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June 4, 2004
 

Blanton Installed GBA Chairman
R. Daniel Blanton, President & CEO of Georgia Bank and Trust Company in Augusta, has been installed as GBA Chairman for the 2004-2005 year at the recent annual meeting in Palm Beach, Florida.  Dan has spent his entire banking career in the Richmond and Columbia County markets associated with community banks. He has been with the Georgia Bank and Trust since it was formed in 1990.  Dan graduated from Georgia Military College and Clemson University.  He also completed the Graduate School Banking School at Louisiana State University and epitomizes what it means to be a banker who is active in his community.  He serves on the Board of Directors of University Health Care Foundation, Sacred Heart Cultural Center, United Way, Augusta Tomorrow Inc., and the CSRA Regional Development Companies.  He is a member of the Advisory Board at Augusta State University-College of Business and is a member of the Exchange Club of Augusta.  Dan has been active with the GBA having served on a number of committees and has been on the Board for several years. He is also one of the three Georgia bankers who serve on the Community Bankers Council of the American Bankers Association. In his acceptance remarks at the convention, Dan said, “I do not come into the office with an agenda, or an ax to grind, or a bone to pick.  I come ready to give back something to the industry that has been so good to my family and me.”  Dan especially recognized the role former GBA Chairman (1960-1961) and longtime Augusta banker, Russell Blanchard, had on his life:  “Having grown up watching bankers like Mr. Blanchard and others of his generation instilled in me lifelong values of service. Although the years that separate us are great, the values and traditions are the same, and that’s what I want to spend some time this year talking about.” Dan also recognized outgoing chairman Ed Milligan, Chairman and CEO of Main Street Banks, Inc., Atlanta, for an outstanding year.  “We owe a debt of gratitude to Ed Milligan for his year of service to our association.  His focus of getting bankers to be bolder in speaking out about what sets us apart from the others in the financial services marketplace resonated all year.  The record set with our Political Action Committee’s fundraising speaks volumes about the grassroots network that is energized like never before.  All of our educational programs, including the annual convention, were top rate.  And, we have more than 200 bankers actively serving in volunteer positions.  Ed’s leadership will be a hard act to follow,” Dan concluded. Other officers installed at the annual convention were:

Chairman-elect:  Tom Wiley, President & CEO, Flag Bank, Atlanta
Vice Chairman:  Bobby Carmichael, President & CEO, Commercial Bank & Trust Company, LaGrange
Secretary-Treasurer:  Doug Wren, President & CEO, Quantum National Bank, Suwanee

New GBA Board Members
Congratulations to the following bankers who became members of the GBA Board of Directors at the recent annual meeting.  The Group-level members were elected at last fall’s Group Meetings and the two At-Large Members were appointed by GBA Chairman, Dan Blanton:

Group 1:  D. Wayne Akins, Jr., Sea Island Bank, Statesboro
Group 3:  Randolph B. Jones, Jr., Sumter Bank and Trust Company, Americus
Group 5:  William M. Butler, Futurus Bank, N.A., Alpharetta
Group 7:  Kenneth L. Barber, Georgian Bank, Powder Springs
Group 9:  Richard A. Hunt, Gainesville Bank & Trust
At Large:  William H. Gafford, Jr., McIntosh Commercial Bank, Carrollton
At Large:  James E. Rountree, SunTrust Bank, Inc., Atlanta

Thank you Convention Sponsors
Many thanks to the members and associate members who helped make this year’s Annual Convention a great success. When you see Convention sponsors, please make a special effort to thank them for their support.

Congratulations Tournament Winners
Congratulations to Bill Strom with The First State Bank in Stockbridge for winning the Championship Golf Tournament at the Annual Convention in Palm Beach, Florida.  The winning scramble team included John Foster with Morgan Keegan & Company, Atlanta; Tommy Tebeau with Adel Banking Company; Jud Vann with Planters and Citizens Bank, Camilla and John Seay with Northeast Georgia Bank, Lavonia.  Click here for a complete list of tournament winners.  Congratulations all!

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

·         Larry Kuglar, CEO, The First National Bank of Polk County, Cedartown
·         Jack Floyd, CEO, Bank of Hazlehurst
·         Steve Jordan, CEO, Bank of Monticello
·         Jimmy Burnsed, CEO, Bryan Bank & Trust, Richmond Hill

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

·         Jud Vann, CEO, Planters and Citizens Bank, Camilla
·        Larry Kuglar, CEO, The First National Bank of Polk County, Cedartown
·        Melton Tyson, CEO, The Morris State Bank, Dublin

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

Overdraft Programs
If your bank is offering an overdraft privilege program, you will want to pay special attention to some guidance the federal banking regulators are about to release.  The guidance is divided into three sections:  safety and soundness, legal risk, and best practices.  ABA member banks were sent a “best practices” suggestion several months ago, and many of the proposals from the regulators closely follow those recommendations.  However, there are several areas where the regulators are going much further such as requiring an unworkable “opt-in” at the point-of-sale and classifying these programs as both credit and deposit.  The guidance will be published soon in the Federal Register and banks will have 60 days to comment.  Many consumer groups continue to focus on these programs and raise objections to their general availability while most bank customers seem to appreciate their convenience.

Leadership Conference Hotel Deadline Quickly Approaching
Just a reminder that Leadership GBA’s room block for the 44^th Annual Leadership Conference will expire on June 20.  The July 18-21 conference will be held at the Hilton Oceanfront Resort on Hilton Head Island, SC. If you have not already done so, please reserve your room as soon as possible by contacting the hotel at (800) 845-8001 or (843) 842-8000.  The negotiated rate is $176 per night plus a $7 per room per night resort fee.  The Leadership GBA Executive Committee has planned a great program that you won’t want to miss!  Please call GBA’s Susie McGehee at (404) 420-2010 with questions.

Leadership Skills Assessment Offered at Leadership Conference
Once again, Leadership GBA, in conjunction with Corporate Psychology Resources, is offering Leadership Conference attendees an opportunity to participate in an Individual Leadership Skills Assessment and Development Plan program while at Hilton Head.  If you are on an executive career track or currently are an executive, you will have an opportunity at the Leadership Conference to learn about your leadership skills and receive individual developmental recommendations to help you advance to your full potential. The process involves a 360-degree survey, several on-line or written assessments and a 2-3 hour one-on-one assessment meeting with Dr. Kelly Schuck, an expert in leadership skills enhancement in the banking industry.  Participants will receive a written report summarizing their key leadership competencies based on the input from all sources, as well as an individualized developmental plan to help them improve their leadership capabilities.  The participation fee is $795 per person. This specially reduced rate (a $1,500 value) will be offered at the Leadership Conference ONLY.  If you have any questions about this special offer or the Leadership Conference, please call GBA’s Susie McGehee at (404) 420-2010. Don’t miss this excellent opportunity, offered at an exceptional price.

Register for Bank Director Seminar
There is still time to register for the regional Bank Director seminar entitled Understanding Your Roles and Responsibilities: What Every Bank Director Must Know scheduled for June 16 in Macon and June 17 in Gainesville.  The seminar is designed to educate external bank directors in the areas of financial analysis, risk management, asset quality, capital management, strategic planning and succession planning. Geri Forehand, Director of Financial Services with Brintech, Inc., is the seminar presenter. If you have questions, call GBA’s Susie McGehee at (404) 420-2010.

Money Counts Seminars
Do you know who to contact if you or someone in your community becomes a victim of investment fraud?  Each year more and more Georgians lose their hard-earned money to investment scams and aren’t sure where to turn for help. Less than 6% of citizens know to report problems with an investment or an investment adviser to the Secretary of State, who is also the Georgia Commissioner of Securities.  To combat this growing problem, Secretary of State Cathy Cox is teaming up with numerous organizations to co-host Money Counts Investment Education Seminars across the state, the first of which will be held at Cobb Galleria on Tuesday, June 29, at 6 p.m. Along with an address by Cathy Cox, Jane Bryant Quinn will also make a special presentation. These seminars will provide Georgians with the tools they need to make wise financial decisions and protect themselves from fraud.  Participants will have the opportunity to attend sessions conducted by securities regulators and industry representatives on a variety of topics including retirement planning, investment fraud, choosing a stockbroker, budgeting, credit management and more. Sessions are scheduled for

·         Tuesday, June 29, Atlanta
·         Saturday, July 31, Augusta
·         Thursday, August 12, Athens
·         Thursday, September 9, Tifton
·         Thursday, September 23, Savannah
·         Thursday, October 21, Columbus

Bankers may want to notify those customers who are experiencing difficulties with finances of these seminars, which are free to the public. Please see the Atlanta program brochure, visit www.georgiainvests.org or call 1-888-265-1115.

Welcome New Participant
The Board of Directors of the GBA Insurance Trust, Inc. welcomes to the Trust Peoples Community National Bank, Bremen, Elton Brooks, CEO.  This 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 details.

Hiring the Right Person for the right job is not an easy task….
The Georgia Bankers Association has teamed up with Corporate Psychology Resources to provide financial industry specific, online psychological assessments to aid in your successful hiring decisions.  This internet-based product measures core personality traits and provides you with valuable, immediate feedback about the candidate you are considering.

Profiles that have been established include:

·         Teller
·         Customer Service Representative
·         Loan Processor
·         Network Administrator
·         Consumer Lending Officer
·         Commercial Lending Officer

These profiles have been developed by GBA member banks and will be available to all GBA members at a discounted price.  We are excited to be able to provide discounted psychological assessments to be used in the hiring process and targeted to the banking industry.  For more information, contact GBA’s Renee Valdez (404) 420-2036 or Jon Naphin (404) 266-9368.

2004 GBA Salary Survey
The 2004 Salary Survey input packets were mailed earlier this week.  We have redesigned the input process to help eliminate the need for double entry from year to year-on items that have not changed from 2003. If you participated in the 2003 survey, you will be able to access that data and update accordingly. With your participation, we will be able to provide a comprehensive Survey providing salary and benefit data from the financial institutions throughout the state of Georgia. By participating, you will automatically receive a copy of the compiled results and a discount on average of $100-$150. The results will be tallied and made available by August. If you have any questions, you may contact GBA’s Renee Valdez at (404) 420-2036.

GBA Job Bank
The Georgia Bankers Association offers free job posting resources for our member banks.  These listings can be viewed online or through our bi-weekly publication included in the GBA Bulletin.  Resume postings are also available.  For more information please contact GBA’s Renee Valdez (404) 420-2036 or Kenyetta Parks (404) 420-2035.

Add GBA to Safe Sender List
In an effort to reduce the amount of spam that reaches their email boxes, many companies have begun using anti-spam services. This, along with Congress’ continued efforts to improve the recently enacted CAN-SPAM Act, that task should become easier. In order to receive the GBA’s e-Bulletin and e-Legislative Update in the meantime, your company’s email controls must be set to accept them.  Please have your system administrator to add the GBA to your safe sender list. Please contact GBA’s Lydia Thomas with questions.

Congratulations to the following:

Atlanta - BB&T
Lars Anderson has been named State President.

Douglas - Douglas County Bank
Congratulations to Billy Mayhew, President, and the officers, directors and staff on the recent opening of the bank’s Fairburn Road office.

Mount Vernon - Mount Vernon Bank
Charles Gillis has joined the bank as Senior Vice President, Lending and Don Delk as Vice President, Lending.

Savannah - The Coastal Bank
Kimberley Darrow and Matty Hartley have joined the bank as Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager of the Mall Boulevard and Pooler branches, respectively.

Zebulon - United Bank
Joseph G. Kimble, Jr. has been promoted to Senior Credit Officer.

www.gabankers.com

About the GBA  I  Professional Development  I  Government Relations  I  Services