Board Committees

Now retired, John G. Sample, Jr. is the former senior vice president and CFO of Atlantic American Corporation and brings valuable expertise built over decades of service in the accounting industry. In 2013, Sample was named “CFO of the Year” for mid-sized companies by the Atlanta Business Chronicle and, from 2004 through the present, has served as director of 1st Franklin Financial Corporation, a Toccoa, Geo.-based consumer finance organization operating in nine states throughout the southeast.

Prior to joining Atlantic American in July of 2002, Sample spent 24 years with Arthur Andersen, where he specialized in the insurance and financial services industries. He was an audit partner in the Atlanta office from 1993 until 2002, prior to which he served four years as audit partner at the firm’s Bermuda office.

Sample is a graduate of Emory University, where he earned his Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree in accounting. He earned his Certified Public Accountant designation in 1980 and is currently licensed in the state of Georgia.

Until his retirement from Deloitte & Touche LLP in May 2019, Robert Antoine was a partner in the firm’s Banking and Securities practice for more than 21 years. During his tenure, he advised clients on a broad range of issues affecting corporate governance, risk management, internal controls, information security and regulatory compliance. Prior to Deloitte & Touche, Robert held a number of executive positions in internal audit and financial management.

Robert is a Certified Internal Auditor and a Certified Public Accountant in Florida. He earned his accounting degree from the University of West Florida in Pensacola, Fla., and holds a Master of Business Administration from Western New England College. He is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors, the American and Florida Institutes of Certified Public Accountants. He is also a charter member of the Jacksonville Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants.

William F. Butler, founder and principal of Real Estate InSync (REI), is an accomplished real estate project and portfolio manager with over 40 years of experience partnering with high-net-worth private, corporate, and institutional clients throughout the United States on projects ranging from commercial portfolios to mixed-use facilities and residential developments. His credentials include the prestigious designation of Counselor of Real Estate, signifying professional achievement as a trusted real estate advisor. Butler has previously held the positions of senior vice president with the St. Joe Land Company, principal of Boutin Brown Butler Real Estate Services, vice president with New York-based Landauer Associates, Inc., and real estate analyst and project administrator with Raymond-Kaiser Engineers, Inc. in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. He holds a Bachelor of Science in real estate from Florida State University and is a graduate of Leadership Florida and Leadership Tallahassee.

Stanley W. (Stan) Connally Jr. is executive vice president of operations at Southern Company – one of the largest producers of energy in the United States - and chairman, president and chief executive officer of Southern Company Services (SCS). Connally’s oversight of Southern Company’s systemwide operations includes generation; transmission operations; engineering, construction and technical shared services; commercial operations; supply chain management; system planning; environmental affairs and sustainability, as well as Southern Wholesale Energy and the company's Southern Linc and Southern Telecom telecommunications businesses. As CEO of SCS, he is responsible for the subsidiary’s governance and administration.

He is dedicated to helping ensure employees under his leadership are able to work safely, provide value and continuously improve through a shared-services model to serve all Southern Company subsidiaries and their customers.

Connally served as chairman, president and CEO of former Southern Company subsidiary Gulf Power from 2012 through 2018. In that role, he was responsible for the integrated electric operations serving nearly 450,000 customers across northwest Florida, including external and regulatory activities and the company’s financial results. Previously, he was senior vice president and senior production officer for Georgia Power, responsible for fossil and hydroelectric generation. Connally’s experience ranges from customer operations, sales and marketing to power plant leadership, serving across all of Southern Company’s regulated electric subsidiaries in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.

He has served on the boards of community and economic development organizations that support children and families and help communities grow. He was vice chair of Enterprise Florida, served on the Florida Chamber of Commerce Board and sat on the Florida Council of 100 Board. He serves on the Georgia Tech Advisory Board and is a past external advisory board member for the Georgia Tech Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. He is a past member of the National Association of Manufacturers Board. Connally has served on the board of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) since 2017, including as chairman.

Connally earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He completed the Goizueta Executive Education Program at Emory University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and National Academy for Nuclear Training's Reactor Technology Course for Utility Executives.

Marshall M. Criser, III, currently serves as president of Piedmont University. Criser is the former chancellor of Florida’s public university system, a post he held for nine years prior to his 2023 appointment as president. As chancellor, he served on the Florida Talent Development Council and the Credential Review Committee. He is also a former president of AT&T Florida.

In addition to his post with Piedmont University, Criser currently serves as a member of the Florida Council of 100, where he is a former chair. He was also the co-chair of the Florida Chamber of Commerce Past Chairs Council and the Florida Chamber 2025 Strategic Planning Committee. Criser previously served as vice chair of the University of Florida Board of Trustees, chair of the Florida Chamber of Commerce and chair of Florida TaxWatch.

Criser holds a degree in business administration from the University of Florida and completed the Advanced Management Program at INSEAD, The Business School for the World, in Fontainebleau, France.

Kimberly Crowell is the co-founder and CEO of Kalo Companies, which owns and operates over 50 Jersey Mike’s Subs and Slim Chickens restaurant franchises and employs over 700 people in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Founded in 2009 and opening their first Jersey Mike’s location in Tallahassee, Fla., the company was named 2011 Rookie Franchisee of the Year and in 2018, was recognized for Regional Operational Excellence and received the Big Bend Region’s Small Business of the Year award. She currently serves as a member of the board of directors for the International Franchise Association and has previously served on the National Advisory Council for Jersey Mike’s. Prior to entering the franchise industry, Crowell practiced corporate law in Charlotte, N.C., specializing in commercial real estate and development. She maintains her law license in both Florida and North Carolina. A native of Tallahassee, Fla., Crowell earned a Bachelor of Science in commerce from the University of Virginia and a law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In addition to her service on the Capital City Bank Group Board, she currently serves as a member of the board of trustees for Maclay School.

Eric Grant is vice president and general manager at CivicPlus. Prior to joining CivicPlus in 2021, Grant served as CEO at Municode. Under Grant’s skillful guidance as CEO, Municode achieved increased levels of growth and successfully navigated several key acquisitions within Municode’s traditional line of business as well as into new verticals. Prior to receiving his Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia, Grant attended the United States Naval Academy and Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service while serving as a member of the United States Marine Corps. In addition to being stationed in Virginia, Kentucky, California and abroad, Grant and his unit, the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, were deployed during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001. He is a devoted husband and father of four children.

Marshall M. Criser, III, currently serves as president of Piedmont University. Criser is the former chancellor of Florida’s public university system, a post he held for nine years prior to his 2023 appointment as president. As chancellor, he served on the Florida Talent Development Council and the Credential Review Committee. He is also a former president of AT&T Florida.

In addition to his post with Piedmont University, Criser currently serves as a member of the Florida Council of 100, where he is a former chair. He was also the co-chair of the Florida Chamber of Commerce Past Chairs Council and the Florida Chamber 2025 Strategic Planning Committee. Criser previously served as vice chair of the University of Florida Board of Trustees, chair of the Florida Chamber of Commerce and chair of Florida TaxWatch.

Criser holds a degree in business administration from the University of Florida and completed the Advanced Management Program at INSEAD, The Business School for the World, in Fontainebleau, France.

William F. Butler, founder and principal of Real Estate InSync (REI), is an accomplished real estate project and portfolio manager with over 40 years of experience partnering with high-net-worth private, corporate, and institutional clients throughout the United States on projects ranging from commercial portfolios to mixed-use facilities and residential developments. His credentials include the prestigious designation of Counselor of Real Estate, signifying professional achievement as a trusted real estate advisor. Butler has previously held the positions of senior vice president with the St. Joe Land Company, principal of Boutin Brown Butler Real Estate Services, vice president with New York-based Landauer Associates, Inc., and real estate analyst and project administrator with Raymond-Kaiser Engineers, Inc. in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. He holds a Bachelor of Science in real estate from Florida State University and is a graduate of Leadership Florida and Leadership Tallahassee.

Kimberly Crowell is the co-founder and CEO of Kalo Companies, which owns and operates over 50 Jersey Mike’s Subs and Slim Chickens restaurant franchises and employs over 700 people in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Founded in 2009 and opening their first Jersey Mike’s location in Tallahassee, Fla., the company was named 2011 Rookie Franchisee of the Year and in 2018, was recognized for Regional Operational Excellence and received the Big Bend Region’s Small Business of the Year award. She currently serves as a member of the board of directors for the International Franchise Association and has previously served on the National Advisory Council for Jersey Mike’s. Prior to entering the franchise industry, Crowell practiced corporate law in Charlotte, N.C., specializing in commercial real estate and development. She maintains her law license in both Florida and North Carolina. A native of Tallahassee, Fla., Crowell earned a Bachelor of Science in commerce from the University of Virginia and a law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In addition to her service on the Capital City Bank Group Board, she currently serves as a member of the board of trustees for Maclay School.

Laura Johnson is founding artist and CEO of Coton Colors, a leading lifestyle brand in the giftware and home décor industries headquartered in Tallahassee, Fla. A third generation Miamian, Johnson first came to Tallahassee to pursue a degree in studio art at the Florida State University. Upon completion of her degree, she relocated with her husband to Atlanta, Ga., where she began a career in graphic design, but returned to Tallahassee in 1986 with dreams of owning her own business. Channeling her desire to design and market her own products, Johnson began the Coton Colors brand by making hand-dyed and painted cotton children’s clothing for her three daughters. With Johnson’s creativity and entrepreneurial spirit to fuel its growth, Coton Colors now offers a variety of product lines sold in more than 3,000 stores across the United States, as well as in the United Kingdom, Ireland and China.

Laura Johnson is founding artist and CEO of Coton Colors, a leading lifestyle brand in the giftware and home décor industries headquartered in Tallahassee, Fla. A third generation Miamian, Johnson first came to Tallahassee to pursue a degree in studio art at the Florida State University. Upon completion of her degree, she relocated with her husband to Atlanta, Ga., where she began a career in graphic design, but returned to Tallahassee in 1986 with dreams of owning her own business. Channeling her desire to design and market her own products, Johnson began the Coton Colors brand by making hand-dyed and painted cotton children’s clothing for her three daughters. With Johnson’s creativity and entrepreneurial spirit to fuel its growth, Coton Colors now offers a variety of product lines sold in more than 3,000 stores across the United States, as well as in the United Kingdom, Ireland and China.

Until his retirement from Deloitte & Touche LLP in May 2019, Robert Antoine was a partner in the firm’s Banking and Securities practice for more than 21 years. During his tenure, he advised clients on a broad range of issues affecting corporate governance, risk management, internal controls, information security and regulatory compliance. Prior to Deloitte & Touche, Robert held a number of executive positions in internal audit and financial management.

Robert is a Certified Internal Auditor and a Certified Public Accountant in Florida. He earned his accounting degree from the University of West Florida in Pensacola, Fla., and holds a Master of Business Administration from Western New England College. He is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors, the American and Florida Institutes of Certified Public Accountants. He is also a charter member of the Jacksonville Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants.

President and founding principal of BKJ, Inc. Architecture, Bonnie Davenport, has built a reputation as a leader in our local community through her involvement with numerous successful projects across the state of Florida. A member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and a Certified General Contractor (CGC), Davenport also holds a National Council of Architectural Registration (NCARB) certification. In addition to her service on the Capital City Bank Group Board, she is a member of the Maclay School Board of Trustees, as well as former chair and current board member of the Urban Land Institute-Capital Region. Davenport is a graduate of Leadership Tallahassee Class 28, Entrepreneurial Excellence Program Class 3, and Jim Moran Institute Small Business Entrepreneurship Program Class 5. She was named “Top 40 Under 40” by 850 magazine in 2012 and “Women To Watch” by Tallahassee magazine in 2009. Davenport received her Bachelor of Design and her Master of Architecture, graduating Summa Cum Laude, from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla.

Eric Grant is vice president and general manager at CivicPlus. Prior to joining CivicPlus in 2021, Grant served as CEO at Municode. Under Grant’s skillful guidance as CEO, Municode achieved increased levels of growth and successfully navigated several key acquisitions within Municode’s traditional line of business as well as into new verticals. Prior to receiving his Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia, Grant attended the United States Naval Academy and Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service while serving as a member of the United States Marine Corps. In addition to being stationed in Virginia, Kentucky, California and abroad, Grant and his unit, the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, were deployed during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001. He is a devoted husband and father of four children.

Ash Williams is Vice Chair of J.P. Morgan Asset Management. With assets under management of $2.5 trillion, the firm is a global leader in investment management.  Previously he was executive director and chief investment officer for the Florida State Board of Administration. In this capacity he was responsible for managing over $250 billion in assets, including those of the Florida Retirement System, the fifth largest public pension fund in the United States. In addition to being a member of the National Institute of Public Finance Board of Trustees, he serves the Florida State University Foundation as a trustee and investment committee chair.  Williams is a special advisor to the Managed Funds Association, serves on the AIF Global Investor Board and the investment committees of the IEEE, and the Idaho Public Employees Retirement System. Williams is the recipient of the 2017 Chief Investment Officer Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2017 FSU Faculty Senate Mores Torch Award. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Williams received his bachelor’s degree in management and Master of Business Administration from Florida State University and completed post-graduate programs at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.