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Convention Plans Shaping
Up
We are pleased with the
number of bankers who have already registered for GBA’s 2003 Annual
Convention to be held May 11-14 at The
Westin La Paloma Resort in Tucson, Arizona. This annual event is not to be missed and will feature
outstanding speakers, group tours, golf and tennis tournaments, and
exciting evening events for socializing with your colleagues. We encourage
you to visit GBA’s convention page that is filled with information to
help you plan your trip and includes several good links to Tucson sites.
Call GBA’s June
Somers at (404) 420-2012 with questions about any
convention-related events.
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The Georgia General Assembly recessed after Tuesday of this week for the budget committees to work on both of the appropriations bills for the remainder of the 2003 budget and the larger 2004 budget. Of interest to bankers in the last few days
was a public hearing of H.B.
142 by the Senate
Banking and Financial Institutions Committee chaired by Sen. Don
Cheeks (R-Augusta). H.B.
142 was introduced by the House
Banks and Banking Committee Chairman Johnny
Floyd (D-Cordele) and addresses the unintended consequences of the Georgia
Fair Lending Act. The
bill has already passed the full House by a unanimous vote and is now
pending in the Senate. Testifying
on behalf of the banking industry was GBA’s Joe
Brannen in conjunction with representatives of the Community
Bankers Association and the Georgia Credit Union Affiliates.
All three stressed the importance of addressing GAFLA in a manner
that not only satisfies the national rating agencies’ concern with
assignee liability but also cleans up many terms and definitions used in
GAFLA for traditional lenders. Governor Sonny
Perdue (R-Bonaire), House Speaker Terry
Coleman (D-Eastman) and Senate President Pro-tem Eric
Johnson (R-Savannah) announced jointly that they planned for the
General Assembly to complete action on any legislation affecting the Georgia
Fair Lending Act by February 28. The
next scheduled action is a vote Tuesday in the House Banks and Banking
Committee on S.B.
53. Chairman Floyd
testified before the Senate Banking Committee meeting that he expected the
committee to substitute much of the language from H.B. 142 and send S.B. 53
back to the Senate for further consideration in order to meet the deadline.
Your help is needed in contacting your state House and Senate members
to support this effort. Thank you for your help!
2003 State Legislative
Issues
Governor Sonny Perdue
Lt. Gov. Mark
Taylor
Georgia House of
Representatives
Georgia State Senate
Federal Legislative
Issues
U.S.
Congress
Legislative Updates
Legal Issues
The Comptroller of the Currency released a proposed regulation, which, if adopted, could preempt many provisions of the Georgia Fair Lending Act as it applies to national banks. Earlier, the Office of Thrift Supervision and the National Credit Union
Administration published letters also
preempting the major portions of the Act as it applied to institutions
their agency had chartered. “We of course are delighted with the
Comptroller’s approach,” said GBA
Chairman Larry Kuglar,
President of First
National Bank of Polk County, Cedartown.
“There is language in both H.B.
142 and S.B.
53 which provide parity to state chartered institutions to the
same extent given federally chartered institutions.
The General
Assembly must act on these amendments so that our state chartered
banks will be on the same competitive and regulatory basis as are our
nationally chartered banks,” he concluded.
Calendar of Events
Schools
Conferences
Seminars
Events
American
Institute of Banking
Leadership GBA
Personal Economics Program
(PEP)
Internet
Training
Banking Expo
Exhibit Hall Almost Full
The exhibit hall at GBA’s Banking
Expo 2003 is filling up at a strong and steady pace.
Among those planning to participate are Internet banking providers,
imaging companies, bank architects and builders plus a host of companies
that provide credit products, insurance products and voice communication
systems. See the list of exhibitors
who have committed to date. If you have any questions about a particular exhibitor,
please call GBA’s Susie
McGehee at (404) 420-2010, Edie
Canales at (404)
420-2034 or Marybeth
Jones at (404) 420-2032.
Remember, this may be your only chance to see this many companies
under one roof until 2005!
Outside
Bank Directors Seminar
GBA will host a seminar designed for Outside Bank Directors
entitled “Understanding
Your Roles and Responsibilities: What
Every Bank Director Must Know” on March 5 in Macon and March 6 in
Gainesville. The seminar is
designed to help your Bank Directors understand their roles and
responsibilities and to educate them in critical areas of strategic
planning, business development, understanding bank financial statements and
ratios, maximizing shareholder value and regulatory challenges.
If you have questions or need further assistance, call GBA’s Susie
McGehee at (404) 420-2010.
Bank
Security Conference
GBA’s Bank Security Conference will be
held April 24-25 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Macon.
A unique feature of this program is the “Train the Trainer”
approach: participants will receive a
disk of PowerPoint presentations from all speakers to use in their bank for
security training. For more details, please call GBA’s Marybeth
Jones at (404) 420-2032.
The third session of the Executive Management Academy will be held March 10 at the Crowne Plaza in Macon and will focus on Relationship Management/Marketing Strategies. Dr. Jim Verbrugge, GBA Chair of Banking, Department of Banking and Finance in UGA’s Terry College of Business, will facilitate the session. Discussion will include managing the relationship with the Board of Directors, managing relationships with shareholders and the community at large, understanding the customer base in the market and their changing needs, and becoming proactive in preparing the bank for the dramatic changes underway in the marketplace and the risks and opportunities imposed by competition and technology. The Executive Management Academy is designed in a peer-to-peer roundtable format and addresses issues of importance to executive management. You may attend all six sessions or select individual sessions based on the content. For more information, please call GBA’s Marybeth Jones at (404) 420-2032.
Financial Risk
Management Conference
At GBA’s Financial
Risk Management Conference on March 13-14 in Atlanta,
well-known Economist Chris Low of FTN Financial in New York will
address the economy in general and discuss the recovery of interest rates,
the Federal Reserve, and the 2003 economic outlook for the United States.
New ideas and real world solutions will be presented in these
sessions: Strategies for Investment Portfolio Management, Allowance for Loan
Loss Methodology, Asset/Liability Management Trends in Community Banks,
Balance Sheet Strategies and A Regulatory Perspective of The Role of the
Asset/Liability Manager. Call
the Renaissance Waverly directly at (770) 953-4500 to reserve your hotel
room. For registration information, please contact GBA’s Marybeth
Jones at (404) 420-2032.
GBA and the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are pleased to offer two brand new online seminars. The first seminar, Sharpen Your Management Toolkit, will be held on March 19 and 21 in two 90-minute sessions. Rory Rowland will cover what tasks should be delegated, how to give employees responsibility and authority, time-management tools, effective meeting tips and the importance of effective performance appraisals.
The next online seminar to be offered is New Generation Strategic Thinking for Community Banks on March 20, April 3, 10, in three 90-minute sessions. This seminar is geared toward CEO’s and senior management. Some of the topics to be discussed by presenter Terry Saber will be strategic plans and how to enhance the bank’s bottom line. A plan will be included with your course materials that will allow you to do a SWOT analysis on your own bank and share with other seminar participants “best practices.” For more information, please contact GBA’s Edie Canales at (404) 420-2034.
Retirement Services, Inc.
GBA Services, Inc.
| Welcome
New Participant
For
Sale Piedmont Community Bank will have a 1,600 sq ft modular bank unit available in late May 2003. Unit is complete with cameras, VCR, alarm system, teller counter, drive-in window, vault, night drop, etc. Price negotiable. Can arrange for delivery and setup. Call Mickey Parker at (478) 986-5900. |
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Some of the Services Available
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Problem:
Check Fraud
Answer: Thumbprint Signature
Program
Lower your bank’s check fraud by participating in GBA’s Thumbprint
Signature Program. The
device known as the Thumbprint Signature Touch Pad is intended to deter
counterfeit and stolen check fraud by obtaining a thumbprint signature from
non-customers when cashing on-us and not-on-us checks.
The Thumbprint Signature can be used by law enforcement agencies in the
investigation of fraud claims made by account holders, and financial
institution’s usage of the program is a natural deterrent.
No database of fingerprints will be kept by the banking industry, and
the signature will be shared with law enforcement officials only in cases of
suspected fraud. A major bank in
Georgia has reported an average 71% reduction in check fraud since it began
this program. To order this unique
program or for further information, you may contact GBA’s Renee
Valdez Bristow at (404) 420-2036 or Kenyetta
Parks (404) 420-2035.
Assess for The Best!!
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Conscientious
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People-oriented
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Detail-oriented
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Even-keeled…
What personality traits are inherent to a successful Commercial Lender? A successful Loan Processor? A successful Teller? When considering a candidate for employment, GBA member banks can increase the probability of employment success through the use of The Computer Psychologist’s pre-employment assessments. By utilizing objective, job- and industry-specific personality assessments, hiring managers are able to assess candidates online to determine whether or not they will be successful in a given role. Feedback is instantaneous and provides valuable insight to assist in the hiring process.
We invite you to visit The Computer Psychologist at Banking Expo 2003, Booth #328. Learn how other member banks are utilizing employment-related assessments in the hiring, training, and development of employees. Through the Strategic Partnership of the GBA, The Computer Psychologist is able to offer GBA members discounted pricing and industry specific profiles. An exclusive show offer will be extended for all attendees of Banking Expo 2003. Stop by Booth #328 for details! For more information, contact The Computer Psychologist’s Jon Naphin at (770) 455-4510 or GBA’s Renee Valdez at (404) 420-2036.
Financial Directories
The Winter 2003 Financial Directory has arrived!
The directory provides you with quick access to information on all
commercial banks and thrifts in the state of Georgia as well as information
about our GBA standing committees. If
you are on our standing order list, you should have already received your copy.
If you need additional copies or would like to order yours, you may
contact GBA’s Renee
Valdez Bristow at (404) 420-2036 or Kenyetta
Parks (404) 420-2035.
Adairsville, United
Community Bank
Derenda Flemons and Brenda Dickinson have been promoted to Assistant Vice
President and Barry Morgan to Assistant Banking Officer.
Alpharetta, North
Atlanta National Bank
Paul W. Black, II has joined the bank as Senior Vice President of
Commercial Lending and Leslie Green as Credit Administration Specialist.
Atlanta, Porter
Keadle Moore, LLP
Jacquelyn W. Daniell has joined the firm as Director of Risk Management
Bank Services; Laura A. Snyder as Director of Marketing; and Patrick A.
Tuley as a Principal of Tax Services. Janet
P. Sammons has been promoted to Director of Bank Tax Services; Warren A. Puy
Arena to Director of Information Technology Infrastructure Services; and
Darren J. Hodge to Director of Information Technology Assurance Services.
Augusta, First
Bank
Terra Lariscy has joined the bank as Human Resource Officer and Deborah
W. Gay as Administrative Assistant.
Cairo, Citizens Bank
Our sympathies to the family, friends and colleagues of Board member,
Anna P. Searcy, who recently passed.
Duluth, First
National Bank of Gwinnett
Aimee Souto has been promoted to Banking Officer.
Jackson, First
Georgia Community Bank
Laura Bruce has joined the bank as Assistant Vice President, Branch
Manager and Thomas P. Jones, IV has rejoined as Senior Vice President,
Commercial Lender.
Quitman, The
Citizens National Bank
Neal R. Bradley has been named President and CEO to replace John R.
Stalvey, who recently retired.
Richmond Hill, Bryan
Bank & Trust
Lisa Powell has been promoted to Loan Operations Officer.
Savannah, The
Savannah Bancorp, Inc.
Patricia Elliott has been promoted to Operations Officer.
Savannah, The
Savannah Bank
Martell Hall has been promoted to Trust Officer.
Join Our Email Distribution List
A bonus of getting the e-Bulletin
and e-Legislative Update is the number of links included
that puts more information at your
fingerprints. This is a great way to keep your key employees informed
of significant industry information, trends and events. We
do not disclose email addresses and only use them for internal
communication purposes. Bankers from any member bank can be added to the email
distribution
list
by sending an email containing the name and email address of each
individual to GBA’s Lydia
Thomas.
