SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                -----------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



Date of report (Date of earliest event reported)      October 14, 1999
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                              SunTrust Banks, Inc.
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               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)


          Georgia                      001-08918                 58-1575035
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(State or Other Jurisdiction          (Commission              (IRS Employer
      of Incorporation)               File Number)           Identification No.)


303 Peachtree Street, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia                             30308
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                              (Zip Code)



Registrant's telephone number, including area code      (404) 588-7165
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          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)


Item 2.

SunTrust Banks,  Inc.  (NYSE:  STI) today announced the sale of its $1.5 billion
SunTrust  BankCard  credit card  portfolio to MBNA America Bank,  N.A. Under the
agreement,  MBNA will purchase the outstandings  and will provide  servicing for
over 1.4 million  accounts.  The sale includes  personal credit card outstanding
balances  from both  SunTrust  and Crestar  Financial  Corporation,  acquired by
SunTrust in 1998. SunTrust estimates a pretax gain of approximately $300 million
in the fourth quarter based on the expected outstandings as of October 31, 1999.

SunTrust Chairman,  President and Chief Executive Officer L. Phillip Humann said
the sale of the consumer credit card balances is a strategic  decision that will
allow  SunTrust to continue to offer  personal  credit card  products  that will
carry the SunTrust  brand through MBNA, a proven  market  leader.  Servicing and
pricing of those  accounts  will be done by MBNA.  The  Business,  Corporate and
Purchasing  card  portfolios  were not part of the sale and will  continue to be
maintained by SunTrust as will the Merchant Services line of business.

Mr.  Humann said the choice of MBNA as a partner is a good one for  SunTrust and
its customers.  "We looked very closely at customer focus and service as part of
our  criteria.   We  are  confident  that  with  MBNA's  market  leadership  and
outstanding  reputation for customer service, our customers will be pleased," he
said.

"SunTrust  is a  first-class  organization  with  very  loyal  customers.  Their
endorsement is a valuable one," said Charles M. Cawley,  chief executive officer
of MBNA America Bank. "In addition to a long-term agent bank relationship,  this
represents a unique  opportunity to acquire a fine portfolio.  All of us at MBNA
are proud to be associated with a company like SunTrust."

SunTrust Banks, Inc., the nation's 9th largest commercial banking  organization,
provides a wide range of  financial  services  to meet the needs of its  growing
customer base in Alabama, Florida, Georgia,  Maryland,  Tennessee,  Virginia and
the District of Columbia. Its primary businesses include traditional deposit and
credit services as well as trust and investment services.

MBNA Corporation  (NYSE: KRB), a bank holding company and parent of MBNA America
Bank,  N.A., a national  bank,  has $67.4 billion in managed  loans.  MBNA,  the
largest  independent  credit  card  lender in the world,  also  provides  retail
deposits, consumer loan and insurance products.


                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



                                                      SunTrust Banks, Inc.
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                                                         (Registrant)


Date   October 18, 1999                       By /s/ Raymond D. Fortin
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                                                       Raymond D. Fortin
                                                       Senior Vice President