Johnston Southern Company, the private office of the Summerfield K. Johnston, Jr. Family, announced a reorganization of its executive management team effective July 1. Andy Cope, president of Johnston Southern for 21 years, has chosen to reduce his time commitment to the company and will now serve as vice president. David Smith has been named president of Johnston Southern Company.
Mr. Cope was previously employed by American National Bank and Trust Company and SunTrust Bank where he served for 29 years. Mr. Cope was vice-chairman of the Board of Directors and managed the company’s Trust, Investment, and Private Banking activities in Chattanooga.
Mr. Cope has also been named the president of The Tucker Foundation, the Johnston Family’s private foundation. He is replacing Hayne Hamilton, who is retiring after serving as president of the Foundation since its establishment in 1994.
Mr. Hamilton was employed as executive vice-president of First American National Corporation in Nashville for 12 years prior to returning to Chattanooga to serve as president of Johnston Southern Company. Mr. Hamilton also served as executive assistant to Summerfield K. Johnston, Jr. at Coca-Cola Enterprises in Atlanta. Mr. Hamilton will be retained as a consultant to the foundation, and will remain on the foundation’s Board of Trustees.
Mr. Smith, previously a partner with a regional accounting firm in Chattanooga, has served as an investment banking consultant and advisor to Johnston Southern Company for 20 years.
Mr. Smith is a certified public accountant/ personal financial specialist and certified valuation analyst. He is a member of the Tennessee Society of CPAs, the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts and the Estate Planning Council of Chattanooga. Mr. Smith graduated with honors from the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and from Georgia State University with a Master of Business Administration. Mr. Smith is a member of the Board of the Cherokee Council of the Boy Scouts of America and serves on the Advisory Committee for Business and Information Systems at Chattanooga State Technical Community College.