Behind the Ranking: The Principles Driving SouthState's Success

When SouthState was recently recognized among the top-performing banks in the nation in Bank Director's RankingBanking study, the recognition reflected more than financial performance. It highlighted a business model built on local leadership, long-term thinking, and a culture designed to help both customers and team members thrive.

As SouthState has grown into one of the largest regional banks in the country, the organization has remained committed to a philosophy that may seem increasingly rare in modern banking: empowering local leaders to serve local communities.

We spoke with several leaders across the organization to learn what they believe is driving SouthState's success and why culture continues to be one of the bank's greatest competitive advantages.

Staying Local While Growing

Growth often brings new opportunities, but it can also create distance between decision-makers and the communities they serve. According to Richard Murray, President of SouthState Corporation, SouthState's growth strategy is intentionally designed to avoid that.

"Organic growth is what we wake up each day thinking about," Murray says. "There is no centralized growth department. Growth happens locally. Our market leaders are focused on serving their communities and growing their markets, and expansion into new areas doesn't change that day-to-day focus."

That commitment to local leadership remains one of SouthState's defining characteristics. Rather than directing strategy from a single centralized office, the organization empowers experienced bankers who know their markets, understand their customers, and are positioned to make decisions close to home.

Jennifer Abbott, Chief Administrative Officer, says preserving local market leadership has been one of SouthState’s most intentional choices as the company has grown. While centralization can create efficiencies and stronger controls, she says it can also distance decision-making from the customers and communities the bank serves.

“This local decision-making ability better serves the customer and preserves the relationships that are made at the local level between the bank and the customer,” Abbott says. “Ownership also empowers the teams to think with an entrepreneurial spirit, which keeps the bank growing and relevant.”
 

Performance Starts with Purpose

Financial performance doesn't happen by accident. According to Renee Brooks, Chief Operating Officer, sustained success requires balancing today's execution with tomorrow's vision.

"At a baseline, achieving high performance takes operational and financial rigor balanced with long-term strategic planning," Brooks says.

But strong performance isn't solely about metrics and strategy, it starts with understanding the people the bank serves.

"The companies that consistently perform over time tend to share one thing: a genuine passion for the customer," says Brooks.

That customer-first mindset has helped SouthState navigate growth, acquisitions, and expansion while remaining focused on the relationships at the heart of its business.

The Power of Local Leadership

For Steve Stagg, Regional President of Tampa, that model stood out soon after he joined SouthState.

Having spent his career at banking organizations both larger and smaller than SouthState, Stagg says the bank successfully combines the strengths many institutions strive for but few fully achieve.

"I've always believed the secret sauce in banking is having the capabilities of a larger bank with the service and delivery model of a community bank," Stagg says. "Many institutions try to do that. SouthState's commitment to local market leadership allows us to truly deliver on that promise for our clients."

In many ways, that philosophy represents the best of both worlds: sophisticated capabilities supported by bankers who remain deeply connected to the communities they serve.
 

A Culture People Can Feel

Culture is often talked about, but it's not always experienced. For Stagg, the difference became apparent early in his SouthState journey.

"Soon after I joined, I attended an offsite with leaders from across the organization," he says. "What stood out was the caliber of people. SouthState had built a team of extremely talented individuals who were also incredibly down-to-earth. The backgrounds were different, but the values were aligned."

That combination of talent, humility, and collaboration is something many leaders point to when describing what makes SouthState unique.

Abbott sees culture as something shared by every team member, not something simply directed from the top.

“Culture is owned by every team member and not corporately pushed down,” she says. Abbott points to SouthState’s Culture Council and Culture Ambassadors, supported by senior leadership, as important examples of how the company protects and strengthens its culture across a growing footprint.

“Our team members live the core values every day through their behaviors, and they share that with those around them,” Abbott says. “Culture is better caught than taught.”

As the organization grows, maintaining that culture remains a priority. The belief is simple: strong cultures not only create better workplaces, they also create better customer experiences, stronger communities, and more sustainable results.
 

More Than Recognition

Industry recognition is always appreciated, but for Murray, the significance of the Bank Director ranking extends beyond the accolade itself.

"Positive recognition is always nice to see," he says. "What I hope it does is validate that our emphasis on culture isn't just something we talk about. It's something that creates an environment where great bankers can thrive."

That may ultimately be the real story behind the ranking.

While financial metrics help measure results, those results are driven by something deeper: empowered local leaders, a commitment to customers, long-term discipline, and a culture strong enough to support growth without sacrificing the values that made the organization successful in the first place.

Because at SouthState, performance isn't built in a boardroom. It's built one relationship, one community, and one customer at a time.