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Bank hires manager for RH branch
Chris Raiford
Chris Raiford is the new branch manager of the Ameris Bank in Richmond Hill. - photo by Photo provided.
Special to the News
Updated: Jan 27, 2017, 6:30 PM
Published: Jan 26, 2017, 5:02 PM

SAVANNAH — Ameris Bank has named Chris Raiford as branch manager of the Richmond Hill location.

In the role, Raiford will work to facilitate the daily operations of the branch, with a focus on expanding consumer portfolios and growing business opportunities.

"Chris is a proven leader in the banking industry," said Greater Savannah Market President Jenny Gentry. "His commitment and dedication to both his team and clients are evident in all aspects of his work."

With more than a decade of experience in banking, Raiford has served as a financial consultant and business banker at Wachovia and Wells Fargo Bank, assistant vice president and branch manager at Wells Fargo Bank, and most recently as assistant vice president and branch manager as SunTrust Bank.

"Chris’ expertise and exceptional customer service skills are a welcome addition to Ameris Bank," Brad Brookshire, president of the bank’s Richmond Hill branch, said.

Raiford, currently completing his doctorate in business administration, earned his bachelor of arts in consumer sciences from the University of Georgia and his masters of business administration from St. Leo University.

He was recognized as Top Branch Manager of Wells Fargo Bank Georgia in 2012, and was SunTrust’s Most Valuable Team award winner in April 2015.

Headquartered in Moultrie, Ameris Bank has more than $6 billion in assets. Ameris Bancorp, the parent company, is traded on the NASDAQ under ABCB.

The bank offers a range of services, including traditional banking and lending products and solutions, treasury and cash management services, and mortgage and refinancing solutions.

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Record April boosts Savannah's container trade at port
GardenCityTerminal
The Port of Savannah moved 356,700 20-foot equivalent container units in April, an increase of 7.1 percent. - photo by Provided
Bryan County News
Updated: May 23, 2018, 1:59 AM
Published: May 23, 2018, 2:00 AM

The Georgia Ports Authority's busiest April ever pushed its fiscal year-to-date totals to more than 3.4 million 20-foot equivalent container units (TEUs), an increase of 8.8 percent, or 280,000 TEUs, compared to the first 10 months of fiscal 2017.

"We're on track to move more than 300,000 TEUs in every month of the fiscal year, which will be a first for the authority," said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch. "We're also anticipating this to be the first fiscal year for the Port of Savannah to handle more than 4 million TEUs."

April volumes reached 356,700 20-foot equivalent container units, up 7.1 percent or 23,700 units. As the fastest growing containerport in the nation, the Port of Savannah has achieved a compound annual growth rate of more than 5 percent a year over the past decade.

"As reported in the recent economic impact study by UGA's Terry College of Business, trade through Georgia's deepwater ports translates into jobs, higher incomes and greater productivity," said GPA Board Chairman Jimmy Allgood. "In every region of Georgia, employers rely on the ports of Savannah and Brunswick to help them become more competitive on the global stage."

To strengthen the Port of Savannah's ability to support the state's future economic growth, the GPA Board approved $66 million in terminal upgrades, including $24 million for the purchase of 10 additional rubber-tired gantry cranes.  

"The authority is committed to building additional capacity ahead of demand to ensure the Port of Savannah remains a trusted link in the supply chain serving Georgia and the Southeast," Lynch said.

The crane purchase will bring the fleet at Garden City Terminal to 156 RTGs. The new cranes will support three new container rows, which the board approved in March. The additional container rows will increase annual capacity at the Port of Savannah by 150,000 TEUs.

The RTGs will work over stacks that are five containers high and six deep, with a truck lane running alongside the stacks. Capable of running on electricity, the cranes will have a lift capacity of 50 metric tons.

The cranes will arrive in two batches of five in the first and second quarters of calendar year 2019.

 Also at Monday's meeting, the GPA Board elected its officers, with Jimmy Allgood as chairman, Will McKnight taking the position of vice chairman and Joel Wooten elected as the next secretary/treasurer.

For more information, visit gaports.com, or contact GPA Senior Director of Corporate Communications Robert Morris at (912) 964-3855 or rmorris@gaports.com.

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