"While we have redesigned some of the interior in order

to provide the offices that we need, we have been able to keep most

of the integrity of the building," said Ron Hannah, president of

Southern Crescent Mortgage.

"Among the things we retained were the chandeliers and

the marble floors."

The building is located at 145 West Lanier Avenue,

across the street from the historic Holliday-Fife House.

The newly-revamped building is the company's third

home since it opened in Fayetteville on Feb. 5, 1990. The original

office was on West Lanier Avenue a couple of blocks west of the

current location. Then, in 1992, the company moved into the

office park on Commerce Drive in Fayetteville, remaining there

until nearly two years ago.

There are also branch offices in the Eagle's Landing area

of Stockbridge and near Town Center Mall in Kennesaw.

The Stockbridge office was opened six years ago, and the

Kennesaw office began operations in mid-1997. The company, which

had four employees at its founding, now has a total of 35 employees.

The renovations to the headquarters building and the

increase in staff aren't the only recent advances by the company.

Robert Hannah, vice president/finance, said that loan volume

increased by nearly 89% from 1997 to 1998.

The company offers all types of conforming and

non-conforming loans, including conventional, first time homebuyer

programs, FHA, VA, Farmers Home loans, second mortgages, lines of

credit, and construction loans.

Southern Crescent Mortgage was founded in early 1990 by

Ray Hannah, who was the longtime chief executive executive of

Porex Inc. of Fairburn, and Tony Eidson, an attorney with offices

in Hapeville.

Eidson sold his interest in the firm's ownership in 1996,

and Ray Hannah, who now serves as board chairman of the

mortgage company, was joined in the ownership by his sons Ron and

Robert.

The Hannah Family has long been known for its civic

involvement in the Metro South area. Ray Hannah is a former

chairman of the South Fulton Chamber of Commerce, while his wife

Betty is the longtime mayor of Fairburn.

Ron Hannah, a graduate of what is now the University of

West Georgia with a degree in mass communications, had

worked with Eastern Airlines for two years and then had two and

one-half years of experience with Trust Company Bank before

joining Southern Crescent Mortgage in April of 1991.

He became president of the firm in May of 1998.

Robert Hannah, a graduate of Presbyterian College with

a degree in business, came to work with the Southern Crescent

Mortgage in May of 1994.

Prior to that, he was employed by Air Atlanta, then worked

for an airline software firm, and later spent three years with an

airline which was based in Taiwan.

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