It’s now easier than ever for bankers to define a path for career and performance management with GBA’s new Career Paths for Bankers^TM resource. It is the most unique, organized and easy-to-use career development resource available for bankers and banks. Online at the GBA web site Aug. 1, Career Paths for Bankers^TM offers bank executives, career bankers and HR/Training staffs free access to:

• The 44 most common bank jobs – now with standardized job descriptions categorized by specific job family.

• Complete competencies for each job – know exactly what you and your staff members need to know and do to be successful.

• Next-step career opportunities – see exactly which position would be the next rung on your career ladder.

• Direct links to all GBA learning, organized by specific job title, position competencies and job knowledge.

• A new and improved Calendar of Events and GBA University Course Catalog that details all of the educational and developmental resources available to you and your bank from GBA.

In case you missed it, President Bush signed this week the wide ranging housing package that includes provisions for a new regulator for the FHA, extends a safety net for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and help for homeowners struggling to avoid foreclosures. Members of Congress, including Barney Frank (D-Mass.), strongly encouraged lenders to participate in voluntary

The U.S. Treasury Department this week rolled out its guidelines for development of a covered bond market in the U.S. The guidelines are designed to establish a new source of liquidity and funding for residential mortgages and speed the recovery of the U.S. Housing market. Covered bonds are general obligation bonds issued by a trust or special purpose vehicle and secured by a pledge of loans that remain on the bank's balance sheet. Covered bonds, although unfamiliar to many U.S. investors, are a $3 trillion market used heavily in Europe.

GBA will host its Career Paths for Bankers™ Workshop on Tuesday, August 26, from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm at Idle Hour Country Club in Macon. This new program is a revolutionary resource for managing your career development and education. It is the most unique, organized and easy-to-use career development resource available for bankers and banks. This pioneering resource is also exclusive to any other bank association’s career development offerings.  Career Paths provides bankers a clearly defined set of skills for each job description and prescribes specific learning and developmental opportunities for those jobs.

GBA’s Security Committee has carefully planned the curriculum which includes topics that every security officer should be trained in. These topics include:  bank robbery procedures, physical security, employee investigations, effective information security management, fraud, and compliance. 

Registrations are pouring in for GBA’s Fall Economic Forums scheduled during the month of September.  These meetings provide an excellent opportunity to keep abreast of vital economic information needed to survive the challenges in today’s banking industry.   These forums will be held on September 4 at the Chattahoochee Country Club in Gainesville, September 11 at Idle Hour Country Club in Macon and September 23 at the Valdosta Country Club.

Learn all you need to know to help your customers with complicated Individual Retirement Account issues. With all of the new IRA plan types, regulation changes and clarifications of existing rules and regulations, an annual update and review of the more challenging aspects of Individual Retirement Accounts is a must. To help you keep up with these critical changes, GBA will hosts its annual IRA Update and Review seminar Wednesday, Sept. 10, at the Best Western-Lanier Centre Hilton Garden Inn in Macon, and Thursday, Sept. 11, at the Holiday Inn Lanier Centre (formerly Best Western Lanier Centre) in Gainesville. The registration fee is $225, and Patrice Konarik with Sunwest Training Corp. in Gilchrist, Texas is the instructor.

GBA’s first Compliance Conference is scheduled for September 25-26 at the Idle Hour Country Club in Macon.  As a bank compliance officer, you play a critical role in your institution's overall risk management strategy as you constantly monitor the effectiveness of your compliance policies and procedures.  The conference is a cost-effective way for you to obtain the latest regulatory guidance and best practices in the compliance arena.  This year's Compliance Peer Group Officers have planned an informative agenda. 

Registrations are coming in at a steady pace for the GBA’s President/CEO Conference.  Bankers across Georgia will convene on October 5-7 at The Westin Savannah Harbor Resort.  No conference would be complete without an economic update. Join Dr. Donald Ratajczak as he reviews the current economic conditions, discusses possible policy response and outlines possible future projections of interest rates, inflation, growth and employment.  If the economy can’t be much worse, does this mean it will soon be much better? 

An economic update, regulatory enforcement actions, capital and liquidity issues, and the ever-popular Recent Developments in Banking Law highlight this year’s GBA Bank Counsel Conference Oct. 5-7 at The Westin Savannah Harbor Resort and Spa. Senior officials from financial institution regulatory agencies will also be on hand to provide guidance on what to expect during the 2009 exams.  Held in conjunction with GBA’s President/CEO Conference, this event will also provide CLE Credits for those attending.  Other activities include golf, fishing and shooting tournaments, as well as a spouse program. 

GBA’s Southern Operations and Technology School will be held November 2-7 at the University of Georgia.  As a resource for focused training in banking technology and operations, the school is the premier provider in the southeast and one of only a few in the country. 

There are not any AIB online classes scheduled for the weeks of Aug. 25 and Sept 1.  AIB classes will resume the week of September 8. There is still availability in the following AIB Online classes beginning Aug. 18. 

• ABA Online Review Course for the CTFA Exam (open enrollment), 12 weeks, $795

• ABA Online Review Course for the CRCM Exam, 8

• Today's Teller: Developing Basic Skills* (open enrollment), 8 weeks, $295

Please see the AIB Online Course Schedule for a complete listing or call GBA’s Alison Moreau at 404.420.2034 with questions.

AIB classes meet three hours each week for two to 15 weeks and are held at a local financial institution.  If you would like to see a specific AIB course offered in your area or if you have questions about AIB classroom courses, please call GBA’s Alison Moreau at 404.420.2034.  Here are the upcoming AIB classroom courses for Fall 2008:

• Economics for Bankers taught by Cassie Parker of McIntosh State Bank, McDonough
  Beginning  Aug. 18, 10 weeks, $195, text $79

• Principles of Banking taught by Michelle Collings of Georgian Bank, Atlanta
  Beginning Sept. 11, 10 weeks, $195, text $65

Just a reminder that GBA will offer the following webinars during the week of Aug. 11:

• Implementing the New FACT Act Final Rules: Part 1 - Affiliate Marketing Rules – Aug. 11

• Common Compliance Violations – Aug. 12

• Compliance Issues for Advertising & Marketing – Aug. 12

• FDIC Insurance: What Your Customers Want to Know – Aug. 13

• Microsoft Excel 2007: Tips & Tricks – Aug. 13

• Managing a Highly Successful Branch – Aug. 14

• Problem Loans, Part 3 – Aug. 14

• Construction Lending, Part 1: Consumer Construction Loans – Aug. 15

On July 29, The American Bankers Association Education Foundation recognized several state bankers associations for their efforts to promote financial education within their states.  The Georgia Bankers Association was recognized for exceeding their participation goal in Get Smart About Credit Day.  “At its heart, banking is about people,” explained Laura Fisher, ABA Education Foundation director.  “And today we acknowledge and reward the state banking associations’ efforts encouraging bankers to promote financial literacy in their communities.”  The program is coordinated in Georgia by Leadership GBA.

• Laurens County- Tuesday, August 26, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the McGrath Keen Sr. Conference Center, 1200 Belleview Ave, Dublin, GA 31021.

• Coffee County- Wednesday, August 27, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the C.E. Weir Center, 224 East Bryan Street, Douglas, GA 31533.

• Chatham County- Wednesday, August 27, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Chatham County Administrative Building, 124 Bull Street, Savannah, GA 31401

You should have received a request form by fax to update your banks’ information in the Georgia Financial Institutions Directory from Accuity, the directory publisher.  If you have not received your bank’s request form, please contact Janet McDowell at 770.935.8267.

MSI, a division of Fidelity Information Services and a new Strategic Partner of the GBA, is one of the most trusted industry leaders in browser-based CRM software for community financial institutions.  CONNECTIONS, MSI’s comprehensive CRM solution, allows institutions to consolidate data into one comprehensive database with more capabilities and flexibility than traditional methods.

Some of the Services Available Through GBA Services, Inc.

Please remember to include the Georgia Bankers Association on the list of recipients for announcements about promotions, new employees and special recognition your bank has received. 

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