Answering opportunity with action
The summer before his junior year at South Carolina State University, Juwan worked as a “cart guy” at a golf course then known as The Members Club at Woodcreek and WildeWood. In addition to the extra cash a college student can always use, Juwan knew these were the community leaders he needed to get to know. One such leader was Chuck Garnett, Division CEO of Synovus (then NBSC). Juwan made a note of when Chuck arrived at the golf course, eventually asking Chuck if he would be his mentor.
A few months later, after being elected student body president, Juwan landed an internship with Toyota Financial Services in Maryland. While Chuck knew potential when he saw it, he also knew Juwan was studying accounting, and that an internship in his major would serve him better.
After Juwan told Chuck about the opportunity over breakfast, Chuck started introducing him to other community leaders. These included Rick Davis, CEO of accounting firm Elliott Davis, Charl Butler, then CFO and current COO at AgFirst Farm Credit Bank, and former Gamecocks wide receiver Moe Brown, then a project manager in Global Business Development at the South Carolina Department of Commerce.
Juwan graduated in May 2017. The following fall, two years after introducing himself to Chuck, the two returned to WildeWood to play a round of golf Juwan says he’ll never forget. “We were on the 15th hole when Chuck asked if I’d developed an interest in banking.” The former cart guy knew this question had but one right answer: “Absolutely!”
Chuck invited Juwan to apply for the Accelerated Banker Program at Synovus. On Halloween, Juwan, who was volunteering as a high school basketball coach, flew to the Synovus headquarters in Columbus, GA, to compete for the program. The next day, he flew back to Columbia, SC, immediately after the interview to make it in time for tryouts. He joined Synovus in January 2018 and started the year-long program that July.
A leader in the making
Even after completing the Accelerated Banker Program, life for the Charlotte, NC, native has not slowed down. At Synovus, he cofounded the African American Employee Resource Group.
Outside the bank, Juwan has served as vice chair of the Charleston Trident Urban League, graduated from Leadership South Carolina, and been named among the 2020 Best and Brightest under 35 by Charleston Business Magazine. Most meaningful for Juwan was his appointment in 2019 to the board of the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs.
Staying connected
In January 2021, Juwan became the relationship manager for a longtime Synovus client, Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC. The legacy of “Mother Emanuel,” as it’s known, was secured generations before the tragic events of June 17, 2015. “It’s an honor to manage this relationship,” says Juwan. “The history and tragedy that took place here – You leave feeling a little different. The first time I stepped in this church, I felt shivers.”
Juwan’s pride in working for Synovus extends beyond the historic account he manages. He is quick to praise the bank’s commitment to communities of every size. “The bank of here is more than just a slogan. Here is bigger than Miami, Atlanta, or Charleston. In South Carolina, here is Anderson and Bishopville, too. By supporting this film, the UNCF, and the new International African American Museum in Charleston, we make our commitment to our five-state footprint clear.”
Synovus is proud to support the public television documentary, Downing of a Flag. Learn more about our sponsorship, Synovus team member Juwan Ayers, and how Synovus is committed to keeping the conversation going.