It’s easy to get lost in the data that drives the performance of any financial institution, but at AB&T, it is that laser focus on uncovering and meeting client needs that continues to fuel the ongoing success of the bank and its clients.

Although he likely didn’t realize it that time, that’s exactly what was happening when Kyle Carter—whose Carter Professional Restoration ServPro territory now encompasses 11 licenses and covers the greater Albany MSA and nearly the entire Florida panhandle—was chatting with current AB&T CEO Perry Revell during a men’s Sunday school retreat to Talladega Motor Speedway more than a decade ago.

At the time, the two were both young husbands and dads still establishing their careers, but that conversation turned out to the genesis of a long and fruitful relationship that was instrumental in the foundation and growth of Carter’s business and the future security of his family.

“We’ll probably do about $12 million this year,” Carter said not long after the close of 2022. “In 2023, with the new additions, we’d like to put that number around $30 million. And to put that into perspective, the first territory that I bought, which was the Albany franchise, was doing about $1.1 million.

“So, we’ve expanded over 10 years to $12 million and more, and it all started with a conversation that I had with Perry at Talladega.”

According to Carter, at the time of the infamous Sunday school trip, he was still working as an adjuster with Georgia Farm Bureau—the job he’d taken to bring his wife and children closer to her Albany roots—and had just begun having discussions with then Albany territory ServePro owner Buddy Fitzgerald, about purchasing his franchise, but was still unsure if it was something he wanted to take a chance on, or even if it was something he could even pull off.

Fortunately, when the topic came up, Revell was keen to offer his assistance.

“I just happened to have been talking to the guy about me buying that franchise and Perry said, ‘Man, I’d love to talk to you about that,’” Carter explained. “And it was crazy because I grew up and I didn’t really have any credit or anything. I was kind of old school. I got a basketball scholarship and so I didn’t need any money, I had a job, I was paying everything and I didn’t really have any credit per se. And Perry was like, ‘Look, we can find some options here.’ And you know Perry was just instrumental in helping me figure out how to get that deal done.”

Carter went on to share that in addition to helping him figure out how to purchase the franchise, Revell was also instrumental in helping Carter vet the business before the deal, he also brought valuable banking experience to the table that Carter said has been invaluable to him.

“The biggest need that I had, I was basically uneducated on the banking system,” Carter shared. “My mom and dad were nurses and they really didn’t have a close relationship with a banker. I didn’t know what a banker could do for you. I didn’t know what resources they could bring to the table. Perry was there to explain how a banker could help me get the business and grow the business. He explained to me how to use a line of credit. Even at first, as part of my due diligence process, how to look at profit and loss statement. 

“AB&T stuck with me every step of the way and was there for me, for what my business needed.”

For his part, while Revell is beyond pleased to see the success Carter has achieved, he’s quick to point out that he was simply doing what AB&T bankers do best: engaging people, uncovering needs and committing to finding the right, long-term solution for success.

“We often make things more complicated then they need to be when it comes to banking,” Revell explained. “Yes, our world can be complicated, and there are numerous forces at play, but time and again, it all comes back to a couple of basic, foundational principles of how we do business. Serve our clients and community, and figure out how you can help them achieve whatever it is they are trying to achieve. If we keep taking care of people at the top of the list of what we do, I find the rest often takes care of itself. Engage with the world around you, ask questions, offer your assistance and then own the result. Success will follow.”

For Kyle Carter, Revell’s philosophy has certainly borne success. In fact, Carter believes Revell’s and AB&T’s guidance has been transformational from a professional and personal standpoint.

“That was a big adjustment for me,” Carter said of shifting from a job where he only had to manage himself, to managing an entire company and team. “We have 80 employees now and it still takes up a lot of my time. But in those early days, the growth we experienced right off the bat was such that you needed more people and you had to hire somebody. You needed a vehicle for them and you needed equipment. It was just constant reinvestment into the company in order to grow and that’s where AB&T really shined for me. They were always there to have a conversation, like, ‘What do you need?’ 

“And, you know, AB&T stuck with me every step of the way and was there for me, for what my business needed. 

“AB&T has changed my life, changed the life of my family, and I’m very grateful for them. That just really means a lot to me. And that’s why I don’t bank with anybody but them.”

With success stories like that it makes sense then that AB&T continues to see strong financial performance measures while also maintaining its position as an enduring financial partner. 

Just this week AB&T’s parent holding company, Community Capital Bancshares, Inc. reported net income of $2.8 million, up an impressive 41% over 2021, continuing the bank’s recent trend of success. That performance drove an increase in the bank’s book value per share of stock to $17.36.

With 2023 squarely underway, AB&T’s committed team of bankers, continues to answer the call daily to provide clients like Kyle Carter and countless others with the gold standard in community banking.