Nearly a year after announcing one of the Southeast’s largest banking mergers, Pinnacle Financial Partners is taking its message on the road.
The company’s 2026 Launch Party Bus Tour recently stopped in Niceville, where employees from Pinnacle Financial Partners and former Synovus Bank locations gathered to celebrate the firms’ merger and build relationships ahead of the company’s full brand integration in early 2027.
The event featured interactive games, giveaways, and opportunities for employees from both legacy organizations to meet face-to-face as the combined company continues working toward operating under a single Pinnacle brand.
“Many of us have been to orientation and heard directly from our CEO Kevin Blair about the firm’s vision, and the bus tour gave us another chance to truly experience what it means to become one team and one firm,” said Debbie Elliott, office leader in Niceville. “The enthusiasm the Pinnacle team brought to our legacy Synovus team members was amazing. We had so much fun.”
The stop was one of several across Florida as Pinnacle works to strengthen company culture following its merger with Synovus Financial Corp., which officially closed in January 2026.
The merger created one of the Southeast’s largest regional banking organizations, with approximately $123 billion in assets and more than 400 locations across nine states. The combined company provides commercial and consumer banking, mortgage, investment, trust, and insurance services.
Although the two organizations are now operating as a single bank holding company, customers will continue to see both the Pinnacle and Synovus brands until systems and branding are fully integrated in early 2027. Company leaders say the phased approach is designed to minimize disruptions while enhancing the customer experience.
The merger combines Pinnacle’s recruiting-focused culture with Synovus’ long-established banking operations throughout the Southeast. Company executives say the goal is to create a stronger regional bank while maintaining the relationship-based approach both organizations emphasize.
For employees in Niceville and throughout Florida, the bus tour served as a celebration of that next chapter, bringing together teammates from both legacy companies before the final transition to a unified Pinnacle brand next year.
Photo credits to Tiffany Capuano at Synovus.
