PeoplesSouth Bank and PeoplesSouth Bancshares Inc., which has a branch on U.S. 27 South and Lake Douglas Road, recently announced some key personnel changes.

David Warr has been named chief lending officer of PeoplesSouth Bank. He had served as the city president in Bainbridge since May 2008. Prior to that, Warr was city president for three years with Regions Bank.

Warr earned a bachelor’s from Auburn University in 1984, and he served with the Farm Credit system for 18 years in various lending roles in Milton, Fla., and in Bainbridge. Warr and his wife, Julie, have two daughters, Amy and Melissa.

Lee White returned to PeoplesSouth Bank in Bainbridge where he will serve as commercial loan officer. He has more than 10 years of banking experience with seven of those years in Bainbridge. He and his wife, Susie, have two children.

Dianna Thomas will serve in the capacity of central regional president. She had served with PeoplesSouth Bank since 1999 as city president in Ashford, Ala., and then in Donalsonville, Ga. She and her husband, Carlton, have two children and four grandchildren.

Clay Waddell of Donalsonville was named assistant IT manager of PeoplesSouth Bancshares Inc. He has worked in the IT department since October 2008. He and his wife, Andrea, have a daughter.

Judy Powell has returned to PeoplesSouth Bancshares Inc. to serve as operations officer. She has more than 34 years of banking experience, with the first 14 years serving as assistant vice president of The Peoples Bank in Colquitt. Powell also served as senior vice president of Bainbridge National Bank, First Community of Southwest Georgia and Park Avenue Bank Bancshares. Powell, who with her husband, Ronnie, live in Colquitt. They have one son.

Alton Harrison will serve as city president of the Donalsonville location. He has 32 years of banking experience, primarily in lending. Harrison and his wife, Virginia, live in Iron City, and they have one daughter.

Patrick Cannon will be working in the Colquitt and Donalsonville locations where he will receive training in all areas of banking. Cannon is also training to be a competitive marksman and is an Olympic hopeful.

Delta Tire expands

Delta Tire finalized the purchase of Sharber Oil’s tire division last week, propelling Delta Tire to become the exclusive Michelin, BF Goodrich and Uniroyal tire dealer in the area.

Jeff Lynn, owner of Delta Tire located on Dothan Highway, said Thursday the acquisition of Sharber’s tire division was a great opportunity.

“It was just a good fit for both parties,” Lynn said.

He said long-time customers of Sharber’s tire division, which has served the area for more than 30 years, have already been referred to Delta Tire, and Lynn said he hopes to continue to build his customer base and relations.

Michelin, BF Goodrich and Uniroyal, when combined, make up approximately 40 percent of the domestic passenger car and truck tire market, Lynn said.

B-H Transfer Company to expand here

B-H Transfer Company, a truckload motor carrier based in Sandersville, Ga., that primarily serves the industrial minerals industry, plans to expand into Attapulgus, Ga.

“We going to open a new terminal in beautiful Attapulgus,” said Jimmy Hooks, director of human resources for the company.

Hooks said they are in the process of hiring a staff of three persons, including a terminal manager, and hire 10 truck drivers, of which Hooks said they have already hired five. It also wants to hire 15 owner-operator truck drivers.

B-H Transfer Company primarily handles most of the clay business in middle Georgia, and Hooks said they had an opportunity to expand to serve the clay businesses in the Attapulgus area.

McRae joins Bishop’s staff

Ashton McRae, son of John and Marcia McRae, is U.S. Rep Sanford Bishop’s press secretary in Washington, D.C. McRae attended West Bainbridge Middle School where he was the school’s eagle mascot and ran on the track team. He received a scholarship to attend Episcopal High School in Alexandria Va. While there, he did a six-week internship with the U.S. Commerce Committee when Sen. John McCain was chairman. After graduating in 2003, he was awarded an English Speaking Union Scholarship and attended the Sanford School in Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. McRae graduated from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., in 2008. After graduating, he work on a Democrat congressional campaign in Ohio.

Verizon invests in network upgrades

Verizon Wireless announced Monday that it invested more than $55 million in the second quarter of 2010 to enhance its network in Georgia. Since 2003, the company has invested more than $1 billion in Georgia. The Verizon Wireless network was upgraded and enhanced during the second quarter of 2010 in 88 counties statewide and in the Atlanta area including near Georgia Institute of Technology, Hartsfield-Jackson Airport and Coca-Cola Headquarters. The cities of Albany and Macon also both received multiple 3G network enhancements, in addition to network upgrades in a number of municipalities, including Attapulgus, Bainbridge, Blakely, Climax and Faceville.

Rep. Bishop to host forum

U.S. Rep. Sanford D. Bishop Jr. will host a free forum in Albany for small businesses in Southwest Georgia to learn about current lending and financing options available through the Small Business Administration (SBA). The forum will be held Monday, Aug. 16, at Albany Technical College from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.