The Coastal Bank has promoted Chap Bennett to executive vice president of commercial real estate and specialty lending. In his new position, Bennett will lead the bank’s mortgage company and construction lending department in addition to its structured finance services.

Bennett has worked with The Coastal Bank for more than 12 years and most recently served as the manager of special assets, where he oversaw the management of all non-performing assets and maintained efforts to minimize risk and preserve capital. Due to his exceptional work in this position, The Coastal Bank has significantly reduced its number of non-performing assets. Prior to his position as manager of special assets, he also served as the senior credit officer at The Coastal Bank.

Bennett currently serves as the vice chairman of the board of directors for the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority, is a past president of the Effingham Chamber of Commerce and a past board member at Effingham Hospital. He is a member of Springfield United Methodist Church and resides in Rincon with his wife, Bobbi Jo, and their three children.

Bennett also was appointed by the lieutenant governor in 2009 to serve on the Council of Regional Commissions and was the past division chair of the Community Bankers Association of Georgia.

Originally from Thomson, Bennett earned a finance degree from Georgia Southern University and graduated with honors from the University of Georgia’s School of Banking. He has been named one of the region’s top “40 Under 40” by the Savannah Business Report.