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On July 23-26, leaders representing banks of all sizes throughout Georgia will hear Secretary of State Cathy Cox talk about the important role bankers have in public policy and as potential statewide leaders.  Participants also will hear the dynamic Lee Wetherington of Equifax e-Commerce explain the meaning and use of Internet commerce.  Ellen Raulerson with Albany Electric will cover Internal Marketing and how employee product knowledge and personal motivation lead to greater profits.

In a series of breakout sessions, participants will learn about Internet Privacy and Security Theft and Bankruptcy Protection.  Nationally recognized speaker Doug Smart will send participants home with a highly-charged positive attitude about leadership, the future, money, health and relationships.

One bonus of this event is the networking power that always results from bankers and their families meeting, dining and socializing together for three days.  Participation from banks throughout Georgia over the past few years has remained strong which reflects the conference’s effectiveness, its proven influence on banks through their emerging leaders and its popularity as a business event that celebrates with families. Every bank in Georgia should be represented.

Federal Legislative Issues
State Legislative Issues
Georgia House of Representatives
Georgia State Senate
U.S. Congress
Bank Regulators

GBA Leadership on FDIC Reform
A recent survey of GBA’s Board of Directors, Public Affairs Committee and BankPAC Board indicate strong support for FDIC insurance reform.  These banking leaders suggested priority issues in any reform legislation should be:  raising the current $100,000 insurance limit and indexing future increases to inflation; capping the amount of money in the insurance fund; and developing a mechanism for rebates after the FICO bonds are paid off and the fund is fully capitalized.  Lower on the list of priorities was the merger of the bank and savings association funds as well as merging the Office of Thrift Supervision into the Comptroller’s Office.  The First Vice President of the American Bankers Association, Jim Smith, President of Union State Bank in Clinton, Missouri, will lead a Town Hall Meeting during the GBA Annual Convention in Quebec City later this month on this topic.  While it is doubtful a meaningful bill can be developed this election year, the priorities need to be decided by a cross-section of bankers to ensure a bill can eventually pass.

Calendar of Events
Schools
Conferences
Seminars
Georgia AIB
Professional Development Guide
Internet Training

Ag Conference Wins Blue Ribbon
More than 40 bankers attended the Agriculture Conference at Callaway Gardens on April 27-28 and rated this year’s conference among the highest in recent years.  According to the evaluations, “Blue Ribbon” status goes to the committee for its format, the door prizes, their outstanding selection of topics and speakers.  The Committee Chair this year has been Reggie Sheffield, Citizens Bank & Trust, Eastman.  Hats off to the entire committee for a job well done.

Security School Almost a Sell-out
The GBA Security School kicks off on May 22^nd at the Doubletree Suites in Atlanta and meets through May 24.  Don’t let your bank’s security officer miss this important school.  As of this Bulletin, we can accept three more registrations.  Contact GBA’s Norma Guild at (404) 420-2031 for more information.

Telephone Seminars Gain Popularity
You have seen increasing numbers of GBA seminars offered by telephone because more banks are participating in them.  Telephone seminars are convenient (in the bank’s board room or training room), inexpensive (send as many employees as you want for one price), quick (usually 90 minutes) and effective for learning. Provisions are always made for fax and phone interaction with the instructor.  Several banks took advantage of  last Thursday’s telephone seminar on Fair Lending.  The next telephone topics on the GBA calendar are:

May 19:  RESPA/Appraisal Regulations
June 16:  Mastering the Proper Use of Credit Scoring

To register your bank for any telephone seminar, use the forms that accompany the GBA monthly Educational Planner or call GBA’s Marybeth Jones at (404) 420-2032.  Audio tapes of any of these seminars are available should times or dates be incompatible with your schedule.

Welcome New Participants
The Board of the GBA Insurance Trust welcomes Futurus Bank, Atlanta, Bill Butler, CEO; JFB Associates, Atlanta, Rick Brown, CEO; Southern Bank, N.A., Buford, Lauch McKinnon, CEO; and the Patterson Bank, R. D. Thomas, Jr., CEO, to the Trust.  They join more than 275 other community banks and associate members taking advantage of this unmatched member benefit.  Call GBA’s Susan Kelley at (404) 420-2017 with questions.

Latest Bank Links
Welcome to the Ashburn Bank; Alliance National Bank, Dalton; The Bank of Fitzgerald; and Colony Bank, Leesburg.  They are the latest banks to link to GBA’s website at www.gabankers.com.   Call GBA’s Lydia Thomas at (404) 420-2039 when your bank is ready to be linked.

Alpharetta, Bank of North Georgia
Diane Boston has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Accounting and Support Services and Steve Hyde to Senior Vice President and Community Executive.  Joining the bank are:  Mike Collins as Senior Executive Vice President for Retail Banking; Neal Booth, Sr. as Senior Vice President and Community Executive; Michelle Thomason as Vice President and Bank Office Manager; Bruce Hunt as Senior Vice President, Commercial Lending; Dexter Lummus as Senior Vice President, Construction Lending; and Stephanie Nicholson as Vice President and Human Resources Generalist for People Development.

Alpharetta, Chattahoochee National Bank
Congratulations to Nat Padget, President, and the officers, employees and directors on their recent grand opening.

Alpharetta, First Colony Bank
Daniel Chasteen has been elected to the Board of Directors.

Alpharetta, Futurus Bank
R. Wesley Fuller has joined the bank as Chief Financial Officer along with Suzanne T. Phipps as Chief Credit Officer and Kevin Deaton as Relationship Manager.

Augusta, Georgia Bank & Trust Company
Charles B. Thompson, III has joined the bank as Senior Vice President and Trust Officer and Cheryl Cheek as Vice President, Trust Sales.

Cordele, PlantersFIRST
Our sympathies to the family of Larry Roberts, Director of PlantersFIRST (formerly Cordele Banking Company) since 1987, who passed away on April 15.

Marietta, Riverside Bank
The bank announces the following additions:  Ronald E. King and George D. Wier, Jr. as Senior Vice President and Rebecca Eschborn as Vice President.

Norcross, First Security National Bank
Janet Feraco has been promoted to Vice President and Susan Visi and Sue Rajczyk to Banking Officers.

Reidsville, The Tattnall Bank
The bank announces the following promotion and addition:  Barbara Williams as Assistant Vice President and Libby P. Rogers to Assistant Banking Officer and Head Teller. 

Thomaston, United Bank of Thomaston
Pete Garrett has been promoted to Vice President and Russ Stewart to Consumer Loan Officer.

Toccoa, Stephens Federal Bank
Congratulations to Joe Ferguson, President, and the officers, employees and directors on the grand opening of their new headquarters.

Trenton, Bank of Dade
Lisa Conway has been promoted to Assistant Vice President.

Watkinsville, North Georgia Bank
Congratulations to Chuck Williams, President and CEO, and the officers, employees and directors on their recent opening.

Winder, First Piedmont Bank
The bank announces the following promotions:  Steve Canup to Assistant Vice President/Senior Commercial Loan Officer; Terrell Duck to Assistant Vice President/Mortgage Loans/ Commercial Loan Officer; Victoria Patrick to Assistant Vice President/Operations/Bookkeeping; and Elaine Smith to Assistant Vice President/Loan Administration. 

GBA’s e-Bulletin List
Several members have inquired about adding individuals in their bank to the e-Bulletin email distribution list and if we would send the e-Bulletin to people who were not on our regular mailing list.  These bankers want an easier way to distribute the Bulletin among their staff.  The answer: of course!  Let GBA’s Lydia Thomas know who you want added.

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