Sturm elected South Carolina Bankers Association Chairman
July 9, 2025
H. Richard Sturm, regional president of the Carolina’s for Ameris Bank, Mt. Pleasant, SC, has been elected Chairman of the South Carolina Bankers Association (SCBA). He was elected by a vote of SCBA members at their annual meeting and began serving his one-year term on July 1, 2025.
Sturm has been involved with the South Carolina Bankers Association for 25 years. Over the last three years, he has served as Treasurer, Vice Chair, and Chair-Elect. He succeeds Jennifer T. Jones, President and CEO of CBL State Savings Bank in Greer, who presented him with the ceremonial gavel at the SCBA’s 125th Annual Meeting.
Sturm joined Ameris Bank in 2006 and is currently responsible for the company’s banking operations in North and South Carolina. Previously, he was a regional executive at SCBT, as well as a director of commercial lending at Carolina First. He began his banking career as a commercial lender for C&S/Bank of America.
“Richard is a great banker, an admired leader, and a good friend. As the newly elected 126th Chairman of the South Carolina Bankers Association, it will be a pleasure working more closely with him this year. Like everything else he has done, he’ll do a fantastic job in this role,” said SCBA President and CEO Fred Green.
Other newly installed officers and board members for the 2025-26 fiscal year are Chair-Elect, Sammy Small, Jr. of First Palmetto Bank; First Vice Chair, Ted Nissen of First Community Bank; Treasurer, Coleman Kirven of The Peoples Bank; Midlands Group Director, Don Snipes of Enterprise Bank of SC; Upstate Group Directors, Jamin Hujik of Southern Bank and Wells Dunlap of Countybank; and Members-at-large Benita Lefft of Optus Bank, Bill Medich of SouthState Bank and Gene Walpole of The Bank of South Carolina.
The South Carolina Bankers Association
The South Carolina Bankers Association is the professional trade association organized to effectively represent the common interest and welfare of the banking industry in South Carolina and to promote the professional development of its members and their employees. The SCBA’s mission is to serve as a reliable and responsive source of information and education regarding areas of importance to the industry and to be the key advocate in helping our member institutions by providing leadership in legislative, regulatory, educational and value-added services. You can learn more at www.scbankers.org.
