Longtime banking executive Jim LaHaise has been named president and CEO of The Coastal Bank, a locally owned and operated community bank headquartered in Savannah.
The appointment is subject to regulatory approvals.
LaHaise succeeds J. Thomas Wiley, Jr., who has accepted a position as vice chairman and president of State Bank and Trust in Atlanta. Wiley will serve as acting president and CEO of The Coastal Bank until the required approvals are finalized.
“I’m honored to continue the impressive history of success at The Coastal Bank,” LaHaise said, adding that he plans to continue Wiley’s legacy of collaborative leadership and culture building.
“The Coastal Bank will continue to provide exceptional customer service, outstanding products and state-of-the-art technology to personal and business banking customers,” he said.
“Tom Wiley has taken this bank through the toughest five years in memory and positioned it well to thrive as we move forward. My plan is to continue to execute that successful focus.”
Previously the executive vice president and chief banking officer at The Coastal Bank, LaHaise has more than 26 years of experience. He joined The Coastal Bank in 2007 after serving as executive vice president for sales and performance management with Flag Bank in Atlanta, president of Middle Georgia Banking for Century South and senior vice president of sales and service for AmeriBank in Savannah.
He is a graduate of The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina in Charleston, and serves as chairman of the board of directors for the Savannah Technical College Foundation.
“Jim is a talented leader with deep knowledge of community banking and a strong commitment to coastal Georgia,” said Fred Bergen, The Coastal Bank’s board vice-chairman. “We have every confidence he will provide strong leadership for The Coastal Bank and that the transition will be a smooth one.”
Wiley agreed.
“Jim and I have worked together for 16 years,” he said. “I actually recruited him to Savannah to work with me at AmeriBank. We have moved together four times.
“We share not only experience, but core values.”
Wiley and LaHaise both joined The Coastal Bank five years ago.
“Jim has been involved in every aspect of the organization,” Wiley said. “It’s a natural evolution, and he certainly deserves this opportunity.”
Wiley will continue to serve as non-executive chairman of the board of directors of The Coastal Bank, and will remain actively engaged with the organization.
His new position with State Bank and Trust will be a homecoming of sorts for the banker who grew up in Atlanta and has extended family there.
“My wife, Susan, and I have thoroughly enjoyed our time in Savannah,” said Wiley. “I am proud of our accomplishments to date at The Coastal Bank and look forward to continuing as chairman of the board.”
ABOUT THE COASTAL BANK:
The Coastal Bank is a $450 million community bank with six locations along the Georgia coast. Locally owned and operated, the bank provides a full range of financial services, specializing in small business, consumer banking and real estate lending. Headquartered on Johnson Square in Savannah, the bank has been serving the greater Savannah area since 1954. For more information about The Coastal Bank, call 912-201-4934 or visit www.thecoastalbank.com online.