Passports Needed for Convention
We are expecting another great crowd of Georgia bankers at the 2007 Annual Convention scheduled for June 17-20 at the fabulous Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman.  A complete convention package will be mailed next month.  When making your plans, please remember that you and anyone in your family (including children) traveling anywhere outside the U.S. must have a passport to return.  The U.S. Department of State has an excellent website that explains the process in detail.  Many local post offices can take care of everything, including taking the photos.  Click here to find the passport location nearest you.   Because of these new rules, there has been an unusual increase in applications and some passport offices are requiring reservations.  Call your passport office to find out their requirements.  Also, with the large number of new passports being requested, there could be a delay in receiving your passport.  It is taking at least eight weeks from the time you apply to receive your passport.  If you choose the expedited service with a surcharge, your passport should be received within three to four weeks.  We recommend you apply for your passport as soon as possible.  With questions, please contact GBA’s Susie McGehee at (404) 420-2010.

Busy Week in the General Assembly
The General Assembly returned from their weeklong recess to recognize the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and to hold budget meetings.  A number of bills of interest to the banking industry were introduced this week.  Please click here to view this week's Legislative Update where we discuss:

• Banking Committee Holds Organizational Meeting

• Banking Commissioner Testifies before Committee

• FHLB Letters of Credit Bill Reported from Committee

• GBA-supported Garnishment Bill Introduced

• File Freeze Bill Introduced Supported by Reporting Agencies

• Bid & Performance Bond Letters of Credit Could be Raised to $750,000

• Bill to Bring Back and Regulate Payday Lenders Introduced

• Bill Prohibiting Employers from Stopping Firearms being brought on Property Introduced

• ATM Survey Underway

• Bioprivacy Study Committee to Report Findings Next Week

With questions about any of these bills or for clarification on any of these issues, please contact GBA's Elizabeth Chandler at (404) 420-2027.

ILC Bill Coming
Our thanks to House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Rep. Paul Gillmor (R-Ohio).  They are again introducing legislation similar to their bill in the last Congress that would close the industrial loan company loophole. The bill, entitled the Industrial Bank Holding Company Act of 2007, is designed to ensure the separation of banking and commerce and would prohibit new commercial companies from operating a bank.  We have communicated with the Georgia delegation asking them to cosponsor the bill.  We hope you will communicate with your own member of Congress and ask him to cosponsor the bill as well.  The FDIC moratorium on new ILC charters expires January 31.  FDIC is faced with three options:  extend the moratorium; begin approving all applications; or process only those applications from financial service firms and delay consideration of applications from commercial firms like Wal-Mart and Home Depot.

Internet “Applicant” Rule Effective Soon
Many of our members may not be aware of a new U.S. Department of Labor rule dealing with reporting demographic information on job applicants who were hired through any electronic contact (“Internet Applicants”) – apparently even including an email expression of interest.  The new rule applies to federal contractors and the way those contractors are defined, financial institutions are caught up in the reporting requirement by virtue of your TT&L accounts.  Beginning February 6, 2007, federal contractors will be required to incorporate the new definition of the term “applicant” into their record-keeping and reporting policies.  Under the rule, contractors are required to solicit race, ethnicity, and gender data from individuals who meet the definition of “Internet Applicant” as well as the traditional definition of “applicant,” depending upon which standard is applicable to the particular position. The new rule only applies to internet applicants, not all job applicants.  Please click here for the regulation with a list of FAQs to answer most questions.  Our thanks to Joe Stone at EasyBenefits.com for reminding us of the new rule, to Bonnie Reed at Banc Financial Group for her help in running down the details, and to Cris Nasser at the American Bankers Association who has generously shared a PowerPoint presentation used in a recent conference further explaining the standards – also available to our online readers.  Also, check out the Associate Members on our website in the Human Resources or Compliance categories who can also provide more information and assistance.

Get Involved at the GBA
One of GBA’s greatest assets is the more than 225 bankers who volunteer each year to serve on a committee or board.  These volunteers support our industry in critical ways and as a result, our industry is able to accomplish our goals more quickly and easily than any of us could independently. These volunteers also serve as key leaders who assist our institutions to better prepare for the rapidly changing political, regulatory, and educational needs of today’s banking environment.  Jim Williams, GBA’s Chairman-elect and President and CEO of Citizens Bank & Trust, Eastman, is starting this year’s committee appointment process by looking for bankers who want to join their colleagues from across Georgia in service to their industry.  “GBA’s sixteen standing committees and boards provide an excellent opportunity for you to share your expertise and network with other bankers,” Jim said.  “I stay in touch and do business with bankers I met many years ago when I first started volunteering at GBA.  These lifelong friendships and business opportunities are wonderful byproducts of service to your industry,” he concluded.  Please click here for the letter from Jim, a Fact Sheet describing the various committees and boards and their roles, and a volunteer form to be used to recommend someone for a committee or to volunteer yourself.  Please contact GBA’s Marybeth Jones at (404) 420-2032 for more information.

Enroll Today in the GSB at LSU
Please consider enrolling one or more of your career bank officers in the 2007 session of the Graduate School of Banking at LSU (GSB).  Cosponsored by the GBA and 14 other state bankers associations, GSB offers an intense three-year program for bank officers.  Of all similar programs in the nation, the LSU program offers the most diverse curriculum, the most class hours – and the lowest tuition.  And for the last couple of years, there have been more Georgia bankers registered in the school than from any other sponsoring state.  GBA President Joe Brannen has just begun a two-year term as Chairman of the Board of the School, and the Georgia trustee is Meredith Malcom, Senior Vice President of the National Bank of Walton County in Monroe. “The Graduate School of Banking is an investment in the future leaders of our industry.  The curriculum is demanding and the homework assignments between sessions are time consuming.  Yet, the end result is a better prepared banker with an enormous list of contacts from throughout the southeast.  The investment is paid back many times over,” Meredith said.  Please call GBA’s Marybeth Jones at (404) 420-2032 with questions or go to online.

Still Time to Register
There’s still time to register for GBA’s annual Advanced Compliance Symposium scheduled for February 6-7 at the Macon Ramada Plaza.  The registration fee is $295 per member and Steve Moore of Bank Compliance Services, Avondale Estates, is the instructor.  This two-day event is designed for experienced compliance officers and compliance auditors.  Day One will include several interactive case studies involving complex residential mortgage loan transactions.  Each case study will involve Regulation Z, RESPA, HMDA, Flood Insurance, Regulation B, and other real estate lending-related regulations.  Day Two will include the ever popular Regulator Panel discussion.  Recent regulatory changes and the compliance issues most frequently misunderstood by bankers on the deposit and loan side will also be reviewed.  Other laws and regulations to be discussed include BSA, USA Patriot Act/OFAC, Reg D (NOWs & MMDAs), Reg CC (Hold Notices), Truth in Lending, Flood Disaster, and HMDA/Reg C. Please call GBA’s Courtenay Pope at (404) 420-2015 or Susie McGehee at (404) 420-2010 with questions.

Register Today for AIB Online Courses
AIB Online Courses are instructor-facilitated with weekly assignments and can be taken from the comfort of your home or the convenience of your office; all you need is a computer, printer and Internet access.  (Classes with an asterisk * require Microsoft Excel.)  The following AIB Online classes begin on February 19. Please register two weeks in advance to secure a seat in the class.

• ABA Online Review Course for the CTFA Exam (open enrollment), 12 weeks, $750

• Fundamentals of Consumer Lending, 5 weeks, $220

• Marketing Financial Services, 16 weeks, $375

• Money & Banking, 16 weeks, $375

• Supervisor Certificate, 16 weeks, $695

• Today's Teller: Developing Basic Skills* (open enrollment), 8 weeks, $275

There is still availability in the following classes beginning February 13:

• Analyzing Financial Statements*, 16 weeks, $475

• Financial Accounting*, 16 weeks, $475

• Law & Banking:  Principles, 16 weeks, $425

• Managing Funding, Liquidity and Capital*, 6 weeks, $545

• Principles of Banking, 16 weeks, $375

• Trust Basics, 16 weeks, $375

Please see the AIB Online Schedule at www.gabankers.com for a complete listing or call GBA’s Alison Moreau at (404) 420-2034.

Winter 2007 AIB Classroom Courses
AIB classes meet three hours each week for 2 to 15 weeks and will be held at a local financial institution.  If you would like to see a specific AIB course offered in your area or if you have any questions about AIB classroom courses, please contact GBA’s Alison Moreau at (404) 420-2034.  Following are the AIB classroom courses for Winter 2007:

• Consumer Lending, taught by Jeff Kovach, Northwest Georgia Bank, Ringgold
  Beginning February 8, 10 weeks, $195, text $75

• Principles of Banking, taught by Lorna Elizabeth Crawford of Fidelity Bank at Douglas County Bank, Douglasville
  Beginning February 15, 10 weeks, $195, text $60.

Still Time to Register for IRA Basics Seminar
There’s still time to register for GBA’s IRA Basics Seminar scheduled for Wednesday, February 7, at the Ramada Plaza in Macon and Thursday, February 8, at the Best Western-Lanier Centre in Gainesville.  The registration fee for each workshop is $195 per person and one of Georgia’s favorite trainers, Patrice Konarik of Sunwest Training Corp. in Gilchrist, Texas will lead the seminar.  Designed for new account representatives, certificate of deposit personnel, and officers/managers who oversee the IRA department, this comprehensive A-Z workshop will provide a complete understanding of all areas of the Individual Retirement Account, as well as an IRA review of significant proposed changes.   Also included is the IRA Training and Reference Manual, otherwise known as the “IRA Survival Guide” or the “Red Book.”  Topics to be discussed include: 

• IRA terminology

• Explanation of all IRA forms including beneficiary designations

• Qualifications for a:

  • Traditional IRA

  • Regular and Conversion Roth

  • Coverdell Education Savings Account

  • Contribution deadlines and qualifications

• Qualified plan rollovers: direct vs. indirect

• Moving IRA funds: rollovers vs. transfers

• Distributions

• Includes updated information from the Pension Protection Act of 2006

If you would like to register for this seminar, please click here for Gainesville or here for Macon.  Please contact GBA’s Courtenay Pope at (404) 420-2015 or Susie McGehee at (404) 420-2010 with questions.

Another Good Year in Stock Market
GBA Retirement Services, Inc. is pleased with the investment returns for 2006 of both investment managers, Reliance Trust Company and Atlanta Capital Management.  Both firms had a great year in 2006 and are still outperforming most of their comparative long-term benchmarks.  Please refer to the update for detailed returns.  The same investments under the 401(k) program are now offered under the GBA Master Pension Trust as well.  The third-party 401(k) administrator for the GBA Master Trust, Alliance Benefit Group, continues to do an outstanding job providing daily 401(k) administration, ongoing website features and upgrades, and annual training and education for the members of the Trust.  The programs offered through the GBA Master Trust provide flexibility to meet the needs of any bank or associate member who may be looking to add or change their qualified retirement plan.  The Directors of GBA Retirement Services are bankers who know the business and help produce the greatest results for their banks, their employees and for other banks and bankers participating in the Trust.  Please contact Mandy Richards at (404) 420-2025 for information on how GBA Retirement Services can help design a retirement plan for your bank.

Human Resources Solutions
Employment Law Compliance, Inc. is a Strategic Partner of the Georgia Bankers Association and our primary resource to provide employee handbooks, toolkits, affirmative action plans, and other compliance products specifically designed for community banks.  Keeping up with ever-changing employment regulations and human resources best practices can be time consuming.  Monitoring changes specific to the banking industry adds even more effort to the task.  Employment Law Compliance focuses on the needs of community banks which do not have the luxury of a large HR staff or in-house employment counsel.  Their staff is committed to designing and maintaining solutions and services that can help your bank attract, hire, retain, and manage the best employees.  ELC can assist your bank in addressing the challenges of employment compliance.  Whatever the reason – lack of time or internal resources or the high cost of outside counsel – Employment Law Compliance can take care of your bank’s needs.  For more information, please contact Employment Law Compliance’s Steve Greene at (770) 206-3371 or GBA’s Chad Wilson at (404) 420-2022.

Clark Consulting
With over 2,100 banking clients, Clark Consulting leads the industry in helping banks optimize performance through strategic planning; compensation; benefits and profitability consulting; bank-owned life insurance (BOLI); and benefit administration support services. Endorsed as a Strategic Partner of the GBA, Clark Consulting’s seamless, consultative approach has benefited our member banks and their shareholders for over 10 years. Clark’s banking consultants have a comprehensive understanding of the challenges facing bank executives, the changing landscape of compensation and benefits, and the complexities involved in developing a competitive BOLI portfolio. For more information, please contact Clark Consulting’s Bill Cunningham at (877) 362-6917 or GBA’s Chad Wilson at (404) 420-2022.

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 Kenyetta Parks at (404) 420-2035.

Some of the Services Available Through GBA Services, Inc.

Pledging Pool Program	Thumbprint Signature Program
Georgia Laws Code Book	Georgia Financial Directory
Discounted Check Program	Internet Loan Closing Program
Human Resources Solutions	Checking Club Programs
Discounted Local & Long Distance Program	Bond and D&O Insurance
Non-Qualified Executive Benefits (BOLI)	Trust and Investment Services
Record Retention Guide	Holiday Decals
FinCrime	Financial Industry Pre-Employment Assessments
Job Bank

GBA Services, Inc. is governed by a board composed primarily of community bank presidents who look for the best products and services available.  They do the due diligence for you and you can rely on their efforts.  For more information or to order any of these products or services, please call (404) 522-1501.

Whitfield Presented 50 Year Award GBA Senior Vice President, Chad Wilson, presented longtime Georgia banker Mark Whitfield, CEO of Jasper Banking Company, a plaque recognizing his 50 years of service to the banking industry.  In making the presentation, Chad said, “We are delighted to present you this token of appreciation as expressed by our members when they adopted a resolution honoring you at our recent annual convention.  We appreciate all you have meant to your bank, your community and your association.” Newsmakers: Alpharetta - Bank of North Georgia Allen Barker has been promoted to Executive Vice President.	Mark Whitfield and Chad Wilson
Atlanta - Citizens Trust Bank Congratulations to Frederick L. Daniels, Jr. who was recently named to the 2007 Board of Trustees for Leadership Georgia. Buford - Georgia Trust Bank Debbie Marinacci has joined the bank as Vice President, F. Craig Towns as Vice President and Commercial Lending Officer, and Mary Lock-Brooks as Vice President and Senior Operations Officer. Clarkesville - Southern Bank & Trust Congratulations to CEO Bob Parker, officers, directors and staff on the recent opening of their new building. Cornelia - Habersham Bancorp. Congratulations to CEO David Stovall who was presented the J. Alton Wingate Economic Partnership Award by Appalachian Community Enterprises (ACE).  The award is presented in to an individual who has made a substantial financial contribution to ACE and to the advancement of micro-businesses in North Georgia. Valdosta - Commercial Banking Company Charles A. (Chuck) Beard has been named President and Chief Executive Officer.	Barker	Beard

Serving the needs of Georgia Bankers since 1892 Search I Staff I Contact Us Georgia Bankers Association - 50 Hurt Plaza, Suite 1050, Atlanta, GA 30303 • Phone 404.522.1501 • Fax 404.522.9848