Ron Thigpen, the chief operating officer and executive vice president for Southeastern, said the company was previously prohibited from having Georgia Bank & Trust branches in South Carolina. Provisions in the federal Dodd-Frank Act allowed for the bank to be able to have branches in other states.

The merger will allow customers to use all 12 of the Georgia or Southern Bank & Trust branches, nine in Richmond County and three in Aiken County, which was previously not possible. It will also provide increased operating efficiency, he said.

“It provides a much higher level of convenience for our customers, and consolidates the resources of both banks,” Thigpen said.

The merger takes effect Dec. 5, he said.