Blanchard Elected to the ABA Board of Directors.

COLUMBUS, Ga. -- Synovus (NYSE - "SNV"), the Columbus, Georgia-based diverse financial services company, today announced that James H. Blanchard, Synovus' Chief Executive Officer, has been elected to a three-year term as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Bankers Association (ABA).

ABA is the nation's largest bank trade association, representing community, regional and money center banks and bank holding companies, savings associations, trust companies and savings banks. The association provides educational benefits and programs for its members and the public, represents the industry in Washington, and speaks for the industry in the press. The ABA board is the association's governing body between annual conventions.

"The financial services industry must continually improve our ability to control risk on all levels, streamline our industry-wide collection and return processes and increase our ability to protect our customers from fraud," said Blanchard. "The ABA provides an excellent network of knowledgeable financial services professionals who are focused on key industry issues. I am honored to represent Synovus, our region and our entire industry as a part of its preeminent trade association."

Blanchard began his service with Synovus in June 1970 when he was selected as the top executive at Columbus Bank and Trust Company. His tenure has spanned the periods of greatest growth in the company's history. He rallied support for the passing of the multi-bank holding company bill in 1976 by the Georgia Legislature, and under his leadership, CB&T Bancshares became the first bank holding company in Georgia to acquire other banks under the new law. He also played an instrumental role in establishing TSYS in 1983, which now provides payment processing for more than 300 million consumers worldwide and is more than 80 percent owned by Synovus.

Blanchard serves as director on several boards including BellSouth Corporation, The Georgia Department of Economic Development, Sea Island Company, Georgia Research Alliance, Georgia Chamber of Commerce and Columbus Bank and Trust Company. He also serves as Chairman of the Executive Committee and a Director of TSYS. He is a member of The University of Georgia Dean's Advisory Board for the Terry College of Business, The Trust for Public Land Chattahoochee River Land Protection Campaign Committee, The Carter Center Board of Councilors, Morehouse School of Medicine Board of Visitors and The University of Georgia Campaign Steering Committee. Blanchard is Past Chairman of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Former Chair of BITS (formerly Bankers Information Technology Secretariat) and Former Director of the Financial Services Roundtable.

Blanchard earned his Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from The University of Georgia in 1963, and earned his law degree from The University of Georgia in 1965. He was the first Georgia executive outside the greater Atlanta area chosen as Georgia Trend magazine's "Most Respected CEO" in 1997. Georgia Trend magazine also honored him as "Georgian of the Year" for 2003 and one of the "100 Most Influential Georgians" in 2004. In 1996, Blanchard received the Honorary Doctor of Business Administration Degree from the University of South Carolina and, in 1998, received the Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from LaGrange College. In 2004, Blanchard received the Harvard Business School Club of Atlanta Community Leadership Award and was awarded the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree from Columbus State University.

Synovus (NYSE: "SNV") is a diversified financial services holding company with over $25 billion in assets based in Columbus, Georgia. Synovus provides integrated financial services including banking, financial management, insurance, mortgage and leasing services through 40 banks and other Synovus offices in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida and Tennessee; and electronic payment processing through an 81-percent stake in TSYS (NYSE: "TSS"), the world's largest third-party processor of international payments. Synovus has been named one of "The 100 Best Companies To Work For" in America by FORTUNE magazine, and has been recognized in its Hall of Fame for consecutive appearances on the list since its inception in 1998. In 2004, Synovus was also named as one of "America's Most Admired Companies." See Synovus on the Web at www.synovus.com.