Chattahoochee Bank of Georgia, currently in organization, is expected to open this summer pending regulatory approval. Jim Walters of Walters Management and Chairman of the Board of Chattahoochee Bank of Georgia announces a groundbreaking for the new bank headquarters on Thursday, May 1 at 12:00 p.m. at the site at 643 E.E. Butler Parkway (former location of China Buffet and adjacent to Coldwell Banker-Heritage Realty) in Downtown Gainesville.

The architect for the bank’s new headquarters is local firm H. Lloyd Hill Architects & Associates Inc., and the general contractor is Carroll Daniel Construction Company, also of Gainesville. The two-story, 14,277 square foot facility will feature a first floor banking lobby, safe box vault, drive-up banking, and a second floor with space for bank operations and room for expansion.

The privately held bank expects to begin a stock offering to prospective investors in late April or early May 2008. The bank will target small- to medium-sized businesses, their owners, and professionals in Gainesville-Hall County as well as in northern Gwinnett County. While the bank plans to focus on business banking, it will offer a full range of retail banking services for consumers.

Chattahoochee Bank of Georgia President & CEO Jody Lail has 20 years of banking experience, including 13 years in the Northeast Georgia market. He most recently served as Senior Loan Officer at Quantum National Bank, a $300 million community bank in northern Gwinnett County. Prior to his four years at Quantum, Lail was with SunTrust Bank in Gainesville for eight years.

The bank’s Chief Credit Officer, Stephen Starke, has 15 years of bank and credit administration experience. Greg Barrett, who has 10 years of banking experience, is chief Administrative Officer, and Tom Healan is Chief Financial Officer. Healan, who has 17 years of banking experience, previously served as CFO for three other banks. Lail, Starke and Barrett previously worked together at SunTrust Bank in Gainesville. Starke, Barrett and Healan worked together at Lanier Community Bank and First Bank of the South, both in northern Gwinnett County.

One of the organizing directors, Len Dorminey, is the CEO of Heritage Financial Group, a bank holding company headquartered in Albany, GA. Heritage Financial Group has committed to purchase 4.99% of Chattahoochee Bank of Georgia’s initial capitalization. Heritage Financial Group is the holding company for Heritage Bank of the South, which has offices in Albany, Sylvester and Leesburg, Georgia, as well as in Ocala, Florida. Heritage Bank of the South was originally founded in 1955 as a credit union and converted to a bank in 2001. The company, which is publicly traded on NASDAQ, reported assets of $455 million as of September 30, 2007.

Upon receipt of final regulatory approvals, Chattahoochee Bank of Georgia plans to open in a temporary office at 130-A Townview Plaza while the new bank facility is under construction.

Chattahoochee Bank of Georgia Board of Directors:

Chairman, Jim Walters, Walters Management Company

Jimmy Adams, The Adams Companies

Greg Barrett, Chattahoochee Bank of Georgia

Keith Breedlove, Northstar Builders and Developers

Len Dorminey, Heritage Financial Group

Austin Edmondson, The Fockele Garden Company & Georgia Printing Co.

Rob Fowler, Turner, Wood & Smith

Jeff Gay, Protein Products

Jack Hough, MSE Hospitality Holdings

Jody Lail, Chattahoochee Bank of Georgia

Doug McMahan, McMahan Consulting

Stephen Starke, Chattahoochee Bank of Georgia

Wendell Starke, The Starke Companies