United Community Banks (UCB) gives incoming CFO cash and equity sign-on package
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC. (UCB) announced that its Board approved the hiring of Tom Speir as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective September 8, 2026, succeeding current CFO Jefferson L. Harralson. Harralson will remain CFO until that date and then continue in another role through December 31, 2026 to support an orderly transition, under an existing April 28, 2026 agreement. Speir, age 44, has more than 20 years of financial services experience, including senior roles at Regions Financial Corp. in investor relations, strategy, corporate development and treasury.
The company outlines Speir’s compensation package, including a $600,000 base salary, annual target bonus equal to 80% of base salary (with the 2026 bonus at 100% of target, subject to a company performance multiplier), a $215,000 sign-on bonus, annual target equity grants equal to 115% of base salary, and a $450,000 sign-on equity grant vesting 50% per year over two years. He will also receive certain perquisites such as auto and club allowances, temporary housing and relocation benefits and will be party to the company’s standard Change in Control Continuity Agreement for executives at his level.
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8-K Event Classification
3 items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
3 items
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.
Item 7.01
Regulation FD Disclosure
Disclosure
Material non-public information disclosed under Regulation Fair Disclosure, often investor presentations or guidance.
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits
Exhibits
Financial statements, pro forma financial information, or exhibit attachments filed with this report.
Key Figures
Base salary: $600,000
Annual target bonus: 80% of base salary
2026 bonus opportunity: 100% of target
+5 more
8 metrics
Base salary
$600,000
Annual base salary for Tom Speir as Executive Vice President and CFO
Annual target bonus
80% of base salary
Standard annual target bonus opportunity for Speir
2026 bonus opportunity
100% of target
2026 bonus set at full target, subject to company performance multiplier
Sign-on bonus
$215,000
Cash sign-on bonus for Tom Speir
Annual target equity grant
115% of base salary
Ongoing annual equity grant target for Speir
Sign-on equity grant
$450,000
Equity grant vesting 50% per year over 2 years
Auto allowance
$15,000 per year
Annual auto allowance for the new CFO
Temporary housing allowance
$3,000 per month
Temporary housing for up to nine months for Speir
Key Terms
Change in Control Continuity Agreement, Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K, Inline XBRL, emerging growth company
4 terms
Change in Control Continuity Agreement financial
"party to the Company’s standard Change in Control Continuity Agreement for executives"
Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K regulatory
"transaction ... that would require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K"
Inline XBRL technical
"The cover page from this on , formatted in Inline XBRL"
Inline XBRL is a file format for financial filings that embeds machine-readable data tags directly inside the human-readable report, so the same document can be read by people and parsed by software. For investors it makes extracting, comparing and verifying financial numbers faster and more reliable—like a grocery list where each item also has a barcode—reducing manual errors and speeding up analysis.
emerging growth company regulatory
"405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ... Emerging growth company"
An emerging growth company is a recently public or smaller public firm that qualifies for temporary, lighter regulatory and disclosure rules to reduce the cost and effort of being public. For investors, it means the company may provide less historical financial detail and face fewer reporting requirements than larger firms, so it can grow more quickly but also carries higher uncertainty—like buying a promising early-stage product with fewer user reviews.
FAQ
What executive leadership change did UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS INC (UCB) announce?
UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS INC announced that Tom Speir will become Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer on September 8, 2026, succeeding Jefferson L. Harralson. Harralson will remain with the company through December 31, 2026 to facilitate a smooth transition.
What is the base salary and target bonus for UCB’s new CFO Tom Speir?
Tom Speir will receive a $600,000 base salary and an annual target bonus equal to 80% of base salary. For 2026, his bonus opportunity is set at 100% of target, subject to a company performance multiplier, aligning pay with corporate results.
What sign-on compensation will UCB pay to new CFO Tom Speir?
UCB will provide Speir a $215,000 cash sign-on bonus and a $450,000 sign-on equity grant that vests 50% per year over two years. This package supplements his ongoing salary, bonus, and annual equity awards as Executive Vice President and CFO.
What equity compensation structure will apply to UCB’s new CFO?
Speir’s annual target equity grant is 115% of base salary, plus a one-time $450,000 sign-on equity grant vesting over two years. These equity components are intended to align his interests with long-term shareholder value and company performance.
What additional benefits and perquisites will UCB provide to CFO Tom Speir?
Speir will receive an $15,000 per year auto allowance, $20,000 per year club dues, a temporary housing allowance of $3,000 per month for up to nine months, and relocation reimbursement of up to $30,000, alongside standard executive benefits.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
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): August 19, 2026
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (Commission file number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) | ||||||||||||
(Address of principal executive offices)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:
(800 ) 822-2651
Not applicable
(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:
| 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 | ||||||
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 August 13, 2026, the Board of Directors of United Community Banks, Inc. (the “Company”) approved the hiring of Tom Speir to succeed Jefferson L. Harralson as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) effective September 8, 2026 (the “Transition Date”). Mr. Harralson will continue as CFO until the Transition Date and, thereafter, in order to ensure an orderly transition of his duties and responsibilities, will continue in his employment with the Company from the Transition Date through December 31, 2026. Mr. Harralson’s continued employment is pursuant to his agreement dated April 28, 2026, a copy of which was filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated and filed with the Commission on April 28, 2026, which is incorporated herein by this reference.
Mr. Speir, age 44, has more than 20 years of experience in financial services, having held a diverse array of roles in corporate treasury, strategy, corporate development and portfolio management. Since April 2026, Mr. Speir has served as Head of Investor Relations, Strategy and Corporate Development for Regions Financial Corp. (Regions Bank), having previously led Regions’ Strategy and Corporate Development group, responsibilities retained when he assumed the role as Head of Investor Relations. After joining Regions in 2009, he served in various leadership roles in Corporate Treasury, including Assistant Treasurer and head of Balance Sheet Management from 2018 until 2022, when he was appointed to lead the Strategy and Corporate Development team. Prior to joining Regions, he served in Wachovia Bank’s Treasury organization as Securitized Products Portfolio Manager. Speir holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a Finance concentration from North Carolina State University.
There are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Speir and any other persons pursuant to which Mr. Speir was selected to become CFO, nor are there any family relationships between Mr. Speir and any of the Company’s directors or other executive officers. Neither Mr. Speir nor any person related to Mr. Speir has a direct or indirect material interest in any existing or currently proposed transaction to which the Company is or may become a participant that would require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
As Executive Vice President and CFO, Mr. Speir will be a party to the Company’s standard Change in Control Continuity Agreement for executives at his level, the form of which is filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated and filed with the Commission on February 14, 2023 and incorporated herein by this reference. The terms and conditions of the Company’s Change in Control Continuity Agreements are set forth on pages 56-57 of the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement sent in connection with its Annual Meeting of Shareholders on May 13, 2026 and filed with the Commission on April 1, 2026, which terms and conditions are incorporated herein by this reference.
In addition to the benefits generally available to other executives at the Company (e.g., vacation, group health, retirement, paid time off), Mr. Speir’s compensation will consist of:
•Base salary - $600,000
•Annual target bonus – 80% of base salary (with 2026 bonus at 100% of target, subject to company performance multiplier)
•Sign-on bonus - $215,000
•Annual target equity grant – 115% of base salary
•Sign-on equity grant – Valued at $450,000, subject to vesting 50% per year over 2 years
•Auto allowance - $15,000 per year
•Club dues - $20,000 per year
•Temporary housing allowance - $3,000 per month for a maximum of nine months
•Relocation – eligible for up to $30,000 reimbursement
Item 7.01 | Regulation FD Disclosure. | ||||
On August 19, 2026, the Company issued the press release that is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, which by this reference is incorporated herein as if copied verbatim, announcing the appointment of Mr. Speir as the Company’s CFO.
Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. | ||||
(d) See exhibit index below for the list of exhibits filed or furnished with this Current Report on Form 8-K.
| EXHIBIT INDEX | |||||
| Exhibit No. | Description of Exhibit | ||||
99.1 | Press Release, dated August 19, 2026 (furnished only). | ||||
| 104 | The cover page from this Current Report on Form 8-K, formatted in Inline XBRL. | ||||
SIGNATURES
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.
| UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC. | ||||||||
| By: | /s/ Melinda Davis Lux | |||||||
| Name: | Melinda Davis Lux | |||||||
| Title: | Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary | |||||||
| Date: August 19, 2026 | ||||||||
Exhibit 99.1
Contact:
Joy Marshall
joy_marshall@ucbi.com
(864) 241-8738
United Community Names Tom Speir as New Chief Financial Officer
Seasoned banking executive brings deep financial, M&A, and investor relations experience to support United's continued growth
GREENVILLE, S.C., August 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — United Community (NYSE: UCB) today announced that Tom Speir has been named executive vice president and chief financial officer.
Speir brings mothan two decades of financial experience, including balance sheet management, M&A, strategic planning, and investor relations. In this role, he will shape the bank’s financial direction, oversee capital management and investor relations, and help guide United’s long-term growth and financial strength.
“I am excited to welcome Tom to the United team. He brings proven experience to the role, including clear financial expertise, strategic planning skills, and solid relationships in the investment community,” said Chief Executive Officer Lynn Harton. “Those strengths will help us continue to grow our company and position us for a great future. Tom is a great cultural fit as well, with the right values and approach to connect with our employees and customers.”
“I am honored to join United at such an exciting time for the company,” said Speir. “What attracted me most was the culture, the values, and the shared commitment to improving the financial well-being of the customers and communities we serve. I look forward to working alongside this talented team as we build on United's success and continue growing together.”
Speir will join the Greenville, S.C.-based bank on September 8, succeeding Jefferson Harralson, who announced his retirement earlier this year.