Ameris Bancorp Announces Next Step in Corporate Restructuring

March 27, 2007

AMERIS BANCORP (NasdaqGS: ABCB), Moultrie, Georgia, announced the next step in its corporate restructuring to include centralization of several operational areas and significantly increased resources for improving retail banking efforts.

Restructuring steps announced today involve centralizing certain operational functions such as loan operations (including loan processing), deposit operations, human resources and various training and marketing positions. Centralizing these functions is essential and necessary to provide the desired level of service with appropriate focus on efficiency and risk management. Efforts to right-size the Company's operations will begin immediately and should be completed during the third quarter of 2007.

In addition to restructuring the Company's operations, Ameris announced that increased resources will be devoted to improving retail banking efforts. These resources will be devoted to additional sales staff and sales coaches as well as resources for training and leadership development. Ameris anticipates that these resources coupled with higher expectations and accountability will result in more effective sales efforts for fee based products and lower cost core deposits.

Ameris Bancorp began the initial corporate restructuring in the fourth quarter of 2005 when the Company announced it would begin to collapse its fifteen individual bank charters into a single bank subsidiary with a common, highly recognizable brand. This initial phase was completed on December 11, 2006 when the final bank charters were collapsed into Ameris Bank. Today, Ameris Bank operates 45 offices in Georgia, Florida, Alabama and South Carolina.

Edwin W. Hortman, Jr., President and CEO, commented on the restructuring and said, "At the heart of our restructuring efforts is a driving passion to create value as a community bank. Earlier phases of our corporate restructuring have proven to be very successful in making us more competitive and produced positive results. I am proud of our Company's employees for their vision and ability to manage through these changes."

Ameris Bancorp is headquartered in Moultrie, Georgia.

Ameris Bancorp Common Stock is quoted on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "ABCB". The preceding release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The words "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "anticipate" and similar expressions and variations thereof identify certain of such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the dates which they were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

For more information contact:
Dennis J. Zember Jr.
Executive Vice President & CFO
(229) 890-1111