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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.23
 
                        ALABAMA NATIONAL BANCORPORATION
 
                             PERFORMANCE SHARE PLAN
 
     20. Purpose. The purpose of the Alabama National BanCorporation Performance
Share Plan (the "Plan") is to further the long-term growth in profitability of
Alabama National BanCorporation (the "Company") by offering long-term incentives
in addition to current compensation to those key executives who will be largely
responsible for such growth.
 
     21. Certain Definitions.
 
     (a) "Award" means the award of Performance Shares to a Participant pursuant
to the terms of the Plan.
 
     (b) "Award Period" means the period of calendar years (but no more than
five years) fixed by the Committee with respect to all Awards with the same Date
of Grant, commencing with each Date of Grant, except that (i) the Award Period
for an Employee whose normal retirement date (as determined under the Company's
corporate policy covering retirement of salaried employees) is less than the
period otherwise fixed by the Committee from the applicable Date of Grant shall
be the period beginning with such Date of Grant and ending on the December 31st
immediately preceding such normal retirement date and (ii) the Award Period for
a recently hired Employee may be for such lesser period as determined by the
Committee.
 
     (c) "Committee" means the committee of the Board of Directors of the
Company which shall administer the Plan in accordance with Section 3.
 
     (d) "Common Stock" means the common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of
the Company.
 
     (e) "Company" means Alabama National BanCorporation, a Delaware
corporation.
 
     (f) "Date of Grant" means as of January 1 of any year in which an Award is
made.
 
     (g) "Employee" means any person (including any officer) employed by the
Company or any subsidiary of the Company on a full-time salaried basis.
 
     (h) "Fair Market Value" of the Common Stock means the average of the daily
closing prices for a share of the Common Stock for the twenty (20) trading days
ending on the fifth business day prior to the date of payment of Performance
Shares for an Award Period or an Interim Period, as the case may be, on the
Composite Tape for New York Stock Exchange -- Listed Stocks, or, if the Common
Stock is not listed on such Exchange, on the principal United States securities
exchange registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), on which the Common Stock is listed, or, if the Common Stock is
not listed on any such Exchange, the average of the daily closing bid quotations
with respect to a share of the Common Stock for such twenty (20) trading days on
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., Automated Quotations
System or any system then in use.
 
     (i) "Interim Period" means a period of calendar years chosen by the
Committee commencing with any Date of Grant, which period is less than the Award
Period commencing on the Date of Grant.
 
     (j) "Net Income Per Share" for the Company, or any other corporation, means
net income for the year divided by average common shares outstanding during the
year, computed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles as
reported in the Company's Annual Report to Stockholders or its equivalent.
 
     (k) "Participant" means an Employee who is selected by the Committee to
receive an Award under the Plan.
 
     (l) "Performance Share" means the equivalent of one share of Common Stock.
 
     (m) "Return on Average Equity" for the Company, or any other corporation,
for a period is obtained by dividing (i) Net Income Per Share of Common Stock
for the year, by (ii) average Stockholders' Equity Per
 
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Share at the beginning of the year and at the end of the year, computed in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles as reported in the
Company's Annual Report to Stockholders or its equivalent.
 
     (n) "Stockholders' Equity Per Share" for the Company, or any other
corporation, for a particular point in time is obtained by dividing (i)
stockholders' equity by (ii) outstanding common shares, computed in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles as reported in the Company's
Annual Report to Stockholders or its equivalent.
 
     22. Administration of the Plan. The Plan shall be administered by a
Committee designated by the Board of Directors, which shall be composed of not
less than three members of the Board of Directors. No member of the Committee
shall be eligible to participate in the Plan while serving as a member of the
Committee. Initially, the Committee shall be the Compensation Committee. Subject
to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have the authority to select
the Employees who are to participate in the Plan, to determine the Award to be
made to each Employee selected to participate in the Plan, and to determine the
conditions subject to which Awards will become payable under the Plan.
 
     The Committee shall have full power to administer and interpret the Plan
and to adopt such rules and regulations consistent with the terms of the Plan as
the Committee deems necessary or advisable in order to carry out the provisions
of the Plan. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan, the Committee's
interpretation and construction of the Plan and its determination of any
conditions applicable to Performance Share Awards or the reasons for any
terminations of Participants shall be conclusive and binding on all
Participants.
 
     In connection with its determination as to the payment of Performance
Shares, the Committee has full discretion to adjust Net Income Per Share or
Stockholders' Equity Per Share to recognize special or nonrecurring situations
or circumstances for the Company, or any other corporation, for any year.
 
     The Plan shall be unfunded. Benefits under the Plan shall be paid from the
general assets of the Company.
 
     23. Participation.  Participants in the Plan shall be selected by the
Committee from those Employees who, in the estimation of the Committee, have a
substantial opportunity to influence the long-term profitability of the Company.
 
24. Performance Share Awards.
 
     (a) After appropriate approval of the Plan, and thereafter from time to
time, the Committee shall select Employees to receive Awards in any year as of
the Date of Grant. Any Employee may be granted more than one Award under the
Plan, but no Employee may be granted, in the aggregate, more than 25% of the
Performance Shares which are the subject of this Plan. Awards of Performance
Shares hereunder shall not be made unless any such Award is in compliance with
all applicable laws.
 
     (b) No Participant shall be entitled to receive any dividends or dividend
equivalents on Performance Shares; with respect to any Performance Shares, no
Participant shall have any voting or any other rights of a Company stockholder;
and no Participant shall have any interest in or right to receive any shares of
Common Stock prior to the time when the Committee determines the form of payment
of Performance Shares pursuant to Section 6.
 
     (c) Payment of the Award to any Participant shall be made in accordance
with Section 6 and shall be subject to such conditions for payment as the
Committee may prescribe at the time the Award is made. The Committee may
prescribe different conditions for different Participants. Such conditions may
be expressed in terms of the growth in Net Income Per Share during the Award
Period and/or average Return on Average Equity in comparison with other banks
and bank holding companies or on other reasonable bases. The Committee may
prescribe conditions such that payment of an Award may be made with respect to a
number of shares of Common Stock that is greater than the number of Performance
Shares awarded. However, the Committee may not provide for payment of greater
than 125% of the number of Performance Shares awarded.
 
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     (d) Each Award shall be made in writing and shall set forth the terms and
conditions set by the Committee for payment of such Award including, without
limitation, the length of the Award Period and whether there will be an Interim
Period with respect to the Award and if so, the length of the Interim Period.
 
     25. Payment of Performance Share Awards.  Each Participant granted an Award
shall be entitled to payment of the Award as of the close of the Award Period
applicable to such Award, but only if and after the Committee has determined
that the conditions for payment of the Award set by the Committee have been
satisfied. At the time of grant of each Award, the Committee shall decide
whether there will be an Interim Period. If the Committee determines that there
shall be an Interim Period for the Award to any Participant, each such
Participant granted an Award with an Interim Period shall be entitled to partial
payment on account thereof as of the close of the Interim Period, but only if
and after the Committee has determined that the conditions for partial payment
of the Award set by the Committee have been satisfied. Performance Shares paid
to a Participant for an Interim Period may be retained by the Participant and
shall not be repaid to the Company, notwithstanding that based on the conditions
set for payment at the end of the Award Period such Participant would not have
been entitled to payment of some or any of his Award. Any Performance Shares
paid to a Participant for the Interim Period during an Award Period shall be
deducted from the Performance Shares to which such Participant is entitled at
the end of the Award Period.
 
     Unless otherwise directed by the Committee, payment of Awards shall be made
as promptly as possible by the Company after the determination by the Committee
that payment has been earned. Unless otherwise directed by the Committee, all
payments of Awards to Participants shall be made partly in shares of Common
Stock and partly in cash, with the cash portion being approximately equal to the
amount of federal, state and local taxes which the Participant's employer is
required to withhold on account of said payment. The Committee, in its
discretion, may provide for payment of cash and distribution of shares of Common
Stock in such other proportions as the Committee deems appropriate, except and
provided that the Committee must pay in cash an amount equal to the federal,
state and local taxes which the Participant's employer is required to withhold
on account of said payment. There shall be deducted from the cash portion of all
Awards all taxes to be withheld with respect to such Awards.
 
     For payment of each Award, the number of shares of Common Stock to be
distributed to Participants shall equal the Fair Market Value of the total
Performance Shares determined by the Committee to have been earned by the
Participant, less the portion of the Award that was paid in cash, divided by the
Fair Market Value of a Performance Share. To the extent that shares of Common
Stock are available in the treasury of the Company on the date payment is to be
made, such shares may be issued in payment of Awards.
 
     26. Death or Disability.  If, prior to the close of an Award Period, a
Participant's employment terminates by reason of his death or by his total and
permanent disability (as determined under the Company's Pension Plan), payment
of his outstanding Award or Awards shall be made as promptly as possible after
death or the date of the determination of total and permanent disability, and
the number of Performance Shares to be paid shall be computed as follows: First,
determine (based on the conditions set by the Committee for payment of Awards
for the subject Award Period) the number of Performance Shares that would have
been paid if each subject Award Period had ended on the December 31st
immediately preceding the date of death or the date of determination of total
and permanent disability. Then, multiply each above-determined number by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of months during the subject
Award Period that the Participant was an active Employee, and the denominator of
which is the number of months in the Award Period. This product shall be reduced
by any Performance Shares for which payment has been made with respect to any
Interim Period during each Award Period. In this instance, the Fair Market Value
of the Common Stock shall be based on the twenty (20) days immediately preceding
the date of death or the date of the determination of total and permanent
disability.
 
     27. Retirement Prior to Close of an Award Period.  If, prior to the close
of an Award Period, a Participant's employment terminates by reason of his
retirement on or after his normal retirement date (as determined under the
Company's Pension Plan) or prior to his normal retirement date if such
retirement was at the request of his employer, payment of the Participant's
outstanding Award or Awards will be made as promptly as possible after such
retirement and such payment shall be computed in the same manner as in
 
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Section 7, using the effective date of retirement in place of the date of death
or determination of total and permanent disability.
 
     28. Termination Under Certain Circumstances.  If, prior to the close of an
Award Period, a Participant's employment terminates by reason of (i) his
retirement prior to his normal retirement date (as determined under the
Company's Pension Plan) and such retirement was at the request of the
Participant and approved in writing by his employer, (ii) the divestiture by the
Company of one or more of its business segments or a significant portion of the
assets of a business segment, or (iii) a significant reduction by the Company in
its salaried work force, the determination of whether such Participant shall
receive payment of his outstanding Award or Awards shall be within the exclusive
discretion of the Committee. Payment, if any, of his Award or Awards to such
Participant shall be made as of the close of each such Award Period by
multiplying the amount of payment otherwise due under the Award at that date had
the Participant remained employed through such date by a fraction, the numerator
of which is the number of months during the subject Award Period that the
Participant was an active Employee and the denominator of which is the number of
months in the Award Period.
 
     29. Voluntary Termination or Discharge.  If, prior to the close of an Award
Period, a Participant's status as an Employee terminates and there is no payment
due under the terms of Sections 7, 8, 9, or 19, all of such Participant's
outstanding Performance Shares shall forthwith and automatically be cancelled
and all rights of the former holder of such cancelled Performance Shares in
respect to such cancelled Performance Shares shall forthwith terminate.
 
     30. Limitation on Awards and Payments.  The maximum number of Performance
Shares which may be awarded under the Plan shall not exceed an aggregate of
400,000 (except as adjusted in accordance with Section 17); provided, however,
that since January 1, 1996 for the term of the Plan, payments of Awards shall
involve no more than 400,000 shares of Common Stock (similarly adjusted in
accordance with Section 17). If any Performance Shares awarded under the Plan
are not paid because of death, total and permanent disability, retirement,
voluntary termination, discharge or cancellation or because they lapse when
conditions to their payment are not met, they shall thereupon become available
again for award under the Plan.
 
     31. Term of Plan.  This Plan shall be effective January 1, 1996 subject to
the approval of this Plan by stockholders of the Company at the Annual Meeting
of Stockholders to be held June 6, 1996 or any adjournment thereof. The Board of
Directors of the Company may terminate the Plan at any time. If not sooner
terminated, the Plan will expire on the date on which all of the Performance
Shares subject to award under the Plan have been paid, but no grant of Awards
may be made after December 31, 2005. Termination or expiration shall not
adversely affect any right or obligation with respect to an Award theretofore
made.
 
     32. Cancellation of Performance Shares.  With the written consent of a
Participant holding Performance Shares granted to him under the Plan, the
Committee may cancel such Performance Shares. In the event of any such
cancellation, all rights of the former holder of such cancelled Performance
Shares in respect to such cancelled Performance Shares shall forthwith
terminate; and in no such event may such Participant be granted another Award
within twelve months thereafter.
 
     33. No Assignment of Interest.  The interest of any Participant in the Plan
shall not be assignable, either by voluntary assignment or by operation of law,
and any assignment of such interest, whether voluntary or by operation of law,
shall render the Award void, except that cash or shares of Common Stock payable
under the Plan shall be transferable by testamentary will or by the laws of
descent and distribution. All shares of Common Stock paid pursuant to this Plan
are to be taken subject to an investment representation by the Participant or
other recipient that any such shares are acquired for investment and not with a
view to distribution and that such shares shall not be transferred or sold until
registered in compliance with the Securities Act of 1933 or unless an exemption
therefrom is available in the opinion of the counsel for the Company.
 
     34. Employment Rights.  An Award made under the Plan shall not confer any
right on the Participant to continue in the employ of the Company or any
subsidiary or limit in any way the right of his employer to terminate his
employment at any time.
 
     35. Expenses.  The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the
Company.
 
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     36. Dilution, Recapitalization and Other Adjustments.  In case the Company
shall at any time issue any shares of Common Stock (i) in a stock split or other
increase of outstanding shares of Common Stock, by reclassification or
otherwise, whereby the par value of shares is reduced, or (ii) in payment of a
stock dividend, the number of Performance Shares which have been awarded but not
paid, the maximum number of Performance Shares which may be awarded under the
Plan, and the maximum number of shares of Common Stock which may be issued in
payment of the Awards (see Section 11) shall be increased proportionately; and
in like manner, in case of any combination of shares of Common Stock, by a
reverse stock split, reclassification or otherwise, the number of Performance
Shares which have been awarded but not paid, the maximum number of Performance
Shares which may be awarded under the Plan, and the maximum number of shares of
Common Stock which may be issued in payment of the Awards shall be reduced
proportionately.
 
     37. Amendment and Termination of the Plan.  The Board of Directors of the
Company may amend, suspend or terminate the Plan at any time; provided, however,
that no amendment may, without stockholder approval, increase the total number
of Performance Shares which may be awarded or paid under the Plan or change the
definition of Performance Share.
 
     38. Plan Termination.  The Board of Directors may terminate the Plan at any
time in their discretion and in such event no Awards shall be made after the
date of such Plan Termination.
 
     Plan Termination shall occur automatically and without requirement of any
action by the Board of Directors upon a "Change in Control". "Change in Control"
means (i) acquisition by any person (within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act")) of beneficial ownership
(within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of 20% or more of the
Common Stock then outstanding; or (ii) the consummation of (A) any consolidation
or merger of the Company in which the Company is not the continuing or surviving
corporation or pursuant to which shares of the Common Stock are converted into
cash, securities or other property, other than a merger of the Company in which
the holders of Common Stock immediately prior to the merger have the same
proportionate ownership of common stock of the surviving corporation immediately
after the merger as they had in Common Stock immediately prior to the merger, or
(B) any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in one transaction or a series
of related transactions) of all, or substantially all, of the assets of the
Company, including, without limitation, any sale, lease, exchange or other
transfer (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) of all or
substantially all, of the assets of the Company.
 
     Payment of all Awards outstanding at the date of Plan Termination shall be
made as promptly as possible after such date and payment of each such Award
shall be computed in the same manner as in Section 7 using the effective date of
Plan Termination in place of the date of death or the date of the determination
of total and permanent disability, except that the Common Stock will be priced
at Fair Market Value based on the twenty (20) trading days immediately preceding
the date of Plan Termination.
 
     39. Construction.  The use of the masculine gender herein shall be deemed
to refer to the feminine as well. All headings are included for convenience of
reference and shall not be deemed a part of this Plan.
 
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