Regions realigns businesses and names John Owen to lead new General Bank, John Turner to lead new Corporate Bank

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Regions Financial Corp. RF announced today that it has realigned its business units and geographical leadership, creating a General Bank, which consists of the businesses that serve retail, wealth management, and small business customers, and a Corporate Bank, which consists of the businesses that serve middle-market and larger commercial clients. John Owen, Head of Business Lines, has been named head of the General Bank, and South Region President John Turner has been named head of the Corporate Bank. Separately, John Asbury, who previously led the Business Services Group, has resigned due to family considerations that require relocation.

Bill Horton, the North Central Alabama Area President, will succeed Turner as president of the South Region, which encompasses Alabama, Mississippi, South Louisiana, and the Florida Panhandle, and he will join the company's Operating Committee and report to John Owen. Leroy Abrahams, currently head of Strategic and Corporate Planning, has been named North Central Alabama Area President, succeeding Horton.

“This realignment creates a more streamlined structure at the top of the company and is a more effective model for executing our strategy, managing our performance and serving our customers,” said Regions Chairman, President and CEO Grayson Hall. “We appreciate John Asbury's leadership and six years of service to our company, and we understand and respect his decision.”

Biographical information

John Owen

John Owen has served as head of Business Lines for Regions since 2012. Previously he led Regions' Consumer Services Group from 2009 to 2012 and has also led Operations and Technology. Before joining Regions in 2007, he served as chief executive officer of Assurant Specialty Property, a Fortune 500 company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Owen began his service at Assurant in 1998 as senior vice president of Information Technology. He previously held the position of chief operating officer of Assurant's Property and Solutions Group and then was promoted to chief executive officer. He graduated from Auburn University's School of Engineering with a bachelor's degree in Aviation Management.

John Turner

John Turner has served as president of the South Region since 2011, when he joined Regions. Turner was previously president of Whitney National Bank and Whitney Holding Corporation and served on Whitney's bank and holding company Boards of Directors from 2008 until 2011. Turner joined Whitney in 1994 as its Alabama regional president after serving in senior consumer and business positions with AmSouth Bank. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Georgia. He is a former chairman of the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, former chairman of the Mobile Area Education Foundation, a former chairman of the United Way of Southwest Alabama, a graduate of Leadership Alabama and former board member of Leadership Mobile.

Bill Horton

Bill Horton has served as North Central Alabama Area President since 2008. Horton joined the AmSouth Management Training Program in 1974 and served throughout the bank's branch system. He has managed several areas in both Consumer and Business Services throughout his career including the BankCard, Consumer Lending and Business Banking departments. He has also managed the Consumer Loan and Deposit Product Management teams. Horton organized and headed the bank's Business Loan, Consumer Loan and Direct Loan Centers along with the Home Equity Lending department. He served as head of Mortgage Banking and Business Banking prior to leading the Community Banking segment of Regions' Business Services Group. Horton holds a bachelor's degree from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama, and is a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University. Horton is involved in a number of community activities, including serving on the board of the Birmingham Kiwanis Club, the Birmingham Educational Foundation, Railroad Park Foundation, A. G. Gaston Boys and Girls Club, Birmingham Business Alliance and the Lakeshore Foundation. He is past co-chair of the Central Alabama United Way Campaign and Board Chair of REV Birmingham.

Leroy Abrahams

Leroy Abrahams has served as head of Strategic and Corporate Planning since joining Regions in 2013. Abrahams previously worked for SunTrust Banks Inc. as President and CEO of the Hampton Roads Region in Virginia. In addition, he held roles as the retail banking executive and central group retail line of business leader. Before joining SunTrust, Abrahams held the position of consumer banking manager in eastern Tennessee for Regions Bank. Abrahams graduated from Texas Christian University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and a major in Finance. Abrahams has served on a variety of nonprofit boards in the past including: United Way of Greater Atlanta, The East Tennessee Economic Development Association, The Knoxville Chamber Partnership, The Women's Haven, The Dogwood Arts Committee, and he was a United Way Allocations Committee Chair.

About Regions Financial Corporation

Regions Financial Corporation RF, with $118 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation's largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, mortgage, and insurance products and services. Regions serves customers in 16 states across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates approximately 1,700 banking offices and 2,000 ATMs. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com.