Ameris Bank Promotes Finance Veteran to Controller Position

Ameris Bank Names Merri Ellen Wadsworth as Controller

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03/11/2025 - 04:15 PM

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ameris Bank has promoted Merri Ellen Wadsworth to controller, reporting to Chief Financial Officer Nicole Stokes. Wadsworth had been executive vice president and managing director of Enterprise Operations for the company.

Merri Ellen Wadsworth (Photo: Business Wire)

“Merri Ellen Wadsworth is a proven leader in Finance,” said Stokes. “She joined Ameris in 2020 as director of Finance and Accounting and successfully led financial planning and budgeting processes for the bank. She redesigned the Accounting and Finance organizational structure and built a team of accountants to support our business lines and functions.”

As controller, Wadsworth will be responsible for managing accounting and finance functions for Ameris, including accounts payable, core bank accounting, lines of business accounting, general ledger maintenance and processes, and overall financial system controls.

Prior to working at Ameris, Wadsworth was director of financial reporting for SunTrust (now Truist). She previously served as an audit senior manager for Crowe Horwath, LLP where Ameris was one of her clients for many years.

Wadsworth holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting from Georgia Southern University. She is also a Certified Public Accountant.

About Ameris Bank

Ameris Bank, a subsidiary of Ameris Bancorp (NYSE: ABCB), is a state-chartered bank headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Ameris operates 164 financial centers across the Southeast and serves consumer and business customers nationwide through select lending channels. Ameris manages $26.3 billion in assets as of Dec. 31, 2024, and provides a full range of traditional banking and lending products, treasury and cash management, insurance premium financing, and mortgage and refinancing services. Learn more about Ameris at amerisbank.com.