from staff
Jacksonville banking veteran Andy Cheney was appointed Wednesday as president and chief operating officer of Ameris Bank.
Ameris Bank is the wholly owned banking subsidiary of Ameris Bancorp, which is based in Moultrie, Ga. Cheney will maintain his office in the Jacksonville area.
Edwin W. Hortman Jr. will continue to serve as Ameris Bank CEO and and as president and CEO of Ameris Bancorp.
“Andy joined our company in February 2009 as a member of the Ameris Bank and Ameris Bancorp executive teams,” said Hortman.
“Having been a banker for over 30 years, Andy brings solid business experience and acumen that will continue to have an immediate, positive impact in this new role,” he said.
Ameris Bank has 60 locations in Georgia, Florida, Alabama and South Carolina, including six branches in the Jacksonville area. It acquired two in October when it took over the deposits and certain assets of First Bank of Jacksonville through an agreement with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
Ameris offices in Jacksonville are along Lane Avenue, Old Baymeadows Road and San Jose Boulevard and at St. Johns Town Center. There also are offices along Blanding Boulevard in Orange Park and along Eagle Harbor Parkway at Fleming Island.
Before joining Ameris Bank, Cheney’s banking career included executive positions as North Florida president of Barnett Bank, Jacksonville president of Bank of America, and CEO and chair of Mercantile Bank.
Cheney has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida and is a graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University.
As a longtime resident of Jacksonville, he has served as chair of the United Way of North Florida, the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Gator Bowl Association. He also has served on other boards.