ATLANTA, Oct. 05, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atlantic Capital Bank just hired Daphne Johnson-Smith, AVP Community Development Officer—Diverse Segments, to execute strategies for increased community engagement and to facilitate mortgages in low- and moderate-income communities around Atlanta.

Johnson-Smith will work with underserved Metro Atlanta residents, including those in the Grove Park neighborhood where Atlantic Capital is committed for long-term community development. In this role, she will engage local stakeholders and cultivate relationships while organizing loan production for affordable housing.

“People in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods need better relationships with financial institutions,” Johnson-Smith said. “Instead of asking them to come to us for financial solutions, Atlantic Capital is going to them. I want to be known in the communities we serve as their trusted financial advisor for all of their home lending needs.”

Johnson-Smith will work with community partners to provide financial education to residents. She will present seminars on how to prepare and apply for loans, how to balance a checkbook and practice basic finance. The work is driven by the bank’s desire to accelerate economic development in underserved neighborhoods, like Grove Park.

“I believe the people of Grove Park need a bank partnership like Atlantic Capital that is not only passionate but one that understands their specific needs as the community continues to grow and change while undergoing a revitalization and stabilization process,” Johnson-Smith said.

Prior to joining Atlantic Capital, throughout her career, Johnson-Smith worked with Royal Bank of Canada, Stonegate Mortgage Corporation, Wells Fargo Bank, HSBC and Chase Bank.

At RBC, she was Credit Manager with a focus on diverse segment fair lending, including the expansion of creative engagement for community development projects. Before that at Stonegate Mortgage, Johnson-Smith spearheaded growth initiatives, and she exceeded recruitment and production targets by 110 percent.

Ashley Carson, Atlantic Capital Bank Corporate & Community Affairs Executive, said Johnson-Smith’s experience and lending expertise with community development organizations is crucial to Atlantic Capital’s work to serve diverse communities in Metro Atlanta.

“Daphne is a passionate, results-focused mortgage professional,” Carson said. “We are committed to prospering Metro Atlanta neighborhoods and helping residents bank in the right direction. Her focus on compliance, fair lending outreach, and community relations is crucial to our work in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods.”

Johnson-Smith and her husband of 26 years live in Atlanta. They have two grown children.

Atlantic Capital Bank, NA is a subsidiary of Atlantic Capital Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq:ACBI), which is a $2.7 billion publicly traded bank holding company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Atlantic Capital offers banking, treasury management, capital markets, trust, and mortgage services to privately held companies and individuals in Atlanta, eastern Tennessee, northwest Georgia and Charlotte, NC. Atlantic Capital also provides specialized financial services to select clients nationally. For more information, visit our website at www.atlanticcapitalbank.com.