SouthState Welcomes Large Group of Bankers Across Expanding Footprint

Rhea-AI Summary

SouthState Bank (NYSE: SSB) has announced a significant expansion of its banking team across nine states, demonstrating strong recruitment momentum. The company has made several key appointments, including Steve Stagg as regional president in Tampa and Blake Freeman as regional president in Huntsville.

Notable internal promotions include David Kirkpatrick as managing director of Private Wealth and SouthState Advisory, and Jason Ware as head of municipal underwriting for SouthState|DuncanWilliams. The bank has strengthened multiple divisions including Market Leadership, Association Banking, Commercial Banking, Investment Services, and Middle Market Banking.

The expansion spans major markets including Florida, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and other states, with new hires bringing extensive experience from prominent financial institutions such as ServisFirst Bank, Regions Bank, and Bank of America.

Positive

• Strategic expansion across nine states strengthening market presence
• Successful recruitment of experienced bankers from major competitors
• Diversification of services across multiple banking segments
• Internal promotions showing strong talent development

Negative

• None.

WINTER HAVEN, Fla., Sept. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SouthState welcomes a large group of new hires, expanding its roster of experienced bankers committed to serving clients across nine states. SouthState continues to be an employer of choice for professionals interested in advancing their careers and making a positive impact for both individuals and businesses.

"We believe our team members are our greatest asset, and this crop of new hires bring not only impressive skills but also a collaborative spirit that aligns well with our core values. We look forward to achieving success for our clients and communities together," said Richard Murray, SouthState president.

In addition to new bankers, SouthState announces the promotion of David Kirkpatrick to the position of managing director of Private Wealth and SouthState Advisory and Jason Ware to head of municipal underwriting for SouthState|DuncanWilliams. In South Carolina, Trent Drafts was promoted to Charleston commercial market executive, and Scott Ferguson was promoted to Greenville commercial market executive.

Market Leadership

Steve Stagg – regional president, Tampa, Fla. – is a veteran banker with two decades of experience in cash management, capital structure, industry trends, financial forecasting, succession planning and other strategic alternatives. He previously held roles at Beach Bank, Regions Bank and Florida Bank. Stagg earned a master's degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Blake Freeman – regional president, Huntsville, Ala. – joins SouthState from ServisFirst Bank where he worked since 2013. While there, he managed a diverse portfolio of commercial and industrial clients, government contractors, residential development and home construction, and large construction efforts including multi-family and hospitality development. Freeman is a graduate of Leadership Huntsville/Madison County's Flagship Class 35, Connect Class 21, and Focus Class 36. Freeman graduated from Auburn University Cum Laude with a degree in finance. 

Association Banking PRIME

Frank Cupersmith – association banking executive, Minneapolis, Minn. – is experienced in the areas of community association management, real estate and financial services. He joins SouthState from CAM Leadership Institute where he served as chief revenue officer for 3 years. Previous roles include vice president of community management at Associa and co-founder of HOA management company Rowcal. Cupersmith holds a bachelor's degree from Bethel University.

Mark Evans – association banking executive, St. Cloud, Fla. – spent the past 10 years at First Citizens Bank as a relationship sales officer before joining SouthState. Previous banking roles include account executive at LM Funding and regional account executive at Mutual of Omaha. Evans earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Auburn University.

SouthState|DuncanWilliams

Kevin Smith, CFA – managing director of fixed income strategies, Memphis, Tenn. – joined SouthState|DuncanWilliams after 17 years at Vining Sparks and its successor Stifel Financial. In his current role, he leads a team focused on providing timely investment and capital market solutions, delivering valuable tools and services, and educating both internal and external stakeholders. Kevin graduated from Christian Brothers University with a degree in finance.

Rebekah Most – public finance underwriting operations manager, Denver, Colo. – brings more than 10 years of fixed income experience to SouthState|DuncanWilliams. Most recently, she managed municipal bond underwriting operations, as well as sales and trading support, at D.A. Davidson & Co. Most is a member of the MSRB's Compliance Advisory Group and is actively involved in several industry organizations, including the BDA's Best Practices and Operations Group, Women in Public Finance and the Municipal Bond Women's Forum. She earned dual bachelor's degrees in Spanish and communication sciences and disorders from Missouri State University and attended the University of Northern Colorado for post-graduate work in audiology. She currently holds FINRA SIE and Series 7, 24, 50, 52, 53, 63, and 99 licenses.

Commercial Banking

Tracy Ayers – CRE relationship manager, Nashville, Tenn. – joins the newly established SouthState team in Nashville with 30 years of experience. She previously worked for institutions including Fourth Capital Bank and Renasant Bank in commercial banking. Ayers earned her Certified Commercial Investment Member designation from the CCIM Institute in Chicago and a bachelor's in finance from Lipscomb University.

Michael Bishop – commercial banker, Huntsville, Ala. – brings a decade-plus of experience, coming to SouthState from ServisFirst. He has developed a diverse portfolio including law practices, software companies, real estate development, and transportation across the Southeast. Bishop is a graduate of the Jacksonville State School of Business and Industry and an alumni of the Leadership Greater Huntsville Connect 27 Class.

Cameron Ricks – commercial relationship manager, Birmingham, Ala. – is a seasoned banker with more than a decade of experience in commercial and private wealth banking. An alumnus of the University of North Alabama with a degree in political science, he brings a unique blend of public policy insight and financial expertise to every client relationship. Outside of work, Ricks volunteers with the Birmingham Sunrise Rotary Club, Alabama Boys State, Alabama Sports Council and Alabama Bankers Guild.

Robert Raney – CRE relationship manager, Houston, Texas – brings 25 years of experience in commercial banking. Prior to joining SouthState, he spent more than five years with Veritex Bank's CRE Group, specializing in industrial and multifamily properties. Earlier in his career, Raney was one of the original founding members of The Bank of River Oaks, where he served as a lender for 13 years. Raney holds a degree from Tulane University's A.B. Freeman School of Business. 

Tien Huynh – commercial relationship manager, Houston, Texas – is a commercial banker with 15 years of experience in commercial lending. Previous roles include senior relationship manager at Gulf Capital and healthcare finance specialist at Citibank. Huynh holds a bachelor's degree from University of Houston. 

Shelly Gonzenbach – commercial real estate portfolio manager, Atlanta, Ga. – brings more than 20 years of Atlanta banking experience to the team and is committed to building and maintaining strong client relationships. She assists with new lending opportunities in addition to managing the bank's commercial real estate portfolio in Atlanta.  A native of Tennessee, she holds a bachelor's degree from Wake Forest University and an MBA from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Alicia Jordan – commercial portfolio manager, Atlanta, Ga. – joins the SouthState Franchise Lending group. Jordan previously worked at Genuine Parts Company and Truist Bank. She has more than 20 years of experience working in franchise finance and takes pride in helping small business owners realize their dreams.

Brian Lamkin – commercial relationship manager, Atlanta, Ga. – brings more than 20 years of experience in business development, finance, fundraising and strategic relationship management. His career includes leadership and production roles at PNC Bank, SunTrust, and AXA Equitable. Lamkin earned his bachelor's degree in psychology with a concentration in preliminary medicine from the University of Kansas.

Sammie Joseph – commercial relationship manager, Austin, Texas – has served in senior leadership roles at American Bank of Commerce, Independent Bank and Horizon Bank with experience in commercial lending, credit analysis, business development and multi-asset portfolio management. Joseph holds an MBA from Baylor University and a bachelor's degree in economics from The University of Texas at Austin. He is a licensed Texas Real Estate Broker and former staffer in the White House, Office of the Senior Advisor.

Spence Maier – commercial relationship manager, Round Rock, Texas – joins SouthState from Jefferson Bank where he worked as a commercial lender. Earlier in his career, he also worked as commercial loan officer, business banker and private banker. He holds a degree from Graceland College.

Investment Services

Andrew Mears – financial consultant, Birmingham, Ala. – previously worked with leading financial institutions including Merrill Lynch, UBS Financial Services and Wells Fargo Advisors. He is a graduate of Auburn University with a degree in business administration. He has his FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registration held with LPL Financial and his Alabama Life, Health, and Variable Annuities licenses.

Jennifer Young – associate financial consultant, Savannah, Ga. – assists clients in navigating the complexities of financial planning, both pre- and post-retirement. She has her Series 7 and 66 securities licenses held with LPL Financial. Young earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia.

Caleb Stokes – associate financial consultant, Cornelia, Ga. – specializes in investment strategies and long-term financial plans to support clients' specific goals. He holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠ (CRPC®) and Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) designations, as well as Series 7 and 66 securities registrations held with LPL Financial.

Middle Market Banking

Jason Goetz – middle market portfolio manager team lead, Birmingham, Ala. – brings 24 years of management experience in corporate and commercial loans. Before a stint at City National Bank, Goetz spent several years at Regions Bank working with diversified industries portfolio. He holds FINRA Series 63 and 79, as well as a bachelor's degree from Samford University.

Jill Damer – middle market portfolio manager, Nashville, Tenn. – joins SouthState from Bank of America, where she's spent the bulk of her financial career. Previous roles include middle market commercial credit underwriter, credit analyst officer and credit analyst. Damer holds a bachelor's degree and MBA from Baker College.

Ashley Moore – middle market relationship banker, Atlanta, Ga. – joins SouthState from Regions Bank where she worked as a leveraged finance associate focused on private equity, M&A and leveraged underwriting. Prior to that, Moore held roles as a commercial portfolio manager and analyst, building a strong foundation in credit and relationship management. Moore graduated from Auburn University with a dual major in finance and applied mathematics.

Premier Private Banking

John Vaughan – premier private banker, Orlando, Fla. – spent the first half of his career working in insurance before transitioning to the bank footprint as an advisor with BB&T, Fifth Third, and Truist. Fully licensed with a 215, series 6,63, 65 and 7, Vaughan has an extensive background with managed money, annuities, mutual fund/ETF and UITs in addition to his advanced life insurance and income planning for individuals and businesses.

SouthState Bank Corporation (NYSE: SSB) is a financial services company headquartered in Winter Haven, Florida. SouthState Bank, N.A., the company's nationally chartered bank subsidiary, provides consumer, commercial, mortgage and wealth management solutions to more than 1.5 million customers throughout Florida, Texas, the Carolinas, Georgia, Colorado, Alabama, Virginia and Tennessee. The bank also serves clients nationwide through its correspondent banking division. Additional information is available at SouthStateBank.com.

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SOURCE SouthState Bank N.A.

FAQ

What major appointments did SouthState Bank (SSB) announce in September 2025?

SouthState Bank announced several key appointments including Steve Stagg as Tampa regional president, Blake Freeman as Huntsville regional president, and David Kirkpatrick as managing director of Private Wealth and SouthState Advisory.

How many states is SouthState Bank (SSB) expanding its operations in 2025?

SouthState Bank is expanding its operations across nine states, including Florida, Texas, the Carolinas, Georgia, Colorado, Alabama, Virginia and Tennessee.

What divisions did SouthState Bank strengthen with new hires in 2025?

SouthState Bank strengthened multiple divisions including Market Leadership, Association Banking, Commercial Banking, Investment Services, and Middle Market Banking with experienced new hires.

Who are the key leadership promotions at SouthState Bank (SSB) in 2025?

Key promotions include David Kirkpatrick to managing director of Private Wealth and SouthState Advisory, Jason Ware to head of municipal underwriting, Trent Drafts to Charleston commercial market executive, and Scott Ferguson to Greenville commercial market executive.

What is SouthState Bank's (SSB) current market presence?

SouthState Bank serves more than 1.5 million customers throughout Florida, Texas, the Carolinas, Georgia, Colorado, Alabama, Virginia and Tennessee, with additional nationwide service through its correspondent banking division.