On Monday, July 27, Colony Bank was represented during the New York Stock Exchange Closing Bell ceremony as part of the Keefe, Bruyette & Woods (KBW) 27th Annual Summer Bank Conference. I wanted to share a few details from the event and some photos in case it might be of interest.

Heath Fountain, CEO of Colony Bank, and Rick Saunders, Founder and CEO of First Reliance Bank, participated in the ceremony alongside banking leaders from across the country. The event comes just one month after the announcement that First Reliance Bank is expected to join Colony Bank through a strategic partnership, creating a premier Southeast community banking franchise with approximately $5 billion in total assets serving customers across Georgia, South Carolina and Florida, subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions.

The KBW Summer Bank Conference is one of the banking industry's premier annual events that brings together executive leaders, investors and financial experts from leading banking institutions across the country. The Closing Bell ceremony officially kicked off the conference while also serving as a moment of reflection ahead of the upcoming 25th anniversary of September 11.

For Colony Bank, the appearance marked the second time in just over a year that the company has been represented during a New York Stock Exchange Closing Bell ceremony. Last July, the bank participated in the Closing Bell ceremony in celebration of its 50th anniversary and listing on the New York Stock Exchange. Last Monday, the bank was represented once again alongside leaders from financial institutions across the country.