United offers a full range of consumer and commercial banking products including mortgage services, interest-bearing and non interest-bearing deposits, NOW accounts, money market accounts, checking accounts, savings accounts, and advisory and treasury management services. Through its wholly owned subsidiary Navitas Credit Corp., United also offers equipment lending.
Rich Bradshaw, President of Commercial Banking Solutions
Sponsorships
United Community Bank is an active member of the communities it serves. Local sponsorships and engagement is a priority and United bankers regularly support many community organizations.
History
Union County Bank began in 1949 in Blairsville, Georgia and had $42 million in assets when Jimmy C. Tallent became president in 1984. United Community Banks was incorporated in 1987. Union County Bank was acquired in 1988 and became United Community Bank in 1996. Other acquisitions were Citizens Bank of Murphy, North Carolina which became United Community Bank in 1990, United Community Bank Towns County in 1992, White County Bank of Cleveland, Georgia in 1995 and United Community Bank Rabun County in 1997. The North Carolina bank added branches in Andrews, Franklin and Waynesville in 1995. With changes in Georgia's banking laws, United Community Bank began opening branches in addition to making acquisitions. Other acquisitions included assets of a bank in Cornelia and First Clayton Bank and Trust in 1997. In 1999, UCB paid $7.1 million plus other costs for Bank of Adairsville parent Adairsville Bancshares, and also acquired 1st Floyd Bank. Both of these became part of United Community Bank in 2001. In 2000, North Point Bancshares Inc., Independent Bancshares Inc. and consultant Brintech, Inc. were acquired and Lendmark Financial Services Inc. purchased the consumer finance division. UCB was listed on Nasdaq in 2002. In 2003, First Georgia Holding Inc. was acquired for about $42 million, and UCB also acquired First Central Bank of Lenoir City, Tennessee. In 2004, when assets reached $5 billion, acquisitions included Fairbanco Holding Co. for $24.7 million, Eagle National Bank for $12.4 million, Liberty National Bancshares Inc. for $42.5 million. The first public stock offering came in 2005. In 2006, Southern National Bank parent Southern Bancorp was acquired for stock valued at $67.8 million and merged into United Community Bank, and two Sylva, North Carolina offices were purchased from First Charter Bank, giving UCB 19 North Carolina locations. In 2007, First Bank of the South parent Gwinnett Commercial Group was acquired for $222.9 million. In 2009, UCB purchased assets and most liabilities of Southern Community Bank, with the FDIC paying $31 million. In 2014, UCB purchased assets of Business Carolina Inc. for $31.3 million. In 2015, UCB acquired MoneyTree Corporation and its wholly owned bank subsidiary, First National Bank, of Lenoir City, TN. In 2015, Palmetto Bancshares, Inc. merged with United Community Banks. On June 27, 2017, Four Oaks Fincorp of Four Oaks, North Carolina, started in 1912, agreed to a $124 million deal which would give United Community Bank 14 more North Carolina branches, twelve of those in the Triangle and an additional $737 million in assets. In 2018, NLFC Holdings Corp. and its wholly owned subsidiary Navitas Credit Corp. were acquired for $130 million.
