Southern First appoints Chris Shugart as Chief Mortgage Officer
September 9, 2021
Southern First Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: SFST), holding company for Southern First Bank, is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Shugart as Chief Mortgage Officer.
Shugart is a Certified Mortgage Banker and joins Southern First with over 15 years of experience in the industry. After graduating from Wofford College with a bachelor’s degree in business and government, Shugart began his career as an Account Manager at Republic Mortgage Insurance Company, where he developed client relationships with mortgage lenders and banks across South Carolina and Georgia. He then served as Director of Residential Business Development and Senior Vice President at SouthState Bank for almost nine years. During this time, Shugart was involved in all aspects of the business including mortgage loan origination and operations, wholesale mortgage, mortgage servicing, marketing, and technology. Most recently, Shugart served as Enterprise Relationship Manager for ICE Mortgage Technology, a leading technology provider for the mortgage industry. He is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration at Clemson University.
In his role at Southern First, Shugart will be responsible for the growth and development of the bank’s mortgage lending division. Selected for the role because of his depth of expertise in process management and technology, Shugart will enhance Southern First’s mortgage operations, ensuring the bank provides concierge level service to borrowers throughout their path to homeownership. “We are excited to bring Chris on board to lead our mortgage team,” said Art Seaver, CEO. “His vision will establish Southern First as a mortgage leader in all of the eight markets we serve.”
“I’ve known Southern First for a long time and have always been impressed by what Southern First has done,” said Shugart. “To be a part of that story and future growth is incredibly exciting.”
About Southern First Bancshares
Southern First Bancshares, Inc., Greenville, South Carolina is a registered bank holding company incorporated under the laws of South Carolina. The company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Southern First Bank, is the largest bank headquartered in South Carolina. Southern First Bank has been providing financial services since 1999 and now operates in 12 locations in the Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston markets of South Carolina as well as the Triangle and Triad regions of North Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia. Southern First Bancshares has consolidated assets of approximately $2.7 billion and its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “SFST.” More information can be found at www.southernfirst.com.
