NATCHEZ — After a recent name change, some area residents may be wondering what happened to AmSouth Bank.

A recent merger with Regions Bank that Regions Natchez City President Charlie Speed called a “merger of equals” resulted in the name change.

“This wasn’t one big company coming in and buying a smaller one,” he said. “Rather, it was two great companies coming together to form an even better company.”

In practical terms, though, for Natchez the only real difference in the bank is its name, Speed said.

“Other than the name change on the door, there is not much of a difference here,” he said. “It’s the same friendly people, the same smiling faces. The only difference is better products and services.”

Regions has approximately 30 employees at its three Natchez locations, and those employees average about 13 years of service at the bank, Speed said.

“We realize that in a small town you come to bank with the individual, not the institution,” he said.

Customers were notified of the change by mail several times, and should already have in their possession a new Regions bank ATM card and checks, Speed said.

But if a customer accidentally picks up their old AmSouth checkbook and cuts a check, there shouldn’t be any problem, he said.

“The account numbers didn’t change,” he said. “For those that did, we paid to furnish them with new checks.”

Now that the merger is complete in the state, Regions is the largest bank in Mississippi with 145 locations, Speed said.

The bank has approximately 2,000 locations in 16 states.

“That can provide an ease of banking,” he said. “For example, if your child goes off to a school several hours away, they can keep their bank account with the same bank they already had.”

To ease the transition from two companies to one, Regions took customer and employee surveys to determine which services to bring from each company and how to streamline those services.

“Life is complicated as it is,” Speed said. “Your banking shouldn’t have to be.”

The three Natchez branches include a location at the Magnolia Mall, a location on Seargent S. Prentiss Drive and the main branch at 320 Franklin St.