Group Officers

Group Officers

Much of the leadership for the Georgia Bankers Association comes from initial service at the Group level. Georgia is divided into ten (10) groups based on geography and historical trade areas. The group divisions have remained virtually unchanged for more than thirty years.

Three of the most important leadership positions for the Association are determined at the group level: the Group Officers; certain members of the GBA Board of Directors; and the GBA Nominating Committee.

Each group elects a Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary at their annual fall group meeting. The tradition in most groups has been for the Secretary to go through the chairs and eventually serve as Chair.

Following are the Job Descriptions of each officer:

Group Chair

Assists staff with site selection for fall meeting of bankers in Group
Presides at the meeting of bankers in Group
Serves on BankPAC team for Group
Makes recommendations for bankers in Group to serve on standing GBA committees
Makes recommendations for bankers in Group to serve as Contact Bankers

Group Vice Chair

Assists Chair as requested at fall Group meeting
Moves up as Chair in the event elected Chair cannot complete term
Serves as resource to GBA Public Affairs Committee

Group Secretary

Assists Chair as requested at fall Group meeting
Moves up as Vice Chair in the event elected Vice Chair cannot complete term
Makes recommendations to staff for educational programming

Following is a list of the Group Officers elected at the Group Meetings.

Group 1
Mr. John C. Helmken, II, Chair
President & CEO
The Savannah Bank, National Association
P.O. Box 188
Savannah, GA31402-0188
(912) 629-6486

Group 1
Mr. Charles Ricky Nessmith, Vice Chair
President & CEO
Farmers & Merchants Bank
P.O. Box 2789
Statesboro, GA30459-2789
(912) 489-2600

Group 1
Mr. Philip G. Williams, Secretary
SVP/Retail Banking/Marketing/HR
Darby Bank and Trust Company
P.O. Box 870
Vidalia, GA30475
(912) 277-2339

Group 2
Ms. Suzanne T. Anderson, Chair
President & CEO
Pelham Banking Company
P.O. Box 512
Pelham, GA31779-0512
(229) 294-2341

Group 2
Mr. Charles D. Rooks, Vice Chair
President & CEO
Family Bank
P.O. Box 647
Pelham, GA31779-0647
(229) 294-2821

Group 2
Mr. M. Scott Tomlinson, Secretary
President & CEO
Flint Community Bank
P. O. Box 70878
Albany, GA31708
(229) 903-1400

Group 3
Mr. T. Brinson Brock, Sr., Chair
City President
South Georgia Banking Company
P.O. Box 2619
Ashburn, GA31714
(229) 567-9686

Group 3
Mr. William Scott Curry, II, Vice Chair
Vice President
First State Bank of Randolph County
P.O. Box 141
Cuthbert, GA39840-0141
(229) 732-3791

Group 3
Mr. Lee Ty Turner, Secretary
VP/Senior Lender
Sumter Bank and Trust Company
P.O. Box 767
Americus, GA31709-0767
(229) 924-0301

Group 4
Mr. L. Wayne Lowrey, Chair
President/CEO
United Community Bank
850 Eagle's Landing Parkway
Stockbridge, GA30281
(770) 507-5855

Group 4
Mr. Thad Williams, Vice Chair
President/CEO
FirstBank Financial Services
P.O. Box 3550
McDonough, GA30253-1748
(678) 583-2265

Group 4
Mr. J. P. Barker, Jr., Secretary
Chief Executive Officer
First Bank of Pike
P.O. Box 348
Molena, GA30258-0348
(770) 884-5111

Group 5
Mr. Charles K. Yorke, Chair
President
Cornerstone Bank
2060 Mt. Paran Road, NW
Atlanta, GA30327-2935
(404) 601-1250

Group 5
Mr. R. Stanley Kryder, Vice Chair
President & CEO
Midtown Bank & Trust Company
712 West Peachtree Street, N.W.
Atlanta, GA30308-1139
(404) 969-4401

Group 5
Mr. Bradley P. Serff, Secretary
President & CEO
Providence Bank
P.O. Box 1127
Alpharetta, GA30009-1127
(678) 336-8810

Group 6
Mr. William E. Bazemore, Sr., Chair
President & CEO
Monroe County Bank
P.O. Box 1
Forsyth, GA31029-0001
(478) 994-1000

Group 6
Mr. Samuel W. Beall, Vice Chair
President
Bank of Dudley
P.O. Box 4098
Dublin, GA31021
(478) 277-1500

Group 6
Mr. Mickey Parker, Secretary
President & CEO
Piedmont Community Bank
P.O. Box 1669
Gray, GA31032
(478) 986-5900

Group 7
Ms. Karen W. Watson, Chair
Executive Vice President
WestSide Bank
P.O. Box 1810
Hiram, GA30141-1740
(770) 445-1855 ext. 303

Group 7
Mr. Gary L. Fox, Vice Chair
President & CEO
Bartow County Bank
P.O. Box 1030
Cartersville, GA30120-1030
(770) 382-4223

Group 7
Mr. Ford Thigpen, Secretary
President, Cobb County
WestSide Bank
56 Hiram Dr.
Hiram, GA30141
(770) 445-1855

Group 8
Ms. Laura B. Cross, Chair
President & CEO
Oglethorpe Bank
3344 Cypress Mill Road
Brunswick, GA31520
(912) 264-1339

Group 8
Mr. G. C. Ganas, Vice Chair
President
Waycross Bank & Trust
P.O. Box 1339
Waycross, GA31502-1339
(912) 283-0001

Group 9
Mr. John L. Lewis, Chair
Chairman & CEO
Verity Bank, I.O.
81 Crown Mountain Place
Dahlonega, GA30533
(706) 867-0044

Group 9
Mr. Greg W. Funkhouser, Vice Chair
President & COO
Rabun County Bank
P.O. Box 845
Clayton, GA30525-0845
(706) 782-4571

Group 9
Mr. Britt Henderson, Secretary
President & CEO
Bank of Ellijay
P.O. Box 1819
Ellijay, GA30540
(706) 698-2203

Group 10
Mr. Jack Harvey, Jr., Chair
President & CEO
Farmers and Merchants Bank
P.O. Box 280
Washington, GA30673-0280
(706) 678-2187

Group 10
Mr. J. Patrick McGoldrick, Vice Chair
President & CEO
Legacy State Bank
P.O. Box 1727
Loganville, GA30052
(770) 554-2265

Group 10
Ms. Meredith F. Malcom, Secretary
Senior Vice President
The National Bank of Walton County
P.O. Box 728
Monroe, GA30655-0728
(770) 207-7070