UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
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Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
On February 24, 2026, Ameris Bancorp (the “Company”) announced that James A. LaHaise, the Company’s Corporate Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, will retire from his positions with the Company and terminate his employment effective April 30, 2026 (the “Retirement Date”). Mr. LaHaise notified the Company of his intent to retire and entered into a Retirement Agreement and Release with the Company and its subsidiary, Ameris Bank (the “Retirement Agreement”), on February 19, 2026. Pursuant to the Retirement Agreement, Mr. LaHaise will provide certain transition and support services to the Company as it may request during the three-month period following the Retirement Date. As part of the Retirement Agreement, Mr. LaHaise executed a general release of claims against the Company on customary terms. He will be entitled to receive his annual retirement benefit of $100,000 per year for ten years, subject to the terms and conditions of the Supplemental Executive Retirement Agreement, adopted as of November 10, 2015, between him and Ameris Bank (the “SERP”), and the Retirement Agreement, and his outstanding time-based restricted share awards and outstanding performance unit awards will be retained or forfeited in accordance with the terms and conditions, without modification, of the Ameris Bancorp 2021 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan and the applicable award agreements.
If Mr. LaHaise revokes his release within the customary revocation period set forth in the Retirement Agreement, then the Retirement Agreement will have no force or effect. Pursuant to the Retirement Agreement, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Retirement Agreement or the SERP, if Mr. LaHaise fails to sign and deliver an updated release through the Retirement Date as contemplated by the Retirement Agreement, or revokes the updated release within the revocation period set forth therein, then in each case the Company will not be obligated to pay him the annual retirement benefit under the SERP.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.
AMERIS BANCORP
| By: | /s/ Nicole S. Stokes | ||||
| Nicole S. Stokes | |||||
| Chief Financial Officer | |||||
Date: February 24, 2026