Six of South Mississippi’s best bankers recently joined the Pine Belt banking team at Hancock Whitney, adding commercial and private wealth expertise.

“We are very pleased to welcome six of the Pine Belt’s most client-oriented and community-minded bankers to our Hancock Whitney team,” said Hancock Whitney Pine Belt Market President Michael Schloegel. “We believe their strong business, civic and service leadership and their expertise in helping commercial and wealth banking clients make the most of their assets will further strengthen the comprehensive banking choices we bring to the people and businesses driving the Pine Belt’s economic vitality.”

Joining the bank are:

• Ryan Hinton, Senior Vice President and Middle Market Banker, started his banking career with AmSouth Bank and has more than 15 years of experience in the financial services industry, including branch management, commercial credit, commercial banking and equipment finance. Before joining Hancock Whitney, he served with Regions Bank for 14 years, most recently as the banker responsible for overseeing the bank’s equipment finance division in Mississippi. Hinton received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in risk management from The University of Mississippi and graduated from the Mississippi School of Banking at The University of Mississippi. He also earned his Certified Lease and Finance Professional (CLFP) designation in 2020.
• Shawn Harris, Vice President and Commercial Banker, previously a commercial banker at Regions Bank. He began his financial services career 15 years ago with Trustmark Bank’s Management Development Associate (MDA) program and served in a variety of roles, including corporate communications, branch management, private banking, and commercial banking. An alumnus of Mississippi College (MC), he holds both a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in marketing and a Master of Business Administration degree from MC. He is also a graduate of the Mississippi School of Banking at The University of Mississippi.
• Paul C. Harris, Senior Vice President and Private Banker. Formerly a private banker and wealth advisor at Regions Bank for two decades, has more than 28 years of experience in the financial services sector. He was previously an independent financial advisor associated with American Express Financial Advisors. He earned Bachelor of Arts in business and Bachelor of Science degrees in banking and finance from the University of Southern Mississippi. He also holds a Series 7 general securities license and is a Registered Investment Advisor.
• Lee Gill, CFTA, Vice President and Trust Advisor. Gill began his banking career with the former AmSouth Bank, which merged with Regions Bank in 2006, and was most recently a vice president and trust advisor with the bank. Gill has significant banking experience in the consumer, commercial, and trust/wealth management arenas of financial services and holds the prestigious Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CFTA) designation. He graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi.
• Ginny Brister, Trust Administrator, began her banking career in 2016 as a trust assistant for Regions Bank. Previously, she served as a paralegal for more than 10 years in various fields of law. Originally from Pass Christian, Mississippi, she earned a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies, with a minor in history, from the University of Southern Mississippi.
• Leslie Mauldin, Private Banking Administrator, joined Hancock Whitney after almost three years as a Private Wealth Assistant at Regions Bank. She has nearly 14 years of financial services experience. Previously she served with a law firm for five years, closing real estate transactions and working in other areas of law.