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Annual Convention

Two long-time community bankers active in the Georgia Bankers Association have been tapped by GBA’s Nominating

Ed has been a Group Officer, chair of the Community Bankers Committee, chaired the committee establishing GBA’s CEO Academy and has most recently served as GBA Secretary-Treasurer.  Bobby has also been a Group Officer and served as chair of the Community Bankers Committee.  Both are active in their local communities.

Check Processing Dispute
In the case Union Planters Bank, N.A. vs. Watson et al., the Alabama Supreme Court withdrew its earlier opinion but reaffirmed its decision that allows a group of bank customers to pursue a lawsuit involving bounced check fees against their bank.  The opinion that was withdrawn said the bank customers must affirmatively consent to mandatory arbitration agreements by signing a signature card to make the agreement binding.  Union Planters Bank was accused of processing larger checks before smaller ones as a means to generate more bounced check fee income when its customers did not have sufficient funds in their accounts to cover all of their circulating checks.  The bank had sent a change of terms notice to its customers stating that the customers would only be allowed to resolve any disputes involving the bank through arbitration.  The Alabama Supreme Court ruling allows customers in Alabama to sue their banks in disputes involving the order of bank check payments.  The customers’ attorney reportedly will pursue the case as a class action lawsuit. 

2001 State Legislative Issues
Governor Roy Barnes
Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor
Georgia House of Representatives
Georgia State Senate
Federal Legislative Issues
U.S. Congress
Legislative Updates
Legal Issues

Interest on Corporate Checking
The House passed the 24 transfers on corporate checking accounts bill last week by voice vote under suspension of the rules.  The bill would immediately provide for 24 sweep transactions each month, Federal Reserve flexibility on setting reserve requirements, the payment of interest on sterile reserves, and a repeal of the prohibition on payment of interest on corporate checking accounts two years from the date of enactment.  The bill was amended to allow depository institutions to offer NOW accounts to their business customers only if the depository institution either does not engage in lending activities or is not affiliated with any company that represents more than 10 percent of the assets of the depository institution. Similar legislation, S. 601, the Small Business Checking Regulatory Relief Act, is pending in the Senate.

Southern Attorneys General to Meet
The Attorneys General from the 10 Southeastern states are meeting in Atlanta April 26-27.  Georgia’s AG, Thurbert Baker, chairs this years conference and has asked GBA President, Joe Brannen, to appear on a panel discussing the bank privacy issue.  Also on the panel are representatives from Microsoft, AT&T, CitiGroup, the American Electronics Association and the Electronic Privacy Information Council.  “I am delighted to be given the opportunity address this prestigious group of elected officials to tell the positive story about how our members collect and use our customers’ personal data,” Joe said.  “They must understand that respecting customers’ privacy and protecting their information is nothing new to the banking industry – we’ve played that role since the first deposit was taken by a bank many years ago.  I intend to emphasize how important it is for banks to be able to share customer information with affiliate companies and those outside the bank with whom the bank has marketing agreements.  Our members must have this flexibility to serve their customers in this age of financial modernization,” he concluded.

Calendar of Events
Schools
Conferences
Seminars
Events
Georgia AIB
Leadership GBA
Personal Economics Program (PEP)
Internet Training

Don’t Miss Human Resources Conference
At GBA’s annual Human Resources Conference, you will learn about the latest legal issues facing Human Resource practitioners and hear tips on effectively positioning the HR function within your organization from Veronica Biggins, senior partner with the worldwide search firm of Heidrick & Struggles. Call Callaway Gardens directly for reservations at (800) 282-8181.   For conference specifics, call GBA’s Norma Guild at (404) 420-2031.

New Sales/Negotiation Skills Program
“Sales ability determines revenues but a salesperson’s ability to negotiate determines profit.”  This principle is the foundation of sales success and the fundamental lesson learned in “How to Negotiate High-Profit Sales.”  This program teaches proven negotiation techniques and is the product of years of research and development.  For more than two decades, Bob Gibson has delivered training to businesses across the country improving their sales productivity. Now he has put his program on video/CD ROM in an easy-to-use learning system that any bank can use. He incorporates his vast experience and uncanny insight into a three-part program that uses role-playing as well as instruction to teach the most critical negotiating skills. The program is priced at $697 which is an extremely good value considering the flexibility of the system. Bob will be presenting a one-hour overview of the program at GBA’s Annual Convention. He will also give away a learning system including the videos, CD-ROMs, Trainer’s Guide and Participant Kit to a lucky attendee at the session. For more information about the program or to preview one of the videos or CDs, call GBA’s June Somers at (404) 420-2012 or click here for the brochure.

PRIVACY:  Keeping Customer Account Information Secure
The financial industry has always been extremely cautious and aware of legal ramifications and legislation that mandate disclosure of the use of customer data.  Most banks have already published their Privacy Policies which are not actually mandated until July 1.  Historically, customers have looked to their banks as holding their financial information securely and publishing these Privacy Policies reinforces that message.

The Georgia Bankers Association endorses Clarke American Checks, Inc., who recognizes that our member banks view their financial institutions as secure, trustworthy establishments.  In its privacy policy, Clarke American vows to keep customer data secure by “not disclosing, distributing, or selling such confidential information in any manner to any third party, or in any other manner except in the performance of its relationship with the financial institution.”  The policy has been added as an addendum to many partner agreements.

Reassuring our member banks that their personal data is secure is critical to strengthening trust and loyalty.  Clarke American offers a way for banks to communicate their privacy policies to customers via its InTouch^â Messaging program.  With InTouch Messaging, a bank can place standard or custom messages directly in the customer’s check pad.  Clarke American offers a standard privacy policy message that can be customized with a bank’s logo, phone number and web address.  For more information on InTouch Messaging and/or Clarke American’s Privacy Policy, please contact Steve Garrett, Senior Account Executive, at 1-800-382-0818, ext. 2808, or GBA’s Renee Valdez at (404) 420-2036. 

Welcome New Participant
The Board of the GBA Insurance Trust welcomes C&S Bancorporation, Inc., Savannah, Brian Foster, CEO, to the Trust.  The bank joins 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.

Home Equity Brochure
The Federal Reserve has revised its brochure, When Your Home is on the Line: What You Should Know about Home Equity Lines of Credit. Under Regulation Z, creditors are required to provide the brochure, or a suitable substitute, to consumers when they receive an application for a home equity line of credit. Earlier versions of the brochure may be used until existing supplies are exhausted..

Law Code Supplements Available 
The Law Code Book Supplements are in.  The supplements contain the laws passed in the 2000 Legislative Session and complement the 1999 Georgia Banking Laws and Commercial Code book.  If you have not replaced your old edition, we still have a few available.  To order, please call GBA’s Renee Valdez at (404) 420-2036 or Kenyetta Anderson-Parks at (404) 420-2035.

Pledging Pool Participation Increasing
We are pleased to see participation for the Pledging Pool program increasing among our member institutions. The Program, administered exclusively through GBA Services Inc., has seen a dramatic increase in awareness throughout the public sector.  The Pledging Pool allows for better control of the 110% pledging requirement on government accounts with far less administration, allowing you, the bank, to better maintain your excess collateral.  The program also allows for your bank to treat all of the deposits with a “pool” of securities rather than dedicate a particular security to an individual deposit.  As one account’s deposit increases, a corresponding amount for collateral does not necessarily need to.  For information, please call GBA’s Renee Valdez (404) 420-2036. 

Some Of The Services Available Through GBA Services, Inc.

• Financial Publications-Georgia Banking Laws, Bank Directories 

• Discounted Check Program

• Internet Loan Closing Program

• Commercial Loan Underwriting and Total Relationship Pricing

• Checking Club Programs

• Discounted Long Distance Program

• Accounts Receivable Financing

• Bond and D&O Insurance

• Non-Qualified Executive Benefits

• Trust and Investment Services

• Payroll Deduct Home and Auto Insurance

Fayetteville, Southern Community Bank
Ricky Rodriguez has joined the bank as Vice President and Commercial Lender.

Marietta, Independent Bank & Trust Company
Jerry W. Clegg has joined the bank as Assistant Vice President, Investment Counselor.

Peachtree City, Peachtree National Bank
Ernest M. Hodge has been elected to the bank’s Board of Directors.

Suwanee, Quantum National Bank
Congratulations to the bank for being awarded top national honors for its website in the under $100 million asset category for independent banks.

GBA’s e-Bulletin List
Almost 500 bankers are on GBA’s email distribution list to receive the e-Bulletin as well as the e-versions of our Legislative Update and warnings about bank scams.  We don’t share or sell our email list and don’t send frivolous information to our recipients.  We’ll continue sending the paper version, and we don’t limit the number of bankers from any one bank on the list.  Send an email to GBA’s Lydia Thomas to get added.

For more information, send an e-mail to the Webmaster.