EXHIBIT 10.9

                         EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

     THIS  AGREEMENT,  dated as of the 25th day of April,  2000,  by and between
Southern  Security Bank  Corporation,  a Delaware  corporation (the "Company" or
"Employer") and Harold L. Connell, (the "Executive").

                                   WITNESSETH:

         WHEREAS, Executive is willing to assist the directors of the Company in
accordance with the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth;

         NOW,  THEREFORE,  for and in  consideration  of the mutual premises and
covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

     1. EMPLOYMENT.  Employer employs Executive and Executive accepts employment
upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

     2. TERM. The term of employment of Executive  under this Agreement shall be
the one year period commencing on April 1, 2000 ("Commencement Date") and ending
on March 31, 2001 ("Ending Date").  This Agreement shall automatically renew for
one year on each  anniversary  date unless either party  notifies the other,  60
days prior to Ending Date.

     3.  COMPENSATION.  The Company  shall pay  Executive a minimum  annual base
salary of $125,000,  payable in semi-monthly  installments  immediately upon the
Commencement  Date.  Salary  payments shall be subject to withholding  and other
applicable  taxes.  Executive's  salary  will be  reviewed  annually  for annual
increases by the Company's Board of Directors.

     4. TITLE AND DUTIES.  The  Executive  shall  initially  serve as  Chairman,
President,  and CEO of the Company,  subject to the  continuing  approval of the
Board of Directors for the term of this  Agreement.  The Executive  shall devote
his  efforts,  skills,  attention,  and such time as he deems  necessary  to the
business and affairs of the Company and shall serve the Company  faithfully  and
competently  and shall at all times act in the  Company's  best  interest.  Such
supervisory  and  management  responsibilities  shall include those as delegated
from the board of directors from time to time.

     5. EXTENT OF  SERVICES.  Executive  shall devote such time,  attention  and
energies to the business of Employer as in necessary to  accomplish  his duties.
Also, recognition is given to the fact that Executive is expected on occasion to
participate in client  development after normal business hours.  Executive shall
notify Employer of any significant participation by him in any trade association
or similar  organization  and the Board of  Directors  shall  approve in advance
Executive's service as a director of any entity or organization.

     6. WORKING FACILITIES.  Executive shall have such assistants,  perquisites,
facilities and services as are suitable to his position and  appropriate for the
performance of his duties.

     7.  EXPENSES.  Executive  may incur  reasonable  expenses for promoting the
business of the Employer,  including  expenses for  entertainment,  travel,  and
similar  items.  Executive  will  be  reimbursed  for  all  such  expenses  upon
Executive's periodic presentation of an itemized account of such expenditures.

     8.  VACATIONS.  Executive  shall be  entitled  each year to a  vacation  in
accordance  with the personnel  policy  established  by the  Company's  Board of
Directors,  during which time  Executive's  compensation  shall be paid in full.
Executive  shall also be entitled to all paid holidays made generally  available
by the Company.

     9. ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION.  As additional consideration paid to Executive,
Executive shall be provided with:

         (a) health, hospitalization, and disability

         (b) Life Insurance

         (c) An automobile or an allowance for Executive's use of an automobile

         (d) Participation in an executive incentive bonus plan.

         (e) Vacation Days

         All  the  above  additional  compensation  and  benefits  shall  be  in
accordance with policies to be established by the Company's Board of Directors.

     10. STOCK  OPTIONS.  Executive is granted  125,000 shares at current market
value of $0.35 per share to be vested  25,000 shares as of April 1, 2000 and the
remaining 100,000 shares to be vested 33 1/3% at each year end exercisable for 5
years from date of vesting.  Should executive not be employed by The Company for
any  reason all  options  must be  exercised  within 90 days of  separation.  In
addition,  Executive  shall be  entitled  to  participate  in all  employee  and
executive stock option plans implemented by the Company.

     11.  TERMINATION.  (a) In the  event  that the  Board of  Directors  of the
Company   determines  in  its  sole  discretion  to  terminate  the  Executive's
employment  Without  Cause  prior to the Ending  Date,  the  Executive  shall be
entitled  to  receive  one  year's  salary,  which  payment  shall be subject to
withholding and other  applicable  taxes and shall be made  simultaneously  with
such termination of this Agreement.

          (b) For  Cause.  This  Agreement  may be  terminated  by the  Board of
     Directors of the Company without notice and without further obligation than
     for monies already paid, for any of the following reasons:

               (i)   Failure  of   Executive   to  follow   reasonable   written
          instructions or policies of the Board of Directors of the Company;

               (ii)  Receipt  by the  Company of  written  notice  from any bank
          regulatory  agency  having   jurisdiction  over  the  Company  or  the
          "Company" that such agency has criticized  Executive's  performance or
          his area of  responsibility  and Executive does not take timely action
          to remedy the situation;

               (iii)  Gross  negligence  or  willful   misconduct  of  Executive
          materially damaging to the business of the Company or "Company" during
          the term of this  Agreement,  or at any time while he was  employed by
          the Company prior to the term of this  Agreement,  if not disclosed to
          the Company prior to the  commencement  of the term of this Agreement;
          or

               (iv) Conviction of Executive during the term of this Agreement of
          a crime involving breach of trust or moral turpitude.

         In the event that the "Company"  discharges  Executive alleging "cause"
under this Section 11(b) and it is subsequently  determined  judicially that the
termination was "without cause," then such discharge shall be deemed a discharge
without  cause subject to the  provisions of Section 11(c) hereof.  In the event
that the  "Company"  discharges  Executive  alleging  "cause" under this Section
11(b),  such notice of discharge  shall be accompanied by a written and specific
description  of the  circumstances  alleging  such "cause." The  termination  of
Executive for "cause" shall not entitle the "Company" to enforcement of the non-
competition and non-solicitation covenants contained in Section 13 hereof.

         (c)  Without Cause.

               (i) The "Company"  may, upon thirty (30) days' written  notice to
          Executive,  terminate this Agreement  without cause at any time during
          the term of this Agreement upon the condition that Executive  shall be
          entitled,  as  liquidated  damages  in lieu of all other  claims.  The
          severance  payments  provided for in this Section 11(a) shall commence
          not later than thirty  (30) days after the actual date of  termination
          of employment of Executive.

               (ii)  Executive  may upon  thirty  (30  days'  written  notice to
          Employer terminate this Agreement without cause at any time during the
          term of this Agreement.  In the event of termination of this Agreement
          by  Executive,  the  "Company"  shall  have no further  obligation  to
          Executive than for monies paid.

     12. DEATH OR DISABILITY.  In the event of Executive's death, Employer shall
pay to  Executive's  designated  beneficiary,  or, if  Executive  has  failed to
designate a  beneficiary,  to his estate,  an amount equal to  Executive's  base
salary  pursuant to Section 3 hereof for 90 days following  date of death.  Such
compensation shall be in lieu of any other benefits provided  hereunder,  except
that (i) the Executive's  designated  beneficiary or his estate, as the case may
be,  shall be  entitled to the  benefits  hereof,  and (ii) any benefit  payable
pursuant to Section 3 shall be  prorated  and made  available  to  Executive  in
respect of any period prior to his death. The Company may maintain  insurance on
its behalf to satisfy in whole or in part the obligations of this Section 12.

     In the event of Executive's  disability,  as hereinafter defined,  Employer
shall pay to  Executive  the base salary  then in effect  through the end of the
month in which Executive became disabled. Executive shall be deemed disabled if,
by reason of physical or mental  impairment,  he is incapable of performing  his
duties hereunder for a period of 180 consecutive days.

     13.  NON-COMPETITION AND NON-SOLICITATION.  (a) Executive acknowledges that
he has performed  services or will perform  services  hereunder  which  directly
affect Employer's business.  Accordingly, the parties deem it necessary to enter
into the protective  agreement set forth below, the terms and condition of which
have been negotiated by and between the parties hereto.

             (b) In the event of termination of employment  under this Agreement
by action of The Company  pursuant to 11(c) (i) prior to the  expiration  of the
term of this Agreement,  Executive  agrees with Employer that through the actual
date of  termination  of the  Agreement,  and for a period of twelve (12) months
after such  termination  date,  Executive  shall not,  without the prior written
consent of Employer,  within the counties in which the Company  operates  either
directly or indirectly,  serve as an executive officer of any Bank, Bank holding
company or other financial institution.

             (c) The  covenants  of  Executive  set forth in this Section 13 are
separate and  independent  covenants for which valuable  consideration  has been
paid,  the  receipt,  adequacy  and  sufficiency  of which are  acknowledged  by
Executive, and have also been made by Executive to induce Employer to enter into
this Agreement. Each of the aforesaid covenants may be availed of or relied upon
by Employer in any court of competent jurisdiction,  and shall form the basis of
injunctive  relief and damages including  expenses of litigation  (including but
not limited to reasonable  attorney's  fees) suffered by Employer arising out of
any breach of the aforesaid  covenants by Executive.  The covenants of Executive
set  forth in this  Section  13 are  cumulative  to each  other and to all other
covenants  of Executive in favor of Employer  contained  in this  Agreement  and
shall  survive the  termination  of this  Agreement  for the purposes  intended.
Should any covenant,  term, or condition  contained in this Section 13 become or
be declared invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction,  then
the parties may request  that such court  judicially  modify such  unenforceable
provision  consistent  with the  intent of this  Section  13 so that it shall be
enforceable  as modified,  and in any event the  invalidity  of any provision of
this  Section 13 shall not affect the  validity of any other  provision  in this
Section 13 or elsewhere in this Agreement.

     14.  NOTICES.  Any Notice  required,  permitted  or desired to be delivered
hereunder  shall be deemed to be delivered  when  deposited in the United States
mail, return receipt requested,  addressed to the parties at the addresses first
stated  herein,  or to such other address as either party hereto shall from time
to time designate to the other party by notice in writing as provided herein.

     15.  WAIVER OF BREACH.  The waiver by Employer of a breach of any provision
of this Agreement by Executive  shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of
any subsequent  breach by Executive.  No waiver shall be valid unless in writing
and signed by an authorized officer of Employer.

     16.  SEVERABILITY.  Invalidity or  unenforceability of any provision hereof
shall in no way affect the validity or enforceability of any other provisions.

     17. TERMINOLOGY. All personal pronouns used in this Agreement, whether used
in the masculine,  feminine or neuter  gender,  shall include all other genders;
the singular  shall include the plural and vice versa.  Titles of Paragraphs are
for  convenience  only,  and neither  limit nor amplify  the  provisions  of the
Agreement itself.

     18. ASSIGNMENT.  Executive acknowledges that the services to be rendered by
him are unique and  personal.  Accordingly,  Executive may not assign any of his
rights or delegate any of his duties or obligations  under this  Agreement.  The
rights and  obligations  of Executive  under this  Agreement  shall inure to the
benefit of and shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of Employer.

     19.  COUNTERPARTS.  This  Agreement  may  be  executed  in  any  number  of
counterparts  and each  such  counterpart  shall for all  purposes  be deemed an
original.

     20. OTHER INSTRUMENTS. The parties hereby covenant and agree that they will
execute such other and further  instruments  and  documents as are or may become
necessary or convenient to effectuate and carry out the terms of this Agreement.

     21.  GOVERNING  LAW.  This  Agreement  shall be governed  and  construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Florida.

     22. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement contains the entire understanding
of the parties  hereto  regarding  employment of Executive,  and  supersedes and
replaces any prior agreement relating thereto.  It may not be changed orally but
only by an agreement in writing signed by the party against whom  enforcement of
any waiver, change, modification, extension, or discharge is sought.

     IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  this  Agreement has been duly signed by the Executive
and on behalf of the Company on the day and year first above written.

For the Company:

By:      /s/ Floyd D. Harper
         --------------------
         Floyd D. Harper, Vice President and Secretary

For the Executive:

         /s/Harold L. Connell