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Management

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Jimmy Tallent

President and Chief Executive Officer

Jimmy Tallent, 55, has more than 26 years of banking experience. In 1984, he was named President of United Community Bank – Union County in Blairsville, GA (formerly Union County Bank), which held assets of just $42 million. Five years later, in 1989, the bank marked its $100 million milestone. And, under Tallent's guidance, the United Community Banks, Inc. holding company was also established that year. Today, United Community Banks is a $8.1 billion bank holding company with 27 community banks and 108 offices serving communities across north and coastal Georgia, metro Atlanta, western North Carolina, and eastern Tennessee. During March 2002, United's common stock was listed on the Nasdaq National Market and in July 2002 was listed in the Russell 2000 index. Tallent is a member of the State Board for the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education and serves as a Trustee of Young Harris College in Young Harris, Georgia. He is a former member of the Global Health Action Board of Directors and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Tallent has also served as the State YMCA Finance Chairman.

The Georgia Economic Developers Association presented its Spirit of Georgia Award to Mr. Tallent in 1999. GEDA makes the award annually to a Georgia business executive "who has demonstrated superior ability, originality, potential impact, and courage in business development." For five consecutive years Georgia Trend magazine recognized Tallent as one of the "100 Most Influential Georgians."

Most recently, Tallent was honored on June 14, 2007, with the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Financial Services in the Alabama/ Georgia /Tennessee region.

A native of Habersham County, Georgia, Tallent attended Young Harris College and Piedmont College. He is also a graduate of the Georgia Banking School in Athens.

Guy Freeman

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Guy Freeman, 70, has more than 40 years of banking experience, and currently manages the activities of United's 27 community banks. His responsibilities include managing bank operations and technology, establishing and implementing common processes across the bank's franchise, as well as serving as communications liaison to the community banks.

Prior to joining United Community Banks in 1994, Freeman served as President and Chief Executive Officer at several Georgia banking institutions including White County Bank in Cleveland; East Side Bank in Snellville; First America Bank in Atlanta; and Adel Banking Company in Adel, as well as several other financial institutions.

Freeman is a graduate of the Georgia Bankers School and Georgia School of Banking of the South. Freeman also served in the U.S. Navy.

Rex Schuette

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Rex S. Schuette, 58, has more than 30 years experience in banking and financial services, and is currently responsible for managing and directing all accounting, financial and reporting activities for the company. He is also responsible for mergers and acquisitions, investor relations, treasury, capital and strategic planning, budget and forecasts, and administration of internal audit.

Prior to joining United Community Banks in 2001, Schuette was the Chief Accounting Officer and Controller for State Street Corporation from 1985 to 2001. There, he directed all aspects of controllership including: a decentralized finance network, financial profitability and reporting, accounting operations, policies and systems, budget and fore casting, tax strategies, and compliance for U.S., foreign and product taxes. Prior to State Street, Schutte was CFO of Bank One Columbus, Assistant Controller at two Regional banks in the Midwest, and Audit manager with an international audit firm.

Schuette has served as Chairman of the Accounting Committee for the American Bankers Association and is a member of the Financial Executives Institute and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He earned a bachelor's degree from Central Michigan University, and a certified public accountant certificate while in public accounting.

David Shearrow

Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer

David P. Shearrow, 48, has more than 26 years of banking experience. His responsibilities include corporate-wide Risk Management and Credit Risk Administration, including administration, underwriting, review, policy, special assets, and he is Co-Chairman of the Risk Management Committee.

Prior to joining United Community Banks Shearrow served as the Executive Vice President and Senior Credit Officer for SunTrust Banks, where he was responsible for credit approval and portfolio quality in commercial banking, real estate finance, wealth management and business banking in Georgia and Tennessee.

Shearrow earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from University of Kentucky and is a graduate of Nova University with a Masters of Business Administration.

Craig Metz

Executive Vice President of Marketing

Craig Metz, 52, is responsible for overseeing all marketing activities of United Community Banks Inc. since 2002. He leads a team of dedicated marketers who plan and execute localized branding, advertising, research, corporate communications, product development, public relations and direct marketing. He and his team work closely with each bank to provide our customers the best possible service experience on the planet.

Past senior level experiences included many of the world's top financial services, CPG and advertising companies including: ING, Fortis, BankSouth, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Omnicom Group (DDB) and Ogilvy and Mather.

Prior to joining the company, Metz was Executive Vice President serving on the Executive Board of the Fortis-owned Assurant Group. His responsibilities included the management of 700 employees in the Consumer Marketing Services Department, which encompassed campaign management and direct marketing, corporate and marketing communications, and call-center management.

Past positions include Senior Vice President of Strategic Marketing for ING Americas; Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer and member of the Management Committee of Bank South Corporation; Director of Advertising, Media Planning and Presence Marketing for Coca-Cola Enterprises and Vice President Marketing of DDB Needham Worldwide. In 1996, Metz and his team at Bank South were awarded the coveted Gold EFFIE for their innovative introduction of the Bank South debit card.

Metz serves as a GPED board member which is chair by Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and oversees the Tour de Georgia cycling race. Also, serves as a director of the board overseeing United Community Banks Inc. subsidiary Brintech – a firm who specializes in consulting community banks. Metz has been a past board member of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, the greater Atlanta Credit Counseling Service and a member of the Georgia State Marketing Roundtable. Metz earned a bachelor's degree from South Dakota State University.