Release Date: Thursday, November 11, 2004

CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER FOR SYNOVUS TO DELIVER INSTITUTE FOR LEADERSHIP ADVANCEMENT EXECUTIVE LECTURE AT UGA

ATHENS, Ga. — Lee Lee James, vice chairman and chief information officer of Synovus, will present an executive lecture, titled "Leadership and a Great Place to Work," at 3:30 pm on Wednesday, November 17, in room 213 of Sanford Hall on the University of Georgia campus.

James' lecture, one in a series sponsored by the Institute for Leadership Advancement in the Terry College of Business, is free and open to the public.

Synovus is a holding company based in Columbus, Ga., providing integrated financial services, including banking, financial management, insurance, mortgage and leasing services through 40 affiliate banks and other Synovus offices in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida and Tennessee. Synovus also has an 81-percent stake in TSYS, the world's largest third-party processor of electronic payments.

In 2004, Fortune magazine named Synovus one of "America's Most Admired Companies" and also ranked Synovus No. 20 on its list of "The 100 Best Companies To Work For".

James joined Synovus in 1986 as a member of the Trust Department of Columbus Bank and Trust Co. In 1996, a year after TSYS and Synovus merged as Synovus Service Corp., she was promoted to president and chief people officer. James was named vice chairman of Synovus in 2000 and currently also serves as the chief information officer.

James was recently named "Woman of the Year in Technology" by the Technology Association of Georgia. U.S. Banker magazine named her among its "25 Most Powerful Women in Banking" in 2003.

In 1990, James worked with state officials to develop the first-ever Georgia Quickstart Computer Programming Training Program to provide basic computer education to entry-level TSYS employees. The Quickstart Program was a precursor and model for the creation of Georgia's Intellectual Capital Partnership Program. James also played a significant role in the development of TSYS's 46-acre expansion in Columbus along the Chattahoochee River. The TSYS Riverfront Campus opened its doors in the fall of 1999.

James also serves as chairman of both the Leadership Development Task Force for the Governor's Commission for a New Georgia and of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society of United Way.

The ILA's Executive Leadership Speaker Series seeks to bring established, well-known leaders from a variety of organizations to the Terry College of Business and the University of Georgia. In these student-oriented forums, guest speakers discuss their leadership styles and experience.

The Institute for Leadership Advancement was established in 1998 as a multidisciplinary academic unit within the Terry College. The ILA's purpose is to create and promote cutting-edge knowledge about leadership and use that knowledge to develop leaders who enhance the performance of their organizations and communities. With a variety of opportunities for undergraduate students, graduate students, executives and business organizations, the ILA is one of the most comprehensive leadership development institutes to operate within a university setting anywhere in the country. More information is available at www.terry.uga.edu.

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