News

American Pride Bank is pleased to announce the promotions of Erik Bykat and LaQuanda Billingslea.  Erik Bykat, our North Metro Atlanta Market Executive is being named Senior Lending Officer and will be responsible for coordinating the bank's loan growth in addition to leading our Atlanta initiative.  LaQuanda Billingslea, Credit Department Manager, is being named Senior Credit Officer.  Andy Flowers, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of American Pride Bank stated that “Erik is a natural to serve as our Senior Lending Officer to head up the production side of lending for us having been in that role previously at another bank and being a part of the GBA Senior Lender Roundtables for several years.  LaQuanda has been with American Pride for almost 10 years and started the Credit Department during her tenure and we are now excited to merge our credit and loan operations functions under her leadership.”

American Pride Bank is pleased to announce that Adam Patel has been elected as the Chairman of the Board for American Pride Bank and American Bancorp Inc.  Adam has been on the board of directors since the bank was founded in 2007.  Adam has most recently held the position of Vice Chairman. 

American Pride Bank is also pleased to announce that in January 2023 Mukesh “Tommy” Patel and Rajesh “Raj” Patel joined the board of directors of American Pride Bank and its holding company American Bancorp, Inc.

Erik Bykat has joined APB as our North Metro Atlanta Market Executive& Senior Vice President.  Erik will oversee the bank's growth strategy in North Metro Atlanta including our loan production office in Paulding County.  He has 24 years of banking experience, including senior management roles for the past 16 years.  

Marshall N. Bunce joined APB as our IT Manager & Vice President.  Marshall has 12 years of experience in the banking industry including treasury management and online banking services with a total of 16 years of IT related experience.  

Blair Liles, Staff Accountant, was elected as a Banking Officer.  Blair has been with the bank in her role since March of 2018 and recently completed her Master’s Degree in Accounting.  

LaQuanda Billingslea, Credit Department Manager, was promoted to Senior Vice President.  She started with the bank as a Credit Analyst in January 2014 and subsequently became the department manager as the bank has grown.  

Mary Ellen Levie (MEL), is our Human Resources Officer and she was promoted to Vice President.  MEL was employed by the bank from February 2008 through September 2016 starting as the Executive Assistant and was handing H/R and some accounting functions when she left.  She came back in February 2021. 

Linda Marquez, Log Cabin Customer Service Manager, was promoted to Assistant Vice President.  She started at the bank in September 2011 as a Personal Banker at Log Cabin then transferred to Warner Robins for several years as a Personal Banker with responsibilities for training new Personal Bankers prior to returning to her bank home at Log Cabin as the Customer Service Manager.

Andy Flowers is promoted to Chief Operating Officer

Congratulations to Andy Flowers on his promotion to Chief Operating Officer at American Pride Bank.  Andy has been with American Pride Bank since the opening in 2007 and also serves as our Chief Lending Officer.  He has been in the banking industry for over 30 years and has a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of banking.  Please help us congratulate Andy on his promotion!

We are excited to announce the promotion of Donna Harris to Banking Officer and Loan Operations Administrator.  Donna joined APB in November of 2016 as a Loan Processor.  Please join us in congratulating Donna on her new role.

American Pride Bank is pleased to announce that Rebecca “Becky” P. Bell, CPA, has joined the bank as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. 

Bell will oversee financial reporting, accounting, budgeting, regulatory reporting, investment management, information technology, deposit operations, and asset/liability management for American Pride Bank.  John F. Hall, President and CEO of American Pride Bank, stated “we are excited to have Becky join our team, as she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to American Pride Bank, having served in public accounting (with a focus on financial institutions) and her past ten years of finance and leadership in banking”.     

Ms. Bell recently worked as Executive Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer for SouthCrest Financial Group, Inc. and SouthCrest Bank, N.A., Atlanta, Georgia.  Prior to SouthCrest Bank, Bell was a partner with Mauldin & Jenkins, CPA firm in Atlanta, Georgia.  Bell is a graduate of the University of Georgia, and is a certified public accountant.

                                                                         

Operational Change
Our branches are open for drive-thru only service and by appointment.  All teller transactions will be performed through the drive-thru.  Our ATM's are available for consumer cash and check deposits. 

If you need to make an appointment with a banker or lender, please contact the closest branch.  Face masks are required for customers to enter the branches for an appointment.    American Pride Bank staff will also be wearing face masks during all appointments.

Social Distancing
We are practicing social distancing at all of our branches.  Please follow the instructions upon entering the branch.  There are markings on the floor to indicate where you should stand while waiting for a teller.  
 
Germ Shields
See through partitions have been installed at all teller windows and all customer service desks.  We ask that customers assist us by sitting or standing behind the partition while interacting with our staff.  
 
Sanitation
Employees are sanitizing their work stations continuously during the day as well as using hand sanitizer.  Customers will be asked to use hand sanitizer before interacting with any staff.  We urge anyone that is not feeling well to stay home and use remote alternatives (night deposit,
drive thru, ATM, and mobile banking).

 
We are closely monitoring the latest news to ensure that our customers and coworkers are safe.
As the situation evolves, we promise to keep you informed of any changes to our operations. Updates can always be found on our APB website or Facebook app. For additional information about COVID-19, the latest information is available at cdc.gov.

• You deposit checks totaling more than $5,525 on any one day. This is a change from the current $5,000.
• You have had repeated overdrafts on your accounts within the past 6 months which includes circumstances when you either were $5,525 overdrawn, or would have been had the item(s) been paid, on two or more occasions.  This is a change from the current $5,000.
• You are a new customer and the account is still within the first 30 days from account opening. For a new account, funds from electronic direct deposits to your account will be available on the day we receive the deposit. Funds from deposits of cash, wire transfers, and the first $5,525 of a day’s total deposits of cashier’s, certified, teller’s, traveler’s, and federal, state and local government checks will be available on the first business day after the day of your deposit if the deposit meets certain conditions. For example, the checks must be payable to you (and you may have to use a special deposit slip). The excess over $5,525 will be available on the ninth business day after the day of your deposit. If your deposit of these checks (other than a U.S. Treasury check) is not made in person to one of our employees, the first $5,525 will not be available until the second business day after the day of your deposit. This is a change from the current amount of $5,000.

Michael L. Gilstrap has served on the boards of American Pride Bank and its holding company American Bancorp, Inc. since inception; he was elected by the boards of both in August of 2018 to serve as Chairman of the Board.   

Mr. Gilstrap is a 1970 graduate of the University of West Georgia.  He obtained a Masters of Education degree from the University of Georgia in 1972 and a Masters of Science in Administration degree from Georgia College and State University in 1982.  He was employed by the Medical Center of Central Georgia from 1979 to 2006, retiring as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.  He was a founding board member of Central Georgia Health Network, and also a founding board member of Secure Health Plans of Georgia.  He was a former Chairman of the Peach County Board of Education and a former Chairman of the Peach County Board of Elections, where he currently serves on the board.  Mr. Gilstrap is also a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.  Mr. Gilstrap is currently retired.

Monday, July 9th, 2018

John F. Hall, president and CEO of American Pride Bank in Macon, has been elected by his peers to serve as 2018-2019 Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Georgia Bankers Association.
 
“John has worked at a variety of banks that are reflective of the full scope of the types of banks that serve communities throughout Georgia,” said Joe Brannen, GBA president and CEO. “He’s committed to making sure that everyone understands just how important the banking industry is and how the Georgians who happen to be bankers make a difference in their hometowns every day. And, he’ll be a strong champion for the advocacy, education and services provided by the association as resources to the industry.”
 
Hall has more than 30 years of banking experience. He’s been at the helm of American Pride Bank since 2009. The bank has total assets of $171 million, loans of $133 million and deposits of $139 million. The bank employs 35 people and has four offices. Two of those are in Bibb County, one in Houston County and one in Oconee County serving the Athens area.
 
Hall spent the first 15 years of his career with growing super-regional banks in the Atlanta area before transitioning into community bank roles in the early 2000s.
 
In serving as the GBA Chairman-Elect during the past year, Hall has chaired the GBA Public Affairs Committee. He’s also served on the American Bankers Association Government Relations Council. The committee and council provide recommendations on regulatory and legislative policies to the associations’ boards of directors.
 
Active in the community as well, Hall is the Vice Chairman of Workforce Development and Education for the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, Treasurer at Idle Hour Country Club, a member of the Macon Civic Club and a member of Turning Point at Mabel White Baptist Church