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Annual Convention

GBA Setting State Legislative Priorities
The GBA staff has spent much of this year talking with our members on a number of legislative and regulatory issues that may be addressed in the 2001 session of the Georgia General Assembly.  Among the issues which may be considered are:

• Predatory Lending.  A bill will be introduced to try and stop unscrupulous lenders.  

• UCC Article 9.  Georgia is one of the states which has not yet adopted a uniform law on secured transactions and we are working with the State Bar of Georgia to draft the legislation.

• Wachovia v. Reynolds Power of Attorney Case.  There may be no legislative remedy for this case (see Court Turns Down Wachovia Request left), but we are looking at several options.

• LLC Organizational Structure.  Some of our closely held banks have asked for our help in working with the Banking Department and FDIC to allow this corporate structure which has significant tax advantages.

• 5-Year Rule.  We understand there may be a proposal to modify or remove the rule which requires a de novo bank to be operational five years prior to the bank being acquired.

• Boat Titling.  Legislation is expected to establish a boat titling mechanism similar to motor vehicles, a concept GBA supports.

• Historic Property Tax Credits.  A bill will be introduced that would give tax credits to renovate downtowns and low income areas.

• Termite Letter Warranty.  An effort may be made to extend the warranty period of termite letters.

• Credit Card Balance Transfers.  A bill is being considered to prohibit charging a fee to transfer a balance to another issuer. 

• Record Retention Rewrite.  A GBA task force is looking into the need to update the statute to add new records and delete outdated ones.

• Loss Payee on auto insurance claims.  Some auto dealers have asked GBA to support efforts to require insurance claim checks to be made payable to the lien holder in addition to the borrower/repair shop.

• Linked Deposit Program.  Designed to help farmers and agribusinesses, the program would put below-market state deposits in banks to lend.  Initial response from the agribusiness community has not been favorable.

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

BankPAC Campaign Update
Since the last Bulletin, the following banks, their officers and directors have participated in the Georgia BankPAC 2000 campaign by contributing to the GBA StatePAC:

• SunTrust Bank, Inc., Atlanta, Bob Long, President

• Dawson County Bank, Dawsonville, Don Gordon, President

• Riverside Bank, Marietta, Kessel Stelling, President

In addition, officers and directors of the following banks have contributed to the GBA FedPAC:

• Georgia Bank & Trust Company of Augusta, Dan Blanton, President

• Columbus Bank & Trust Company, Steve Melton, President

• Synovus Financial Corp., Columbus, Jim Blanchard, President

• Community Bank & Trust, Cornelia, Alton Wingate, President

• Citizens Bank & Trust Company, Eastman, Jim Williams, President

• Monroe County Bank, Forsyth, Bill Bazemore, President

• Century South Bank of Lavonia, Doug Cleveland, President

Thanks to all for your support.

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

Teller Training
Bankers across Georgia continue to tell us how difficult it is to recruit and train new tellers.  At the recent Group Meetings, a presentation was made on two resources available from GBA:  a series of training videos called Modern Teller Training and a CD-Rom, self-paced curriculum called Bank Teller Curriculum.  Banks that have used these resources tell us they are terrific.  We are pleased to announce a new program that has been established using these and other resources in conjunction with Lanier Tech in Gainesville and our associate member BANKSTAFF.  This unique new program may be reproduced in other parts of the state if it is successful. SunTrust Bank and Century South Bank have joined the program as founding partners.  BANKSTAFF will be recruiting employees for teller positions in banks and working with the faculty at Lanier Tech as well as using their own trainers to teach the students.  The curriculum includes the basics of cash handling; fraud detection; customer service; professional etiquette; work ethic; balancing; electronic banking; federal regulations and compliance; and handling suspected forgery, fraudulent or counterfeit currency.  “We continue to look at non-traditional ways to help our members recruit and train their personnel,” said GBA’s Senior Vice President, June Somers.  “We are delighted to let our members know about this new resource and we will be monitoring the program to see how we might support similar programs elsewhere,” she concluded.  For more information, call Lanier Tech’s Michelle Hunter at (678) 230-8456 or BANKSTAFF’s Scott Walters at (770) 512-STAFF (7823).

“Eat More Chikin” at Southern Operations and Technology School
Chick-fil-A’s Dan Cathy will be the keynote speaker for graduation at the Southern Operations and Technology School.  Customer Service Excellence, an area Chick-fil-A has mastered and is known for worldwide, is the topic he will address.  Graduation follows a week of intense study covering the areas of compliance, risk management, technology and general management. The Southern Operations and Technology School meets November 5-10 at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education in Athens. GBA’s school is one of the few offered in the country for employees on the non-credit side of the bank. Don’t miss this opportunity to train your non-credit staff at a national caliber school in your own state.  Call GBA’s Marybeth Jones at (404) 420-2032 for additional information and registration material.

For Sale
West Central Georgia Bank, Thomaston, has a Diebold 6600 Series Rotary Check File for sale for $250 (obo).  For information, please contact Jaye Eubanks or Eddie Rogers at (706) 647-8951.

Welcome New Participants
The Board of the GBA Insurance Trust welcomes the officers and staff of Titan Mortgage, Savannah, Larry G. Saunders, CEO, who joins more than 275 other community banks and associate members taking advantage of this unmatched member service.  Call GBA’s Susan Kelley at (404) 420-2017 for more information.

Secured Creditor Product:
AIG Environmental(TM)
Commercial lenders may reduce their risk with Georgia Bankers Association’s (GBA) endorsed Secured Creditor Property Policy from AIG Environmental(TM).

Under environmental laws, lenders must factor in the exposure of direct liability for environmental contamination at properties held after foreclosure as well as the nonexistence of collateral value in contaminated properties.

For several years environmental insurance providers have been attempting to respond to the environmental risks associated with real estate transactions with a variety of coverages and marketing strategies. Previous products focused on the concerns of property owners and facility operators. These products did not adequately address the environmental exposures of the lender, which include the loss of value of the collateral securing a loan, lender liability under CERCLA, liability for environmental conditions at REO properties, and the impact of environmental conditions on a borrowers ability to make loan payments. 

The AIG policy provides protection for each of these exposures. First, it affords coverage for loss arising from loan default accompanied by a pollution condition. This allows lenders to recover the loan balance. In addition, the lender also knows it is protected for other environmental liabilities that might arise during the loan workout and property disposition process. Lenders can now transfer the risk previously fully assumed in their due diligence process to a third party through the insurance contract. Finally, the coverage is available for a policy term that exceeds the actual length of most commercial real estate loans – up to 20 years. The special needs of alternative lenders are particularly appropriate for this coverage, and AIG has a flexible policy structure to address the needs of many different business strategies and loan policies. 

Alpharetta, Chattahoochee National Bank
Steven G. Deaton has joined the bank as Executive Vice President and Senior Lending Officer.

Carrollton, West Georgia National Bank
Jon P. Minecci has joined the bank as Vice President, Commercial Loans.  Congratulations, also, to the directors and staff on the recent opening of their Mirror Lake branch.  The bank also announces the recent opening of its Robinson Humphrey Investment Center, the first such alliance with a bank in the nation.

Darien, Southeastern Bank
Nicole M. Coltrane has been promoted to Assistant Banking Officer.

Dawsonville, Dawson County Bank
The bank announces the following additions:  James Askew as Executive Vice President and Senior Lending Officer and Kris Bolton as Banking Officer and Assistant Branch Manager.

Decatur, Horizon Bank
Charles K. Yorke has joined the bank as Senior Vice President and Senior Loan Officer.

Dudley, Bank of Dudley
Our sympathies to the family and colleagues of former President and Chairman, Gladys Gray Combs Hogan, who died recently at the age of 94.

LaGrange, Flag Financial Corporation
Robert G. Cochran has been appointed Vice Chairman.

Macon, Rivoli Bank & Trust
The bank announces the following promotions: Mark D. Bikus to Senior Vice President and Ray H. Brannen to Vice President.

Newest Bank Linked
Welcome to First National Bank of Barnesville, George Butler, President, as the latest bank to link to GBA’s website.  When your bank is ready to be linked, call GBA’s Lydia Thomas at (404) 420-2039.  We were also pleased to work with Secretary of State Cathy Cox to establish a link to her official website.  She has a page designed to assist consumers with financial planning issues and is using the calculators from our site.

GBA’s e-Bulletin List
If you're looking for an easier way to distribute the Bulletin among your staff, add them to our distribution list for the e-Bulletin.  Let GBA's Lydia Thomas know who you want added.

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