and regulatory approvals. Both firms continue to operate independently until that time.

View a complete list of leaders for banking specialties and geographic markets in the combined Pinnacle Financial Partners.