Higgins will be responsible for building upon United’s strong foundation in the region and expanding the bank’s presence in this high-growth market. Doug’s hire is part of a strategic restructure of the bank’s community banking leadership.
“We believe Doug will be extremely effective in building upon our existing presence here and taking our teams in Atlanta to the next level,” said Rich Bradshaw, Chief Banking Officer. “Under Doug’s leadership, we look forward to utilizing some of the strategies that have helped us grow in other metro areas to elevate our profile in this valuable market.”
“We are poised for growth in Atlanta and we are confident Doug will be the person to help us reach our goals in this area,” added Lynn Harton, CEO of United Community Banks, Inc. “Adding Doug in this capacity is part of our overall strategy to emphasize local decision-making throughout our markets, which will allow us to best serve our banking customers throughout Atlanta.”
This role is part of a new structure put in place by the bank to further strengthen its local bank operations, and in Atlanta, unify the existing teams around the perimeter. Higgins is an ideal fit for this role because he is familiar both with community banking and the Atlanta metro area. He joins United from Renasant Bank, where he served as Executive Vice President – Commercial Banking Executive. He was responsible for managing a Commercial Banking team as well as county presidents in North Metro Atlanta and North Georgia. He has previous experience leading a bank as President and CEO of American Trust Bank, prior to its merger with Renasant Bank.
“I am truly honored to have the opportunity to work with United and make a difference in this market,” said Higgins. “United has a strong network and I look forward to impacting the growth of this outstanding organization. I feel strongly about pursuing a tailored approach to banking and am pleased that United is so focused on people and service.”
Higgins is a graduate of the University of North Carolina – Asheville and has spent nearly 30 years of his career in North Georgia and Atlanta. He is heavily involved in Rotary District 6900 and a past president of the Rotary Club of North Fulton. He has also been involved with the Child Development Association, Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce and the Community Bankers Association of Georgia. He and his wife have four adult children. Higgins will be based in the Johns Creek office of United Community Bank.
About United Community Banks, Inc.
United Community Banks, Inc. (NASDAQ: UCBI) is a bank holding company headquartered in Blairsville, Georgia, with executive offices in Greenville, South Carolina. The company’s banking subsidiary, United Community Bank, is one of the southeast region’s largest full-service banks with $12.5 billion in assets [as of December 31, 2018], and 149 offices in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The bank specializes in personalized community banking services for individuals, small businesses and corporations. Services include a full range of consumer and commercial banking products, including mortgage, advisory, and treasury management. Respected national research firms consistently recognize United Community Bank for outstanding customer service. For the last five years, J.D. Power has ranked United Community Bank first in customer satisfaction in the Southeast. In 2019, for the sixth consecutive year, Forbes magazine included United on its list of the 100 Best Banks in America. Additional information about the company and the bank can be found at www.ucbi.com.
