Ameris Bancorp executive VP LaHaise to retire

Ameris Bancorp announced that Corporate Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer James A. LaHaise will retire and end his employment effective April 30, 2026.

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Ameris Bancorp announced that Corporate Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer James A. LaHaise will retire and end his employment effective April 30, 2026. He notified the company on February 19, 2026 and entered into a Retirement Agreement and Release.

Under this agreement, LaHaise will provide transition and support services for three months after his retirement if requested. He is eligible for an annual retirement benefit of $100,000 for ten years, subject to the terms of a Supplemental Executive Retirement Agreement and the Retirement Agreement, including release conditions.

His existing time-based restricted share awards and performance unit awards will continue to be governed by the Ameris Bancorp 2021 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan and the applicable award agreements without modification. If he revokes or fails to sign required releases, the company will not be obligated to pay the SERP retirement benefit.

8-K Event Classification

Item 5.02 — Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers

1 item

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers Governance

Key personnel changes including departures, elections, or appointments of directors and executive officers.

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What leadership change did Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) disclose in this 8-K?

Ameris Bancorp disclosed that Corporate Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer James A. LaHaise will retire and terminate his employment effective April 30, 2026. He entered into a Retirement Agreement and Release outlining transition services and retirement benefit terms.

When is Ameris Bancorp executive James A. LaHaise’s retirement effective?

James A. LaHaise’s retirement and employment termination are effective April 30, 2026. He previously notified Ameris Bancorp on February 19, 2026 and signed a Retirement Agreement and Release detailing transition support and eligibility for retirement benefits.

What retirement benefits will James A. LaHaise receive from Ameris Bancorp (ABCB)?

James A. LaHaise is entitled to an annual retirement benefit of $100,000 for ten years. This benefit is governed by his Supplemental Executive Retirement Agreement and the Retirement Agreement, and depends on properly executing and not revoking required releases.

Are James A. LaHaise’s Ameris Bancorp equity awards modified by his retirement?

His outstanding time-based restricted share awards and performance unit awards will not be modified. They will be retained or forfeited according to the existing Ameris Bancorp 2021 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan and applicable award agreements, following their original terms and conditions.

What transition support will James A. LaHaise provide to Ameris Bancorp?

Under the Retirement Agreement, LaHaise will provide transition and support services to Ameris Bancorp for a three-month period after April 30, 2026. These services are to be provided as the company may request during that post-retirement transition period.

What conditions could cause Ameris Bancorp to withhold LaHaise’s SERP retirement benefit?

Ameris Bancorp will not be obligated to pay the annual SERP retirement benefit if LaHaise fails to sign and deliver an updated release through the Retirement Date or revokes that updated release within the specified revocation period described in the Retirement Agreement.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Accepted by SEC EDGAR 02/24/2026 - 05:01 PM Learn about SEC filing dates

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): February 19, 2026

Ameris Bancorp

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Georgia			001-13901			58-1456434
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)			(Commission File Number)			(IRS Employer Identification No.)

    

3490 Piedmont Road N.E., Suite 1550
Atlanta,			Georgia			30305
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)						(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (404) 639-6500

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

☐    Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐    Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐    Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐    Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class			Trading Symbol(s)			Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share			ABCB			New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

    Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On February 24, 2026, Ameris Bancorp (the “Company”) announced that James A. LaHaise, the Company’s Corporate Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, will retire from his positions with the Company and terminate his employment effective April 30, 2026 (the “Retirement Date”). Mr. LaHaise notified the Company of his intent to retire and entered into a Retirement Agreement and Release with the Company and its subsidiary, Ameris Bank (the “Retirement Agreement”), on February 19, 2026. Pursuant to the Retirement Agreement, Mr. LaHaise will provide certain transition and support services to the Company as it may request during the three-month period following the Retirement Date. As part of the Retirement Agreement, Mr. LaHaise executed a general release of claims against the Company on customary terms. He will be entitled to receive his annual retirement benefit of $100,000 per year for ten years, subject to the terms and conditions of the Supplemental Executive Retirement Agreement, adopted as of November 10, 2015, between him and Ameris Bank (the “SERP”), and the Retirement Agreement, and his outstanding time-based restricted share awards and outstanding performance unit awards will be retained or forfeited in accordance with the terms and conditions, without modification, of the Ameris Bancorp 2021 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan and the applicable award agreements.

If Mr. LaHaise revokes his release within the customary revocation period set forth in the Retirement Agreement, then the Retirement Agreement will have no force or effect. Pursuant to the Retirement Agreement, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Retirement Agreement or the SERP, if Mr. LaHaise fails to sign and deliver an updated release through the Retirement Date as contemplated by the Retirement Agreement, or revokes the updated release within the revocation period set forth therein, then in each case the Company will not be obligated to pay him the annual retirement benefit under the SERP.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.

AMERIS BANCORP

By:			/s/ Nicole S. Stokes
			Nicole S. Stokes
			Chief Financial Officer

Date: February 24, 2026

Filing Exhibits & Attachments

3 documents

Other Documents

• EX-101 XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION SCHEMA DOCUMENT 1.8 KB
• EX-101 XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION LABEL LINKBASE DOCUMENT 22.2 KB
• EX-101 XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION PRESENTATION LINKBASE DOCUMENT 12.7 KB