FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * WOOD E JENNER III   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol SUNTRUST BANKS INC [STI] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Corp. Executive Vice President (Last) (First) (Middle) 25 PARK PLACE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 01/08/2009 (Street) ATLANTA, GA 30302-4418 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 01/08/2009   G V 2,274 D (1) 58,902 D   Common Stock 01/08/2009   G V 2,274 A (1) 2,628 I Children Common Stock               180.219 I 401(k) (2) Common Stock               18,682 I Restricted Stock (3)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Phantom Stock Units (4)

(4)

(4)

(4)

Common Stock

1,531.8059

1,531.8059

D

Phantom Stock Units (5)

(5)

(5)

(5)

Common Stock

28,800

28,800

D

Option (6)

$ 73.0625

11/09/2002

11/09/2009

Common Stock

15,000

15,000

D

Option (7)

$ 51.5125

11/14/2003

11/14/2010

Common Stock

8,050

8,050

D

Option (7)

$ 64.57

11/13/2004

11/13/2011

Common Stock

8,455

8,455

D

Option (7)

$ 54.28

02/11/2006

02/11/2013

Common Stock

10,158

10,158

D

Option (7)

$ 73.19

02/10/2007

02/10/2014

Common Stock

18,000

18,000

D

Option (8)

$ 73.14

02/08/2008

02/08/2015

Common Stock

18,000

18,000

D

Option (8)

$ 71.03

02/14/2009

02/14/2016

Common Stock

19,000

19,000

D

Option (8)

$ 85.06

02/13/2010

02/13/2017

Common Stock

19,000

19,000

D

Option (8)

$ 64.58

02/12/2011

02/12/2018

Common Stock

34,000

34,000

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
WOOD E JENNER III 25 PARK PLACE ATLANTA, GA 30302-4418			Corp. Executive Vice President

Signatures

David A. Wisniewski, Attorney-in-Fact for E. Jenner Wood III		01/12/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	This transaction is a gift.
(2)	Because the stock fund component of the 401(k) Plan is accounted for in unit accounting, the number of share equivalents varies based on the closing price of SunTrust stock on the applicable measurement date.
(3)	Restricted stock held under the SunTrust Banks, Inc. 2004 Stock Plan. Subject to certain vesting conditions. Restricted stock agreements contain tax withholding features allowing stock to be withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations. All plans are exempt under Rule 16(b)-3.
(4)	The reported phantom stock units were acquired under SunTrust Banks, Inc.'s 401(k) excess benefit plan. These phantom stock units convert to common stock on a one-for-one basis.
(5)	Granted in exchange for restricted stock. Will be paid out on various dates. These securities convert to common stock on a one-for-one basis.
(6)	Granted pursuant to the 1995 SunTrust Executive Stock Plan.
(7)	Granted pursuant to the SunTrust Banks, Inc. 2000 Stock Plan.
(8)	Granted pursuant to the SunTrust Banks, Inc. 2004 Stock Plan.

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