James L. (Luke) Flatt, chairman, president and CEO of AB&T, Albany, has been elected by his peers to serve as 2021-2022 Chairman of the Georgia Bankers Association (GBA). 

“Luke is passionate about bankers building off the goodwill they established as financial first responders during the pandemic. As he’s said, they have the tools, the creativity and the compassion to be true lights for their customers and communities,” said Joe Brannen, GBA president and CEO. “He and AB&T have been recognized at the national level for doing just that in and around Albany. Our association is fortunate to have him as its leader this year.”

Flatt has a history of volunteer service to GBA, having served on its board of directors since 2016. He has served as chair of the GBA’s Public Affairs Committee and the GBA BankPAC Board of Directors.

After graduating in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Auburn University, Flatt began his banking career at The Citizens Bank of Americus. He later served in lending, credit and executive roles for the First National Bank of Atlanta in Americus, First State Bank & Trust Company and its parent company, First State Corporation in Albany (predecessor to Regions Financial Corp.) before becoming president and CEO of Community Capital Bancshares, Inc. and AB&T in 2009. In May 2018, Flatt also became chairman of the bank.

Flatt is a graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University, where he was elected class president and served on the Board of Regents from 1983 to 1986.

In his community, Flatt is a past chairman (2001) of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce. He was co-chairman of the 2004 Imagine Albany Campaign, and he is an honorary member and past president (1996) of the Dougherty County Rotary Club. Flatt is an alumnus of Leadership Georgia (1996) and Leadership Albany (1991). He is a past chairman (2000) of the Darton College Foundation. He is a past chairman and president of the American Cancer Society, and he co-founded the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Southwest Georgia, Inc., where he also served as chairman in 1993 and 1994.

Flatt has been the recipient of the Dougherty County Rotary Club’s 2003 Service Above Self Award, Leadership Albany Inc.’s 2014 Ed Freeman Leadership Award and the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2016 Lifetime Service Award. He is also chairman of the South Georgia Annual Conference Foundation for the Methodist Home for Children and Youth.

Flatt is an active member of Porterfield Memorial United Methodist Church in Albany where he twice served a term as chairman of the Church Council.