Meet our team

Meet our team in Birmingham

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Nelson Bean

Nelson S. Bean

Division CEO

A Birmingham native, Nelson joined First Commercial Bank a few years after graduating from college and has never looked back. He is not only a leader within our local community, but a champion of community involvement throughout the entire region.

Work in our community

  • Board Member, United Way of Central Alabama
  • Board Member, VIVA Health, Inc.
  • Board Member, Leadership Birmingham
  • Board Member, WoodlawnFoundation
  • Past President, Kiwanis Club of Birmingham
Mike Crane

Michael Crane

Senior VP, Commercial Banking

A Birmingham resident since earning his MBA here, Mike has worked with businesses in our community for over 10 years. Now the leader of our local commercial banking team, he gets a thrill out of helping entrepreneurs and business owners achieve their goals. “My wife and I can’t imagine a better community to raise our three children in,” he says.

Work in our community

  • Board Member, Foundation Capital
  • Loan Committee Member, Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham
  • Member, Leadership UAB
Laura R. Clark

Laura R. Clarke

Executive Vice President Commercial Banking

Laura joined Synovus in 2017 with more than 30 years’ experience in the financial services industry. Her comprehensive understanding of underwriting and loan structuring for middle market commercial customers and her expertise coordinating with strategic partners, credit risk partners, and implementation teams enable her to provide creative and often unique solutions to address complex client issues. Laura earned her bachelor’s in Commerce with a concentration in Finance and Marketing from the University of Virginia, and her MBA from Boston College. Active in the Birmingham community, Laura has been a United Way Visiting Allocation Team member for 15 years.

Work in our community

  • ARC of Shelby County Board – Board Treasurer, Board Compliance Officer
  • Laura Crandall Brown Ovarian Cancer Foundation - Board Member
  • STAIR (Start The Adventure In Reading) – past Board Member and Treasurer
  • Oak Mountain Schools – PTO, Athletic Boosters, and Academic Partners
  • Girl Scout Troop 188 – past Treasurer
  • Birmingham Area Boy Scouts
  • Samford Brock School of Business Advisory Board