Synovus

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Synovus Financial Corp.
FormerlyColumbus Bank and Trust Company
Company type Public company
IndustryBanks
Founded1888;137 years ago (1888)
Headquarters Columbus, Georgia, U.S.
Key people
Kevin Blair
(Chairman & CEO)
ProductsFinancial Services
RevenueDecrease2.svg US$1.512 billion (2020)
Increase2.svg US$1.986 billion (2022)
Total assets Increase2.svg US$55.386 billion (2022)
Total equity Increase2.svg US$3.134 billion (2018)
Number of employees
4,988 (2022)
Website synovus.com
Footnotes /references
[1]

Synovus Financial Corp., formerly the Columbus Bank and Trust Company, is an American financial services company with approximately $62 billion in assets based in Columbus, Georgia. Synovus provides commercial and retail banking, investment, and mortgage services through 249 branches and 335 ATMs in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee. [1] On July 25 2025, Pinnacle Financial Partners announced its intent to purchase Synovus in an $8.6 billion all-stock deal, thus creating the 28th largest lender in the US, with $116 billion in assets [2] .

Contents

Company history

The bank opened in 1888 following an incident at a textile mill in which a worker's dress became entangled in machinery, spilling the money she had sewn into her hem onto the floor. After she explained to a factory executive that she had felt this was the safest place to keep her savings, he offered instead to secure her money in the mill safe and pay her interest on her balance. This service was soon offered to all company employees. [3]

Synovus's founding parent company, Columbus Bank and Trust (CB&T), has deep roots in its hometown. CB&T started TSYS in 1959 and in 1974 the company began processing credit cards for other banks. In 1983, CB&T made TSYS a separate publicly traded company, retaining majority ownership. On October 25, 2007, TSYS and Synovus (holding 81% of shares at the time) announced a spin-off that was completed as of the end of 2007.[4] Synovus took its current name in 2010.

Since its founding in 1888, it has acquired 35 banks.

2008 financial crisis

In August 2009, due to the 2008 financial crisis, the bank was listed as one of more than 150 United States lenders that owned nonperforming loans equal in value to 5% or more of their holdings, exceeding a threshold said to threaten its survival. [4] Synovus laid off 850 employees and closed many branches in early 2011. [5] In July 2013, Synovus repaid $967.9 million borrowed under the Troubled Asset Relief Program. [6]

Synovus Branding

In early 2010, Synovus consolidated thirty separate state bank charters into one Georgia charter and began the transition toward operating as a more centralized bank. [7] Beginning in late 2017 and ending in mid-2018, the company transitioned from 28 locally-branded divisions to a single Synovus brand.

Acquisition of Florida Community Bank

In January 2019, Synovus completed a $2.9 billion acquisition of FCB Financial Holdings, Inc., owner of Florida Community Bank. Branding to Synovus was expected during the second quarter of 2019. [8]

References

  1. 1 2 "Synovus Financial Corp. 2018 Annual Report".
  2. "Pinnacle Agrees to Buy Synovus in $8.6 Billion Stock Deal". Bloomberg. July 25, 2025.
  3. "Our History". Synovus.com. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  4. Levy, Ari (August 14, 2009). "Toxic Loans Topping 5% May Push 150 Banks to Point of No Return" . Bloomberg News .
  5. Trubey, J. Scott (January 10, 2011). "Synovus Cuts Show Banks Still Ailing". Atlanta Journal-Constitution . Atlanta. GA.
  6. Company Press Release, "Report: Taxpayers still owed $133B from bailout"
  7. "Annual Report" (PDF). Synovus.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 17, 2013. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  8. "Atlanta Business Journal" . Retrieved March 3, 2019.