Serving with purpose
James B. Miller, Jr.
Ameris Bancorp Chairman
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
Lead Independent Director
Transamerica Mutual Funds
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.
H. Palmer Proctor Jr.
Ameris Bank Chief Executive Officer
Ameris Bancorp Chief Executive Officer
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., director of Choate Construction Company, director of Inspire Brands 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. 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.
William I. Bowen Jr.
Funeral Services
Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals
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.
Rodney Bullard
Vice President of Community Affairs at Chick-fil-A, Inc.
Executive Director of the Chick-fil-A Foundation
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.
Millard Choate
Founder and President of Choate Construction Company
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
Consumer Finance
Standard Discount Corporation
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
Automobile Sales
Lynch Management Company
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
COO and EVP of Preferred Capital Securities, LLCPresident of Preferred Shareholder Services
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
President & CEO - Real Estate
Stern & Stern and Associates
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.