Synovus honors outstanding performers with Circle of Excellence Awards

COLUMBUS, Ga., Feb. 4, 2025 — Synovus Bank has announced the winners of its annual Circle of Excellence Awards program, which includes the company’s Chairman’s and Sales Awards.

Now in its 12th year, the Circle of Excellence Awards recognize exceptionally performing team members who embody the spirit of Synovus’ award-winning culture, emphasizing leadership, client satisfaction, community outreach and innovation.

The winners of the awards are selected from nominations submitted by team members. One team and 14 individuals received the Chairman’s Awards, and 40 top-performing leaders earned the Sales Awards.

This year’s winners include:
Chairman's Choice Award – Lee Sessions, chief consumer product and solutions officer, Columbus; Reid Boehm, market executive, Charleston; Barbara Mulligan, director, middle market banking, Birmingham; Jeff Nicolosi, managing director, corporate and investment banking, Atlanta; and Chad Parramore, executive director, treasury and payment solutions product commercialization, Atlanta. The award recognizes high-performing leaders who embody a growth mindset and exemplify the pillars of the company’s corporate goals.

Emerging Leader Award – Jonathan Edwards, president of specialty finance, Atlanta, and Jean Umbarger, director of business planning and transformation, Charleston, South Carolina. This award recognizes team members who exemplify leadership, courage and influence while achieving organizational or team success.

Exceptional Client Experience Award – Caleb Callahan, senior director of financial intelligence, Atlanta, and Kate Thigpen, lead community relationship associate, Jacksonville, Florida. This award recognizes client-focused team members who excel at living the company’s purpose to enable people to reach their full potential.

Exceptional Internal Partner Award – Erica Burton, senior manager of customer care, Columbus, Georgia. This award recognizes team members for their outstanding contributions to the company.

Game Changer Award – Tom Loffredio, managing director of capital markets - derivatives, and Nick Booth, vice president of capital markets - derivatives, both based in Atlanta. This award recognizes high-performing team members who lead initiatives that impacted client or team member experiences and the company’s financial performance.

Here Matters Community Outreach Award – Pamela Cross, community development senior manager, Atlanta. This award recognizes outstanding community outreach and its impact on the community.

Leadership Excellence Award – Chad Lopes, executive director of corporate finance, Atlanta. This award recognizes a high-performing team member whose leadership produces positive results for the company. 

Synergy Award – Third Party Risk Management Program and System Enhancements Team. This award recognizes a cross-functional team for delivering meaningful and measurable results in executing projects or initiatives. The 16-member team includes:

Atlanta:
Michael Colasso – executive director, enterprise and operational risk
Ernestina Effah – analyst, third party risk management
Jennifer Helton – senior analyst, enterprise business
Jaron Martin – senior analyst, third party risk management, governance and analysis
Roberto Nieves – senior director, operational risk
Silas Souza – senior manager, enterprise risk management

Columbus:
Kenna Arrington – manager, third party risk management
Candice Herring – manager, technology delivery
Betsy Page – manager, third party risk management quality control
Michelle Yates – director, third party risk management

Remote:
Tim Akins – director, strategic sourcing management
Andrew Arnett – enterprise scrum master
Jannefer Barker – enterprise business architect
Kevin Dabbs – strategic sourcing manager
Kevin Gibson – senior analyst, information security
Mark Smith – manager, compliance risk programs

In addition to the Chairman’s Awards, the Synovus Sales Awards recognize team members for exceeding sales goals and making extraordinary contributions in multiple areas. See all winners of this year’s Sales Awards.

Synovus Bank, a Georgia-chartered, FDIC-insured bank, provides commercial and consumer banking in addition to a full suite of specialized products and services, including wealth services, treasury management, mortgage services, premium finance, asset-based lending, structured lending, capital markets and international banking. Synovus has branches in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee. Synovus is a Great Place to Work-Certified Company. Learn more about Synovus at synovus.com.