South State Bank announced the addition of four veteran bankers, forming a Richmond-based middle market banking team and expanding its core commercial banking team.

“The Richmond business community has been responsive to the personalized service and attention South State is known for, and with South State’s scale and product capabilities, the commercial and middle market segments offer significant expansion opportunities for our company in Virginia,” said Bobby Cowgill, Richmond regional president. “The formation of a dedicated commercial middle market team enables us to leverage the market knowledge of these talented new bankers to serve the needs of a broader array of businesses in Virginia.”

Joining the new Middle Market Banking Team, now led by veteran banker Tom Zachry, are Courtney Friedlein and Ben Ross.

Friedlein brings more than 19 years of commercial, not-for-profit and middle market banking experience, most recently with SunTrust Bank in Richmond, to her role of middle market banker. She has an extensive background in underwriting and structuring debt transactions, along with providing tax-exempt debt for not-for-profit organizations, throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions. She will focus on building relationships with not-for-profit and middle market operating companies in Virginia. Friedlein is a graduate of the University of Georgia.

Ross joins South State as a middle market banker, focused on providing solutions for middle market operating companies in Virginia. Ross was previously a middle market banker for M&T Bank in Richmond. Prior to M&T, Ross worked as an investment banker for Dickinson Williams & Company and Harris Williams & Co. Ross is a graduate of James Madison University and the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.

Joining the Commercial Banking Team with a focus on serving businesses across central Virginia are Josh Holder and Ned Witthoefft.

Holder joins the South State Commercial Banking team from Sonabank in Richmond, where he was also a commercial banker. In his role, he will provide consultative banking solutions to operating companies in central Virginia. Holder, a native of central Virginia, holds a degree from Longwood University and is a graduate of the Virginia Bankers Association School of Bank Management.

Witthoefft brings diverse banking experience to his role as commercial banker, enabling him to offer his commercial banking clients customized solutions across a wide array of financial needs. Prior to joining South State, Witthoefft held positions in commercial banking with First Tennessee in Richmond, along with various roles with SunTrust and Barclays Bank. Witthoefft is a native of Richmond and holds a degree from James Madison University.