With the fintech industry booming in Georgia, it's no surprise that Columbus-based Total System Services Inc.'s GC Sanders Griffith III ranks highly on the compensation list. Last year, Griffith earned $1,299,956 in total cash. That amounts to a $537,000 salary and $762,956 in nonequity incentives. He also received nearly $1 million more in stock awards and options.

Griffith joined Synovus Financial Corp. as GC in 1988 and served as the top lawyer there, as well as at subsidiary Total System Services. The two companies separated at the end of 2007, and Griffith stayed on as legal boss at his current employer.