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BankPAC Classic Nears
The Executive Committee for Leadership GBA is putting the finishing touches on the third annual Georgia BankPAC Classic.  This two-person scramble tournament will be held Wednesday, October 15, at the Big Canoe Golf Club in Big Canoe.  The course is rated among the top 20 private courses in Georgia, and early Fall will be a perfect time to play.  The registration for this event is $300 per two-person team or $150 per person.  The fee includes greens fees, cart, range balls, lunch and a reception.  This event is a great opportunity to invite your legislators and directors to meet and network with your colleagues in the banking industry across the state.  George Butler, President of First National Bank of Barnesville and Chairman of the BankPAC Board of Directors, said, “We are so thankful that the Leadership Section continues to support our state BankPAC fundraising efforts.  In the past two years, over $11,000 has been raised, and we all owe the Section a debt of thanks for their tireless work.”  Register now for this challenging and fun event and a chance to win the Georgia BankPAC trophy!  If you have any questions concerning the tournament, call GBA’s Susie McGehee at (404) 420-2010.

Group Meetings Continue
Bankers from northwest, middle and southwest Georgia met the past two weeks for their annual Group Meetings.  Our thanks to the following bankers who ably led their meetings:

Group 4:  David Gill, First State Bank, Stockbridge
Group 7:  Gary Floyd, United Community Bank-Adairsville
Group 2:  Don Monk, First National Bank of South Georgia, Albany
Group 3:  Ray Nipper, Colony Bank Ashburn
Group 6:  Joe Gore, First State Bank, Wrens

“We continue to be pleased with the outstanding attendance by bankers for this annual series of 10 meetings,” said GBA Chairman Ed Milligan, Chairman and CEO of Main Street Banks, Inc., Atlanta.  “We are getting a tremendous response for the Identity Theft Public Awareness Campaign we’re unveiling at the meetings.  The campaign kits are scheduled to be mailed to CEOs at the end of this month, and we hope all our members will join with us in this worthwhile effort,” he concluded. The final two Group Meetings of the year will be Monday, September 29 at the Okeefenokee Golf Club in Waycross and Tuesday, September 30 at the Forest Heights Country Club in Statesboro.  Call GBA’s Susie McGehee at (404) 420-2010 with questions.

Community Bank Survey
Community bankers across the country have been asked by the ABA Community Bankers Council and the ABA Banking Journal to participate in the eighth annual Community Bank Competitiveness Survey. The deadline for retuning the survey is October 7. The survey is one of the best of its kind in the country due to the large number of banks participating and the detailed results, which will be available in February. If you have misplaced your copy of the survey and want to participate, the survey is available on the Journal’s website.

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

Allowance for Loan Losses
A draft American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (ACIPA) proposal that would change the way banks account for loan-loss reserves has drawn fire from the four federal banking regulators.  The proposal suggests that banks should not be allowed to hold unallocated reserves, and should be permitted to add to reserve accounts only after documenting default or near default for a specific loan or portions of a loan pool.  In a letter to ACIPA, the Federal Reserve Board, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Office of Thrift Supervision and the FDIC said the proposal could put banks’ safety at risk. “The guidance is likely to produce loan-loss allowances that are understated, particularly as the condition of borrowers weakens in periods immediately preceding an economic downturn,” they said. Our thanks to many of our members who sent comment letters to AICPA before today’s deadline.  Stay tuned for the final decision.

FCRA Extension
Congress continues to give priority to extending the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The House passed the permanent extension of the bill overwhelmingly and the Senate was scheduled to mark up their version at press time. House Financial Services Committee Chairman Michael Oxley (R-OH) and Ranking Member Barney Frank (D-MA) worked closely in a bipartisan effort to lead the House through the debate. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) remains concerned about certain privacy-related issues that he has said he would like considered. We hope his concerns can be addressed without unduly hampering the ability of our members to serve their customers.

GBA BankPAC Update
Since our last report, the following companies, their officers and directors have participated by contributing to the GBA StatePAC:

• Zach Johnson, President, FNB South, Alma

• Don Baggett, President, Benefit Resources, Inc., Atlanta

• Billy Dobbs, President, City Capital, Inc., Atlanta

• Jimmy Tallent, CEO, United Community Banks, Inc., Blairsville

• Butch Wiggins, President, Bank of Early, Blakely

• Charlie Curry, CEO, First State Bank of Randolph County, Cuthbert

• Richard Hunt, CEO, Gainesville Bank & Trust

• Kessel Stelling, CEO, Riverside Bank, Marietta

• John Branam, CEO, Heritage First Bank, Rome

• Pait Willis, CEO, South Georgia Banking Company, Tifton

• Ansel Clark, CEO, Guardian Bank, Valdosta

• Jack Harvey, CEO, Farmers and Merchants Bank, Washington

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

• Jim Edwards, CEO, United Bank, Griffin

• Joe Edwards, CEO, United Bank Corporation, Barnesville

• Bill Gafford, CEO, McIntosh Commercial Bank, Carrollton

• Richard Hunt, CEO, Gainesville Bank & Trust

• Pait Willis, CEO, South Georgia Banking Company, Tifton

• Wes Smith, CEO, Northwest Georgia Bank, Ringgold

• Ansel Clark, CEO, Guardian Bank, Valdosta

Thanks to all for your support. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Elizabeth Chandler at (404) 420-2027.

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

Georgia Banking School Special!
The annual “Early Bird Special” is now available to first year students who register for the Georgia Banking School before January 1, 2004 for a saving of $125. Call GBA’s Marybeth Jones at (404) 420-2032 for details.

Live Online Seminars
GBA and The Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will offer the following five seminars starting in October. All seminars are presented in two to four increments of 90 minutes each. You pay only one site registration fee for as many participants as you wish.

• Current Issues in Employment Law, October 7, 14, 21.

• Developing Sales and Relationship Management Skills In Your Team, October 16, November 6. 

• Enhancing Communication Effectiveness, October 20, 27.

• High-Touch Banking: Enhancing Value & Building Relationships With Your Business Customers, October 28, 29, 30.

Southern Operations and Technology School Just Around the Corner
There is still time to register for the first year class in the Southern Operations and Technology School, which will be held on the University of Georgia campus October 12-17. The School is the premier school in the southeast for operations and technology personnel. Call GBA’s Marybeth Jones at (404) 420-2032 for more information.

Bank Counsel CLE Credits Approved
The Commission on Continuing Lawyer Competency has recently approved 6.2 general CLE hours, including 1.2 Ethics hours, credit for the Bank Counsel Conference program agenda. The conference, scheduled for October 5-7 at the Cloister on Sea Island, is held in conjunction with GBA’s President/CEO Conference. This event will give you an opportunity to meet bank CEOs and learn more about the latest hot topics in the legal arena.  Rooms are still available and you may call the hotel directly at (800) 732-4752 to make your reservation. GBA’s Bank Counsel Section provides a forum for bank counsel to be more knowledgeable in the areas of bank examination, regulation, compliance and the general business of banking.   For more information about the conference or becoming a Bank Counsel member, call GBA’s Susie McGehee at (404) 420-2010.

Welcome New Participant
The Board of Directors of the GBA Insurance Trust, Inc. welcomes to the Trust First Georgia Banking Company, Carrollton, Jackie Reed, CEO. The bank joins more than 290 community banks and associate members in this unmatched member benefit. Please call GBA’s Susan Kelley at (404) 420-2017 for more information.

For Sale
Available January 2004: Temporary Drive-Thru approximately 10' x 14'. $5,000 or best offer. Please direct questions to Dorsey Thompson, Vice President of Glennville Bank, at (912) 654-3471.

Increase Revenue Through No-Risk On-Site Financial Services
Take advantage of the cooperative joint venture through the GBA’s Strategic Partnership with Mass Mutual/Squires Financial Group that includes insurance and financial services.  Representing most top financial companies, Perfect Bank Partners, Inc.© provides GBA community banks the option of on-site, full-service financial services to compliment their existing banking products.  The program also includes shared program revenue to enhance the bank’s cash flow and profitability.

Through this joint venture, Perfect Bank Partners, Inc.© offers turnkey financial services which can be customized to a bank’s particular needs.  Service offerings include:

• Stocks/Bonds

• Mutual Funds

• Direct Participation Programs

• Individual/Corporate Qualified and Non-Qualified Retirement Plans

• Managed Asset Programs

• Disability Income and Business Overhead Expense Insurance

• Long-Term Care Insurance

• Non-Proprietary Health Insurance

• Financial Profile Analysis

• Estate Planning

• Retirement Planning

• Business Succession Planning

• Annual Financial/Portfolio/Asset Allocation Review

Perfect Bank Partners, Inc.© ensures all licensure and regulatory requirements are met in this turnkey program.  It also handles all human resource and payroll issues for the on-site financial representative.  However, to the bank customer, the financial representative appears to be a regular member of the bank’s team.  Additional support includes the marketing and referral programs for the bank, including bill stuffers, seminars, seasonal promotions and more.

For more information on this unique program please contact Lynn Legg at (770) 551-3447 or GBA’s Renee Valdez (409) 420-2036.

Atlanta, BankersforHire.com
W. Paul Smith has been promoted to Vice President.

Atlanta, Flag Bank
Carol D. Arflin has been elected President of the Dooly County office and W. Lee Mills has been promoted to Vice President and Branch Manager of the Unadilla office.

Augusta, Georgia Bank & Trust Company
Congratulations to John T. Chandler for being the top Mortgage performer for August.

Commerce, nBank
Our sympathies to the colleagues and family of chairman Lamartine G. Hardman, III (Lam), who passed away recently.

Cornelia, Community Bank & Trust
J. Mark Smith and Rodney Hickox have joined the Rabun County Division as President and Vice President, respectively.

Gainesville, Gainesville Bank & Trust
John Atwill has been named head of the Trust and Investments Division and Alice Brock Trust Administrator.

Hazlehurst, Bank of Hazlehurst
Cathy Carter has been promoted to Vice President.

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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