Braddock accepts role as regional president of BancorpSouth

By By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
April 2, 2003
Today is Tal Braddock's last day at AmSouth Bank in Meridian.
He has served as president of the bank since 1992 and will begin his new position as regional president of BancorpSouth in Tupelo next week.
Although Braddock is the third bank president in Meridian to leave his post within a few weeks, he said the timing is purely coincidental.
He said he will leave behind a wealth of friends, like M.F. "Buddy" Kahlmus, who assisted him with the transition into the AmSouth Bank president's slot and has been a mentor to him for many years.
A long-time banker, Kahlmus is former president of Merchants and Farmers Bank and former chairman and president of Deposit Guaranty National Bank. He also served as an advisory director at AmSouth Bank.
Deposit Guaranty merged with First American Bank and then AmSouth Bank. He and his family moved to Meridian in 1992 when he became president of AmSouth.
The Braddocks also will keep close ties on family in Meridian.
Braddock, 50, and his wife, Kathy, have been married for nearly 30 years. Their oldest daughter, Hope Mitchell, her husband, Gerry, and their son, Eli live in Meridian which Braddock said makes the move that much harder.
They also have a daughter, Leighton, who is scheduled to graduate from the University of Mississippi this fall with a degree in journalism.