Synovus names Blair to succeed Stelling as CEO

Synovus Financial in Columbus, Ga., has tapped President and Chief Operating Officer Kevin Blair to succeed Kessel Stelling as CEO next year.

Kevin Blair, incoming CEO of Synovus
Before Kevin Blair joined Synovus in 2016 as its chief financial officer, he was a corporate treasurer at SunTrust Banks in Atlanta. He will become CEO of Synovus this spring.

Blair, 50, will replace Stelling on or around April 21, when the company hosts its annual meeting, the $53 billion-asset Synovus said Thursday. He will also immediately join the company's board.

Stelling, 64, will transition to a new role as executive chairman.

“Kevin and I, along with our entire executive leadership team, have worked closely together over the past several years to grow our company and to effectively navigate and overcome challenges,” Stelling said in a Thursday press release. “Kevin’s leadership strengths, innovative mindset, and commitment to our people-first culture and communities make him the right leader for this company at the right time.”

Before Blair joined Synovus in 2016 as its chief financial officer, he was a corporate treasurer at SunTrust Banks in Atlanta. In 2018, Synovous made Blair chief operating officer, in addition to CFO. Last year, he was promoted to president and he remained acting CFO until the company hired Jamie Gregory in 2019.

Currently, Blair oversees all of the company’s core banking and business specialty lines, technology, human resources, operations, credit, marketing, customer experience and corporate strategy.

Stelling joined Synovus since 2006 when it bought Riverside Bancshares, a bank he had founded. He was named Synovus' president and COO in February 2010 and became CEO in October of that year.

Stelling has been credited with helping lead Synovus through the 2008 financial crisis. On his watch the company significantly bulked up in Florida with its 2019 acquistion of the $12.4 billion-asset FCB Financial Holdings in Weston and it streamlined its operations by combining its 30 bank charters into one.

Stelling will serve as executive chairman until Jan. 1, 2023, and will hold an advisory role until Jan. 1, 2025.

Synovus has not yet named a president and COO to succeed Blair.

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Succession planning C-suite Synovus Financial
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