Savannah Bananas owner Jesse Cole named 2026 Georgian of the Year

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Savannah Bananas founder and owner Jesse Cole has been named the 2026 Georgian of the Year by the Georgia Association of Broadcasters.

The GAB presents the annual award to recognize individuals who make a profound and lasting impact across the state. Cole was selected for transforming Savannah’s homegrown baseball team into an international entertainment sensation, drawing sold-out crowds to every game since the team’s inaugural season and amassing ticket waitlists with millions of fans worldwide.

“It’s amazing because when we started we only sold two tickets, and to see how far this has come,” Cole said. “We had a simple goal to make baseball fun and put fans first, and to be here in Savannah. We only had four people when we first started — four of us with a big goal and a big vision. And now that we have hundreds here working in Savannah and delivering shows all over Georgia and the country, our dreams have come true in many ways.”