Derek Shelnutt
About Derek Shelnutt
Derek W. Shelnutt, age 38, is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Colony Bankcorp, Inc. (since Jan 2024) and CFO of Colony Bank (since Jul 2023). He is a CPA (GA and SC), holds a Master of Professional Accounting and BBA in Accounting from the University of West Georgia, and serves on UWG’s Richards College of Business Accounting Advisory Board . CBAN’s pay-versus-performance shows improving net income and TSR over 2022–2024, contextualizing his tenure: net income rose from $19.5m (2022) to $23.9m (2024), and the value of a fixed $100 TSR investment increased from $75.10 (2022) to $121.35 (2024) . In 2025, he was named to Independent Banker’s 40 Under 40 list, the only Georgia banker so honored .
| Performance Context | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company TSR – Value of $100 | $75.10 | $104.81 | $121.35 |
| Net Income ($) | $19,542,000 | $21,747,000 | $23,868,000 |
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colony Bankcorp, Inc. | EVP & CFO (Company) | Jan 2024–present | Leads financial strategy, reporting, accounting oversight, and corporate treasury |
| Colony Bank | EVP & CFO (Bank) | Jul 2023–present | Bank-level CFO leadership and execution |
| Colony Bankcorp, Inc. | SVP/Chief Accounting Officer | May 2022–Jan 2024 | Elevated reporting and control environment |
| Colony Bankcorp, Inc. | Treasurer; Controller | 2020–2022 | Treasury management and controllership capabilities |
| CresCom Bank | SOX Compliance Manager | Pre-2020 | Strengthened SOX compliance and controls |
| Charter Bank | Treasury Accountant | Pre-2020 | Treasury operations and accounting |
| Public Accounting | Auditor | Pre-2020 | External audit experience and technical foundation |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of West Georgia – Richards College of Business | Accounting Advisory Board Member | Current | Supports curriculum relevance; develops finance/accounting talent pipeline |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary (Company CFO) | $205,000 | Set upon appointment to Company CFO; Bank employment agreement dated Jul 1, 2023 otherwise unchanged |
No target bonus %, actual bonus, or perquisites specific to Mr. Shelnutt were disclosed in proxy filings; details for his employment agreement beyond the effective date are not disclosed in public documents reviewed .
Performance Compensation
Company-wide incentive design (for Named Executive Officers) emphasizes operating performance; while not explicitly naming the CFO in NEO tables, these show Colony’s current pay-for-performance framework.
- 2024 annual incentive metrics and weights (NEOs): ROAA > 0.83% (25%); Operating EPS > $1.44 (25%); Organic customer deposit growth > $49.418m (20%); Net operating non-interest expense to average assets < 1.39% (20%); Individual goals (10%). Payout timing: 80% cash in 2025; remainder in 2026 .
- 2023 annual incentive metrics and weights (NEOs): ROAA > 0.89% (25%); Operating EPS > $1.53 (25%); Organic customer deposit growth > $103.129m (20%); Net operating non-interest expense to average assets < 1.94% (20%); Individual goals (10%). Payout timing: 60% cash in 2024; remainder in equal installments over the following three years .
| Metric (NEO Plan) | Weight | 2023 Target | 2024 Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating ROAA (>) | 25% | 0.89% | 0.83% |
| Operating EPS (>) | 25% | $1.53 | $1.44 |
| Organic Deposit Growth (>) | 20% | $103.129m | $49.418m |
| Net Operating NIE / Avg Assets (<) | 20% | 1.94% | 1.39% |
| Individual Goals | 10% | Included | Included |
The Company’s equity program grants time-based restricted stock (multi-year vesting) and adopts a clawback compliant with NYSE Rule 10D-1; awards are not timed around MNPI disclosures .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| As-of Date | Shares Beneficially Owned | Ownership % | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 22, 2024 | 10,966 | 0.06% | Executive officer share count in 2024 proxy |
| Mar 28, 2025 | 14,466 | 0.08% | Executive officer share count in 2025 proxy |
- Hedging/derivatives and margin purchases are prohibited by policy; trading subject to blackout windows and pre-cleared by General Counsel .
- Company-wide clawback policy will recover erroneously awarded compensation upon a qualifying restatement per NYSE 10D-1 .
- No pledging by Mr. Shelnutt is disclosed; no related-party transactions reported for his appointment .
Employment Terms
- Appointment: Named Executive Vice President & CFO of Colony Bankcorp effective Jan 23, 2024; continues as EVP & CFO of Colony Bank (since Jul 1, 2023) .
- Base salary: $205,000 (Company CFO, set at appointment) .
- Contract reference: “Terms of his existing employment agreement with the Bank, dated as of July 1, 2023, remain otherwise unchanged” (no additional public terms disclosed) .
- No reportable related-party transactions or family relationships; no special arrangements for appointment disclosed .
Say‑on‑Pay and Shareholder Feedback (Context)
| Meeting | Proposal | For | Against | Abstain | Broker Non‑Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2024 | Advisory say‑on‑pay | 10,750,246 | 505,614 | 340,397 | 2,278,011 |
| May 22, 2025 | Advisory say‑on‑pay | 10,007,380 | 661,860 | 341,533 | 1,912,292 |
Risk Indicators & Red Flags
- Legal proceedings: Company reports no material legal proceedings; none involving directors/officers material to integrity/ability within 10 years .
- Insider policies: Hedging/short sales/derivatives prohibited; margin purchases restricted; clawback in place .
- Governance: Independent chairman; regular executive sessions of independent directors .
Notable Recognition
- Independent Banker 40 Under 40: Community Bank Leaders of 2025 (only Georgia banker selected) .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Share ownership increased year over year to 14,466 shares (0.08%), indicating rising skin‑in‑the‑game, though absolute ownership remains modest for a CFO of a public bank .
- Incentive structure: Company’s incentive plan focuses on ROAA, EPS, deposit growth, and operating efficiency, signaling emphasis on franchise health and profitability; clawback and hedging restrictions reinforce alignment and risk control .
- Retention: Disclosed base salary at appointment ($205k) appears conservative for a public‑company CFO; absence of publicly disclosed severance/CoC protections for Mr. Shelnutt (unlike CEO/other NEOs) limits visibility into retention economics, though an employment agreement exists at the Bank level .
- Execution context: Improving TSR and net income through 2024 provide supportive backdrop to his tenure; continued delivery on operating KPIs (ROAA, EPS, efficiency) will be key watch items for compensation alignment and potential insider selling pressure at future vest dates, noting that Mr. Shelnutt’s vesting‑specific grants and schedules were not disclosed in reviewed filings .