Seifried to Keynote Annual Convention
We are pleased to announce that Edmund J. Seifried, Ph. D., Professor of Economics and Business at Lafayette College in Easton, PA, will give one of the keynote addresses at GBA's annual Convention which is scheduled for June 17-20 at the fabulous Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman.  Dr. Seifried is well-known to many Georgia bankers as he has been a longtime faculty member of the Graduate School of Banking at LSU.  Dr. Seifried will offer a unique and simplified approach to help you navigate through the confusing maze of published economic indicators and financial new releases.  His presentation will provide direction on how to recognize key economic signals and prepare strategies to cope with the changing economic environment in 2007 and beyond. A complete convention package will be mailed next month.  Be sure to follow up on getting your passports.  The U.S. Department of State has an excellent website that explains the process in detail.   With questions, please contact GBA’s Susie McGehee at (404) 420-2010.

Another Busy Week in the General Assembly
A number of bills of interest to the banking industry received action this week in the Georgia General Assembly.  Please click here to view this week's Legislative Update where we discuss:

• House Committee Hears Credit Report File Freeze and Payday Loan Bills

• Housekeeping Bill Considered by Senate Committee

• FHLB Letter of Credit Bill Passes House

• Garnishment Bill Heard in Committee

• Bioprivacy Study Committee Releases Report

• Phishing Bill Passes Senate

• Three Real Estate Lien Bills Introduced

• ATM Survey Deadline February 5

• General Assembly in Recess Part of Next Week

With questions about any of these bills or for clarification on any of these issues, please contact GBA's Elizabeth Chandler at (404) 420-2027.

ILC Moratorium Extended Additional Year
The FDIC Board met this week and voted to extend the moratorium on approving applications from non-financial companies for an additional year.  The Board decided to end the moratorium on financial company applications.  The two most visible applications caught by the moratorium are from Wal-Mart and Home Depot.  On the legislative front, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Rep. Paul Gillmor (R-Ohio) have again introduced legislation (H.R. 698) similar to their bill in the last Congress that would close the industrial loan company loophole for non-financial firms. The bill, entitled the Industrial Bank Holding Company Act of 2007, is designed to ensure the separation of banking and commerce and would prohibit new commercial companies from operating a bank.  Click here to view the letter GBA sent to Georgia's congressional delegation this week.

Clinton Introduces Realtor’s Bill
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) is the principal sponsor of the Senate version of the Realtors’ anticompetitive bill which would permanently prohibit national banks and bank holding companies from providing real estate brokerage and property management services.  Senator Johnny Isakson (R) signed on as an additional cosponsor of the bill, S. 413.  Although Sen. Saxby Chambliss cosponsored a similar bill last session, he had not signed on as of press time.  Please join us in encouraging him not to cosponsor this ill-conceived legislation this year.

Teller Stops Conman – Assists Elderly Customer Victim
Our older citizens are among the most vulnerable when it comes to being intimidated by conmen trying to make a fast buck.  Sabrina Edwards, a teller at the Augusta Road branch of Bank of America in Garden City, suspected something was amiss when a man presented a $300 check drawn on an account of one of the bank’s elderly customers.  Sabrina called the customer and the story began to unfold.  The customer had felt threatened by a man who showed up at her door demanding money for work not performed.  According to news accounts of the event, the customer gave the man a check to get him out of her home.  Sabrina’s actions and her testimony at the trial eventually helped the Chatham County District Attorney’s office to successfully prosecute the criminal.  He’s now serving 10 years of a 20 year sentence for robbery by intimidation, elderly abuse and other crimes committed that day.  Thanks, Sabrina, for your quick thinking and follow through.

Last Call for Advanced Compliance Symposium
GBA’s popular Advanced Compliance Symposium is scheduled for next week, February 6-7, at the Macon Ramada Plaza.  The registration fee is $295 per member and Steve Moore of Bank Compliance Services, Avondale Estates, is the instructor.  This two-day event is designed for experienced compliance officers and compliance auditors.  Day One will include several interactive case studies involving complex residential mortgage loan transactions.  Each case study will involve Regulation Z, RESPA, HMDA, Flood Insurance, Regulation B, and other real estate lending-related regulations.  Day Two will include the ever popular Regulator Panel discussion.  Recent regulatory changes and the compliance issues most frequently misunderstood by bankers on the deposit and loan side will also be reviewed.  Other laws and regulations to be discussed include BSA, USA Patriot Act/OFAC, Reg D (NOWs & MMDAs), Reg CC (Hold Notices), Truth in Lending, Flood Disaster, and HMDA/Reg C. Please call GBA’s Courtenay Pope at (404) 420-2015 or Susie McGehee at (404) 420-2010 with questions.

Hotel Room Block Expires February 7^th
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Renaissance Waverly Hotel for the Financial Risk Management Conference scheduled for March 8-9 at the Cobb Galleria.  For hotel reservations, call the hotel directly at (770) 953-4500.  For more information about the conference or to register, please call GBA’s Marybeth Jones at (404) 420-2032.

Register Today for AIB Online Courses
Just a reminder that the following AIB online classes begin on February 26.  Please register two weeks in advance to secure a seat in the class.  These courses are instructor-facilitated with weekly assignments.  They can be taken from the comfort of your home or the convenience of your office. All you need is a computer, printer and Internet access. (Classes with an asterisk * require Microsoft Excel Software.)

• ABA Online Review Course for the CTFA Exam (open enrollment), 12 weeks, $795

• Commercial Lending, 16 weeks, $385

• General Accounting, 16 weeks, $485

• Principles of Banking, 16 weeks, $385

• Problem Loan Workouts, 6 weeks, $285

• Today's Teller: Developing Basic Skills* (open enrollment), 8 weeks, $285

There is still availability in the following AIB Online classes beginning the week of February 19.  Please register as soon as possible to secure a seat in the class.

• Fundamentals of Consumer Lending, 5 weeks, $230

• Marketing Financial Services, 16 weeks, $385

• Money & Banking, 16 weeks, $385

• Principles of Banking, 10 weeks, $315
  (This newly formatted Principles of Banking course is 10 weeks long and worth 2 credits.)

• Supervisor Certificate, 16 weeks, $695

Please see the AIB Online Schedule for a complete listing or call GBA’s Alison Moreau at (404) 420-2034 with questions.

Winter 2007 AIB Classroom Courses
Here are the AIB classroom courses for Winter 2007.  AIB classes meet three hours each week for 2 to 15 weeks and will be held at a local financial institution.  If you would like to see a specific AIB course offered in your area or if you have any questions about AIB classroom courses, please contact GBA’s Alison Moreau at (404) 420-2034.

• Consumer Lending, taught by Jeff Kovach, Northwest Georgia Bank, Ringgold
  Beginning February 8, 10 weeks, $195, text $75

• Principles of Banking, taught by Lorna Elizabeth Crawford of Fidelity Bank at Douglas County Bank, Douglasville.
  Beginning February 15, 10 weeks, $195, text $60.

Please see the AIB Online Schedule for a complete listing or call GBA’s Alison Moreau at (404) 420-2034.

Last Call for IRA Basics Seminars in Gainesville and Macon
This is your last opportunity to register for GBA’s IRA Basics seminar scheduled for Wednesday, February 7, at the Ramada Plaza in Macon and Thursday, February 8, at the Best Western-Lanier Centre in Gainesville.  The registration fee for each workshop is $195 per person and one of Georgia’s favorite trainers, Patrice Konarik of Sunwest Training Corp. in Gilchrist, Texas, will lead the seminar.  Designed for new account representatives, certificate of deposit personnel, and officers/managers who oversee the IRA department, this comprehensive A-Z workshop will provide a complete understanding of all areas of the Individual Retirement Account as well as an IRA review of significant proposed changes.   Also included is the IRA Training and Reference Manual, otherwise known as the “IRA Survival Guide” or the “Red Book.”  Topics to be discussed include: 

• IRA terminology

• Explanation of all IRA forms including beneficiary designations

• Qualifications for a:

  • Traditional IRA

  • Regular and Conversion Roth

  • Coverdell Education Savings Account

  • Contribution deadlines and qualifications

• Qualified plan rollovers: direct vs. indirect

• Moving IRA funds: rollovers vs. transfers

• Distributions

• Includes updated information from the Pension Protection Act of 2006

If you would like to register for this seminar, please click here for Gainesville or here for Macon.  Please contact GBA’s Courtenay Pope at (404) 420-2015 or Susie McGehee at (404) 420-2010 with questions.

FDIC Compliance Examination Revised Handbook Now Available
The FDIC has revised its Compliance Examination Handbook. The new handbook contains the FDIC's compliance examination policies and procedures in effect as of June 2006. It also includes revised Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) examination procedures and performance evaluations. The handbook will be available in electronic format only and can be accessed on the FDIC's Web site.

Welcome New Participants
The GBA Insurance Trust, Inc. Board of Directors welcomes to the Trust SBG Investment Group, LLC, which will operate as State Bank of Georgia, Fayetteville, Jerry Stapleton, CEO, and Embassy National Bank, Lawrenceville, Chris Fluehr, CEO.  These companies join more than 290 community banks and associate members in this unmatched member benefit.  Please call GBA’s Susan Kelley at (404) 420-2017 for details.

Progressive: Bond and D&O Coverage
The ABA-sponsored insurance program underwritten by Progressive Insurance has recently been able to provide several Georgia banks with not only expansive coverage and increased benefit amounts, but significantly lower rates.  Progressive, a GBA Strategic Partner, has also developed a separate internet banking insurance program for financial institutions engaged in internet banking. The Internet Banking Protection Package is a unique insurance solution for community banks.  Two interconnected policies provide first- and third-party coverage to fill the gaps where traditional insurance policies do not extend to internet risks.  First-party protection is provided through the Enhanced Financial Institutions Bond and third-party protection via a separate and distinct policy – the Internet Banking Liability Policy.  For more information, please contact Progressive’s Robert Splawn at (800) 274-5222, ext. 37564, or GBA’s Chad Wilson at (404) 420-2022.

GBA Job Bank
The Georgia Bankers Association offers free job posting resources for our member banks.  These listings can be viewed online or through our bi-weekly publication included in the GBA Bulletin.  Resume postings are also available.  For more information, please contact GBA’s Kenyetta Parks at (404) 420-2035.

Some of the Services Available Through GBA Services, Inc.

Pledging Pool Program	Thumbprint Signature Program
Georgia Laws Code Book	Georgia Financial Directory
Discounted Check Program	Internet Loan Closing Program
Human Resources Solutions	Checking Club Programs
Discounted Local & Long Distance Program	Bond and D&O Insurance
Non-Qualified Executive Benefits (BOLI)	Trust and Investment Services
Record Retention Guide	Holiday Decals
FinCrime	Financial Industry Pre-Employment Assessments
Job Bank

GBA Services, Inc. is governed by a board composed primarily of community bank presidents who look for the best products and services available.  They do the due diligence for you and you can rely on their efforts.  For more information or to order any of these products or services, please call (404) 522-1501.

Newsmakers:

Atlanta - BankersforHire.com Brian Smith has been named Georgia Market Manager. Atlanta - Bank of North Georgia Reeder T. Burch has joined the bank as Vice President and Market Manager and Linda D. Davis has been promoted to Team Leader. Atlanta - Burke Capital Group Blake N. Jones has been named Principal. Atlanta - Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta Congratulations to CEO Ray Christman on his retirement January 31. The interim CEO is William Ott. Carrollton - West Georgia National Bank The bank announces the following promotions:  Charity Aaron, James Fulford, Lynn Shadrix and Amy Wood to Assistant Vice Presidents; Toby Cole and Sherri Hines to Banking Officers; Andrea Purcell to Credit Officer; and Mark Finsterbusch to Assistant Banking Officer. Cornelia - Financial Supermarkets, Inc. Matthew Paul has joined the company as Training Consultant. Cartersville - Unity National Bank Christie McLaughlin has been named Vice President and Deposit Operations Officer. Ellijay - Bank of Ellijay Darren Cantlay has joined the bank as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Mary Anne Bramlett as Assistant Vice President and Deposit Operations Manager; Patricia Roberts as Branch Manager; Beth Ratliff as Administrative Assistant; Bria Lanier as Deposit Operations Assistant; Britnee Morvai as CEO Assistant, Marketing and Human Resources Director; Patsy Tatom as Head Personal Banker; Chastity Carter, Heather Duvall, Amber Nealey, and Margaret Teem as Personal Bankers; and Scott Evans as Business Development Officer.  Joining the Bank of Canton, a branch of the Bank of Ellijay, are Mark Nay as President and Chief Lending Officer; Angela Vanderbogart as Assistant Vice President and Loan Operations Manager; John Maggard as Vice President and Senior Relationship Manager; Scott Smith as Vice President, Commercial Lender; Leanne Quinter as Assistant Vice President, Credit Analyst; Scott Evans as Business Development Officer; Michelle Murdock as Branch Manager; and Joan Reynolds, Merita Hoseclaw, and Kari Addington as Personal Bankers. Jackson - McIntosh State Bank Bruce E. Bartholomew has been promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer; Charlie M. Harper to President of the Jackson office; James P. Doyle to Executive Vice President; Jesse M. Roberts and Jennifer W. Eavenson to Senior Vice Presidents; Cassie B. Parker and Dana W. Yielding to Banking Officers; Kim C. Spraggins and Melanie D. Rooks to Assistant Banking Officers; Cindy H. Eckhardt to Banking Officer and Bookkeeping Manager; Diane W. Regeski to Head Bookkeeper; Cassie L. Carpenter to Assistant Head Bookkeeper.  Promoted at McIntosh Financial Services, Inc. (MFS), a subsidiary of McIntosh Bancshares, Inc., are Thurman L. Willis, Jr. to Chairman and Deborah S. Marsh to President. Macon - Atlantic Southern Bank Sonny Sims has been promoted to Senior Vice President - Regional President, Central Georgia Region; Mark Driver to Vice President-Treasurer/Risk Management; Linda Green and Lori Poarch to Vice President - Deposit Operations; Annie Reed to Vice President - Credit Administration; Bethany Miller to Assistant Vice President - Corporate Trainer; Corey Ellis to Assistant Vice President - Director of Information Systems; Mike Smith to Banking Officer - Senior Credit Analyst; and Jean Stroud to Banking Officer - Controller. Marietta - Highland Commercial Bank Russell H. Powell has been promoted to Vice President, Commercial and Construction Lending and Megan E. Moore to Banking Officer. Ringgold - Northwest Georgia Bank Rick Partain has been named Vice President - Commercial Lender. Rockmart - Community Bank of Rockmart Janet Tinney and Cathy Wall have been promoted to Vice President and Andy Harris to Banking Officer. Savannah - Darby Bank & Trust Co. Carter Mobley has joined the bank as Vice President, Commercial Lending and Walter Hagan as Commercial Credit Analyst. Thomasville - Farmers & Merchants Bank Congratulations to CEO Gary Wright for receiving the 2006 F. Wilson Carraway, Sr. Award for Excellence and Community Service.
	Davis	Christman
	Paul	McLaughlin
	Partain	Mobley
	Hagan	Wright
	Moore and Powell
	Wall, Tinney and Harris

Serving the needs of Georgia Bankers since 1892 Search I Staff I Contact Us Georgia Bankers Association - 50 Hurt Plaza, Suite 1050, Atlanta, GA 30303 • Phone 404.522.1501 • Fax 404.522.9848