<PAGE>




                       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):        May 21, 1999



                                AMERICAN BANCSHARES, INC.
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)




         Florida                       0-27474                     65-0624640  
(State or Other Jurisdiction    (Commission File Number)         (IRS Employer)
        Incorporation)                                           Identification
                                                                      Number)




   4502 Cortez Road West, Bradenton, Florida                        34210-2801
-------------------------------------------------                   ----------
   (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                         (Zip Code)




Registrant's telephone number, including area code:(941) 795-3050       
                                                   --------------


<PAGE>




Item 5.  Other Events.

         On May 19, 1999, the Board of Directors of American Bancshares, Inc., a
Florida  corporation  (the  "Company"),  appointed Jerry L. Neff to serve as the
President and Chief  Executive  Officer of the Company and each of its corporate
subsidiaries,  including  American Bank,  its  wholly-owned  commercial  banking
subsidiary.  Mr. Neff  previously had been appointed to serve in these positions
on an interim basis pending the completion of an executive search by a specially
formed committee of the Board of Directors of the Company.

         The Company  issued a press  release on May 20,  1999,  announcing  the
appoint of Mr. Neff to these positions.  A copy of the press release is attached
hereto as  Exhibit  99 to the  Current  Report  on Form 8-K and is  incorporated
herein by reference.




Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a)      Not Applicable

(b)      Not Applicable

(c)      Exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K

Exhibit No.                Description


   99.1    Press Release,  issued May 20, 1999, regarding the appointment of Mr.
           Neff as President and CEO of American Bancshares, Inc. and its
           subsidiaries.




                                    SIGNATURE

         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.

                                            AMERICAN BANCSHARES, INC.



Date:  May 21, 1999                      By: /s/ Brian M. Watterson  
                                            -------------------------
                                                Brian M. Watterson
                                            Executive Vice President 
                                            and Chief Operating Officer


<PAGE>




                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



Exhibit No.   Description


99.1          Press Release, issued  May 20, 1999, regarding the appointment of 
              Mr. Neff as President and CEO of American Bancshares, Inc. and its
              subsidiaries. 99.2
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "AMERICAN BANCSHARES, INC. FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3447}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "AMERICAN BANCSHARES INC \\FL\\", "cik": "0001004528", "assigned-sic": "6022", "irs-number": "650624640", "state-of-incorporation": "FL", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-27474", "film-number": "99631773"}, "business-address": {"street1": "4502 CORTEZ ROAD WEST", "city": "BRADENTON", "state": "FL", "zip": "34210-2801", "phone": "9417273535"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "PO BOX 14940", "city": "BRADENTON", "state": "FL", "zip": "34280-4940"}}
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):        May 21, 1999

                                AMERICAN BANCSHARES, INC.
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

         Florida                       0-27474                     65-0624640  
(State or Other Jurisdiction    (Commission File Number)         (IRS Employer)
        Incorporation)                                           Identification
                                                                      Number)

   4502 Cortez Road West, Bradenton, Florida                        34210-2801
-------------------------------------------------                   ----------
   (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                         (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:(941) 795-3050       
                                                   --------------
Item 5.  Other Events.

         On May 19, 1999, the Board of Directors of American Bancshares, Inc., a
Florida  corporation  (the  "Company"),  appointed Jerry L. Neff to serve as the
President and Chief  Executive  Officer of the Company and each of its corporate
subsidiaries,  including  American Bank,  its  wholly-owned  commercial  banking
subsidiary.  Mr. Neff  previously had been appointed to serve in these positions
on an interim basis pending the completion of an executive search by a specially
formed committee of the Board of Directors of the Company.

         The Company  issued a press  release on May 20,  1999,  announcing  the
appoint of Mr. Neff to these positions.  A copy of the press release is attached
hereto as  Exhibit  99 to the  Current  Report  on Form 8-K and is  incorporated
herein by reference.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a)      Not Applicable

(b)      Not Applicable

(c)      Exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K

Exhibit No.                Description

   99.1    Press Release,  issued May 20, 1999, regarding the appointment of Mr.
           Neff as President and CEO of American Bancshares, Inc. and its
           subsidiaries.

                                    SIGNATURE

         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.

                                            AMERICAN BANCSHARES, INC.

Date:  May 21, 1999                      By: /s/ Brian M. Watterson  
                                            -------------------------
                                                Brian M. Watterson
                                            Executive Vice President 
                                            and Chief Operating Officer
EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.   Description

99.1          Press Release, issued  May 20, 1999, regarding the appointment of 
              Mr. Neff as President and CEO of American Bancshares, Inc. and its
              subsidiaries. 99.2