Regions Financial Corp. announced that Ward Cheatham will retire as head of Corporate Specialized Banking and a member of the company?s Executive Leadership Team at the end of 2023. The company?s current head of Capital Markets, Joel Stephens, has been named to succeed Cheatham, and the bank?s current head of Corporate and Institutional Markets, Rit Amin, will succeed Stephens.

Cheatham joined Regions in 1996 as a Commercial Real Estate executive. Throughout his time at Regions, he served in a variety of leadership roles across the Corporate Banking Group, including division executive for Commercial and Industrial Lending, Capital Markets, Leasing, Healthcare and Asset-Based Lending. In addition, he served as head of Commercial Middle Market and Treasury Management Sales.

Stephens joined Regions in 2008 to lead the Real Estate Capital Markets Group. He was named head of Capital Markets in 2019. During his 15 years at Regions, Stephens has been instrumental in expanding Regions?

services and solutions for Capital Markets clients. Examples include growing specialized banking teams managing HUD lending for multifamily and senior housing developments, building greater agency lending solutions through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, delivering Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program services, and guiding Commercial Real Estate loan syndication efforts. Additionally, Stephens helped lead the integration of Sabal Capital Partners into Regions Real Estate Capital Markets, an acquisition expanding Regions?

work in small-balance Commercial Real Estate lending through SNAP®, a technology-enabled platform that automates and drives efficiencies across the life-of-loan process, from loan origination through servicing. Amin is a veteran banker of nearly 30 years who joined Regions in 2013 as head of Corporate and Institutional Markets. During his decade-long tenure in this role, Amin has led teams providing clients with advisory and capital-raising expertise across a variety of industries and capital markets including loan, fixed income and equity markets.

Amin?s experience and insights have also been key to the successful integration of acquired affiliates BlackArch Partners in 2015 and Clearsight Advisors in 2021. BlackArch Partners and Clearsight Advisors are advisory firms for mergers and acquisitions that operate across multiple industry sectors serving entrepreneurs and private equity clients. Under Amin?s direction, Regions also expanded its mergers-and-acquisitions corporate finance and advisory capabilities for middle market and corporate clients.

Cheatham, Stephens and Amin will work collaboratively through the remainder of 2023 on the transition process for these key leadership roles. The leadership changes are effective Jan. 1, 2024.