Press Releases

Charles T. Cole Jr. has been named executive for the new 27-city Palmetto Region, which includes Midlands and incorporates the Coastal and Pee Dee areas of the state. Previously, Cole was executive of the Midlands Region, a position he held since 1994.

Reporting to Cole in the Palmetto Region are William C. Barker, affluent market manager; Forrest R. Redden III, corporate banking manager; Robert W. Derrick, Business Banking manager; George E. Labban, retail banking manager; Donald R. Sanders, Real Estate Financial Services manager; C. Maxton King, Sales Finance manager; John D. Bankson, Florence market manager; Orby J. Ferguson Jr., Myrtle Beach market manager; and Stuart P. Wilbourne, affluent market manager for Hilton Head. Peggy Hines, formerly Business Banking Regional manager in Charleston, will become president of Atlantic Savings Bank and will report to Wilbourne.

David H. Parker will continue as executive for the Upstate Region, which has been expanded. In addition to the Greenville, Spartanburg, Pickens, Seneca, Clemson, Anderson, Greenwood, Gaffney and Union communities, Parker will be responsible for retail, business and corporate banking activities in Rock Hill, Lancaster, Kershaw, Clover, Newberry, Edgefield, North Augusta and Aiken. Parker has been the Upstate Region executive since 1995.

Reporting to Parker in the Upstate Region are R. Charles Eldridge Jr., Business Banking regional sales executive; Andrew A. Anderson, Sales Finance team executive; Kevin M. Short, Middle Market Corporate Banking regional sales executive; E. Dixon Harrill, affluent banking regional executive; Karen W. Litchfield, Consumer Banking regional executive; John E. Haas, Real Estate Financial Services sales executive; and W. Mark Demarcus, market executive for York and Lancaster counties. Judy S. Tucker will continue to serve as Human Resources regional manager.

"The new arrangement will enable Wachovia to meet our customers’ needs more effectively by promoting efficiency and expanding responsibilities of key managers," said Will B. Spence, Wachovia’s CEO for North and South Carolina Banking. "Charlie and David are talented bankers with the vision and leadership skills necessary to assume larger roles and enhance Wachovia’s presence in South Carolina."

The regional realignment follows the retirement of Charleston-based David Q. Soutter, who had been executive of the Coastal Region.

Wachovia Bank, N.A. is the principal subsidiary of Wachovia Corporation, an interstate bank holding company with assets of $65.8 billion as of Sept. 30, 1999. Wachovia Bank has more than 700 offices and 1,300 ATMs in the Carolinas, Georgia, Virginia and Florida.