SEC Form 3

FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* BURKE MICHAEL J (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O UCBI PO BOX 398 (Street) BLAIRSVILLE GA 30514 (City) (State) (Zip)	2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 11/17/2011	3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS INC [ UCBI ]
		4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) Director 10% Owner X Officer (give title below) Other (specify below) SVP & Treasurer	5. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)
			6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) X Form filed by One Reporting Person Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 4)	2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4)	3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Common Stock (RSU's)	10,000(1)	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Option to Purchase Common Stock	08/01/2012(2)	08/01/2021	Common Stock	10,000	11.2	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. RSU's vest at 50% on August 1, 2014 and August 1, 2015.

2. Non-qualified stock option grant vests over four consecutive years from issue date at 25% per year on the grant anniversary date.

Remarks:

	/s/ Lois J. Rich	11/17/2011
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.

          POWER OF ATTORNEY BY MICHAEL J. BURKE (Insider)







     KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, THAT THE UNDERSIGNED HEREBY CONSTITUTES AND APPOINTS (A) REX S. SCHUETTE; B) LOIS J. RICH; AND (C) LORRAINE G. MCKAY, SIGNING SINGLY, THE UNDERSIGNED'S TRUE AND LAWFUL ATTORNEY-IN-FACT TO:



     (1)   Execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the

         undersigned's capacity as an officer and/or director

         of United Community Banks, Inc. (the "Company"),

         Forms 3, 4, and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a)

         of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules

         thereunder;



     (2)   Do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of

         the undersigned which may be necessary or desirable

         to complete and execute any such Form 3, 4, or 5,

         complete and execute any amendment or amendments

         thereto, and timely file such form with the United

         States Securities and Exchange Commission and any

         stock exchange or similar authority; and



     (3)   Take any other action of any type whatsoever in

         connection with the foregoing which, in the opinion

         of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in

         the best interest of, or legally required by, the

         undersigned, it being understood that the documents

         executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the

         undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall

         be in such form and shall contain such terms and

         conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in

         such attorney-in-fact's discretion.



     The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this power of attorney and the rights and powers herein granted. The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.



     This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with respect to the undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities issued by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.





     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, THE UNDERSIGNED HAS CAUSED THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY TO BE EXECUTED AS OF THIS 10TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 2011.





/s/ MICHAEL J. BURKE

Signature



MICHAEL J. BURKE

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