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“My fellow citizens, the dangers to our country and the world will be overcome. We will pass through this time of peril and carry on the work of peace. We will defend our freedom. We will bring freedom to others and we will prevail... May God bless our country and all who defend her."  –President George W. Bush, addressing the nation from the Oval Office upon the commencement of U.S. military action against Iraq.

As the United States embarks on the humanitarian mission to disarm Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, we join our fellow Americans in praying for our combat troops, their support forces and our country’s leaders.  “These are troubling times for our country as we struggle with a faltering economy and the threat of terrorism,” said GBA Chairman Larry Kuglar, President of First National Bank of Polk County in Cedartown.  “This is a time when we all must come together as a nation and I’m confident that will happen.  The banking industry is looked upon for our leadership, strength and security in times like these and I know we will be up to the task,” he concluded.

Annual Convention Reminder
A detailed confirmation package will be sent to all registered participants this week, so please check your records to make sure you have sent your registration into the GBA. The confirmation package will contain vital information that you will need to make final plans for your trip. There is still time to work out all your travel details. Call the GBA representative at Age of Travel at 1-800-578-7620 to secure a cost-effective flight. Call the Westin La Paloma at 1-800-228-3000 by April 9 to make your room reservation and receive the group rate. If you have misplaced your registration packet, go to the GBA web page and download all the forms you need or call the GBA and we’ll send you a printed one. It’s not too late to join your friends and colleagues for an information-packed, fun-filled event. Call June Somers at (404) 420-2012 with questions.

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

Legislature to Reconvene
The General Assembly has been in a two-week recess to work on the supplemental fiscal 2003 budget and prepare the fiscal 2004 budget; they are set go back in session Monday.  State revenues continue to be under pressure and most observers believe a combination of cuts in agency operations and tax increases will be needed.  Of significant interest to the banking industry is the budget for the Department of Banking and Finance.  Their budget must be reduced like all other agencies to cut overall state expenditures.

Bankruptcy Bill Passes House
The U.S. House of Representatives this week passed H.R. 975, the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2003.  The bill is similar to the bill last year’s Congress considered but did not enact.  Former GBA Chairman Wes Smith, President of Northwest Georgia Bank in Ringgold, participated in a fly-in representing GBA and reports good meetings with the Georgia delegation.  “Almost every member of the delegation voted to create this needs-based bankruptcy system.  We are glad they recognized that bankruptcy reform has never been more needed than now.  Bankruptcy filings reached a record 1,577,651 in calendar 2002, up 5.7% from the 1,492,129 cases filed in 2001,” Wes reported.  “H.R. 975 differentiates between those filers with income above the median who can afford to repay a portion of their debts and the great majority of filers for whom Chapter 7 protection is, and will remain, available and the starting point for a fresh financial start,” Wes said.  The final vote on the bill was an overwhelming 315 to 113.  Three members of the Georgia house delegation, including two freshmen, voted against the bill:  Rep. John Lewis, Rep. Jim Marshall and Rep. Denise Majette.  The bill now goes to the Senate where its future is less certain.

Calendar of Events
Schools
Conferences
Seminars
Events
American Institute of Banking
Leadership GBA
Personal Economics Program (PEP)
Internet Training

Executive Management Academy
The fourth session of the Executive Management Academy will be held April 7 at the Crowne Plaza in Macon and will focus on Compliance Management.  Blair Rugh with Kirchman Corporation will facilitate the session. Discussions will include: basic solutions to reducing compliance costs; problems that arise due to lack of day-to-day compliance management; and taking advantage of leeway in the regulation system.  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, call GBA’s Marybeth Jones at (404) 420-2032.

Risk Management Conference a Success
Our thanks to GBA’s Asset/Liability Management Committee for presenting an excellent conference last week.  The number of participants was higher than in several years and we especially want to recognize committee chair Wes Dodd, Executive Vice President of Finance at Community Bankshares, Inc. in Cornelia, for his leadership this year.  

Still Time to Volunteer
Each year the GBA has over 200 bankers from across Georgia serving their industry by volunteering on committees, boards and task forces.  The appointment process for our 2003-04 year is underway and if you have not let us know of your interest, please call Marybeth Jones at (404) 420-2032.  Almost every banker who serves tells us they are better bankers because of their service.

GAFLA Telephone Seminar Planned
On March 7, Governor Perdue signed S.B. 53, making the amendments to the Georgia Fair Lending Act (GAFLA) effective immediately.  In order to update you on these changes and make the most efficient use of your time, GBA will host a GAFLA Update telephone seminar on Tuesday, April 8, from 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.  GBA’s GAFLA Counsel, Don Lampe with Womble Carlyle Sandridge and Rice, PLLC, will lead the seminar.  Some of the issues that will be discussed include definitional changes and clarifications; effect of elimination of ‘covered loans’; new loans exempted from the Act; anti-flipping revisions; assignee liability modifications; and preemption, parity and supervision.  In addition, GBA has again partnered with Womble Carlyle Sandridge and Rice to develop an update to the GAFLA Compliance Toolkit.  If your bank previously purchased the original Toolkit, your seminar registration fee will include an update, free of charge, which will be mailed to you prior to the seminar.  If you do not have a Toolkit, however, you may purchase a revised one at a discount and it will be mailed to you prior to the seminar as well. If you have questions about this event, please call GBA’s Susie McGehee at (404) 522-1501.  Remember, if your bank makes mortgage loans or consumer loans taking the borrower’s principal residence as collateral, your bank must comply with this law.

Hotel Reservation Deadline Extended for the Agriculture Conference
The block of rooms reserved for bankers attending the Agriculture Conference on April 17-18 at Callaway Gardens has been extended to March 25.  To take advantage of GBA’s special rate, call the hotel directly at 1-800-CALLAWAY for reservations before March 25. For more information, contact GBA’s Marybeth Jones at (404) 420-2032.

Live Online Seminars
GBA and The Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will offer eight seminars in April and May.  All of these seminars are presented in two to four segments of 90 minutes each.  Look for the full details on the enclosed flyers.

• Developing Sales & Relationship Management Skills In Your Team, April 22, May 13

• Eight Habits of Effective Bank Managers, April 8, 10

• From GI’s to Gen Y’s: Marketing Your Bank to Four Generations, April 22, 23

• Identifying Potential Problem Loans, April 25, May 2, 9, 16

• Originating Profitable Loans, April 17, 24, May 1, 8

• Predicting Portfolio Credit Quality: Best Practices in Credit Risk Management, April 25, May 2, 9, 16

• When Is Enough, Enough? Advance Cash Flow & Loan Structure, April 25, May 2, 9, 16

2003 GBA Salary Survey
We will begin compiling this year’s salary survey in May with the compiled results available in August. The GBA staff is interested in your thoughts and suggestions. The suggestions we received as a result of the 2002 Salary Survey prompted several enhancements in this year’s survey. If you feel that there are ways we can enhance the survey to better fit your needs or to receive a copy of the 2002 Salary Survey, please contact GBA’s Renee Valdez (404) 420-2036. 

Deliver MORE than your customers expect this year!  See us to find out how.
While visiting GBA’s 2003 Banking Expo, March 25 & 26th, Cobb Galleria, please be sure to visit Clarke American Checks at booth #326, GBA’s Strategic Partner for quality check printing. Financial institutions statewide are transforming conventional checking relationships by partnering with Clarke American, one of the nation’s leading check providers.  They’ll show you how to give your customers greater value with their check products, contact center services and direct marketing solutions.  Clarke American is committed to strengthening each and every customer relationship on behalf of their partners. By partnering together to align strategies and goals they can:

• Build trust, customer loyalty and retention through your customer’s day-to-day checking experience
• Open the door to multiple “touch points” — phone, Internet, branch
• Provide continual opportunities to promote your bank’s products and services
• Personalize communications to targeted customer groups

Clarke American continues to make substantial investments to enhance your customer relationships, and there has never been a better time to discuss the potential for your financial institution.  Stop by booth #326 at GBA’s 2003 Banking Expo to find out what partnership with Clarke American can do for you!

Augusta, First Bank of Georgia
Don Combs has been elected Mortgage Loan Officer.

Join Our Email Distribution List
A bonus of getting the e-Bulletin and e-Legislative Update is the number of links that are included. 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. 

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