Joseph M. Hopkins, CIA, CRMA
AVP/Compliance Officer
Peach State Bank & Trust, Gainesville, GA
Member, GBA Compliance Committee
Published Oct. 9, 2025
Q: What was your first job, and is there a lesson you learned there that you still use today?
A: From the time I was 10 years old, I helped pack peaches in my hometown of Fort Valley. Peaches were the main crop there, and every summer farms hired kids and teenagers to work. My first responsibility was pulling leaves off peaches as they came down the conveyor belt.
As I got older, I worked at different packing sheds and farms, and eventually my job was to make the boxes used to ship peaches. I supervised a crew of boys in the attic of the packing shed, which was definitely a wild experience. We had to keep ahead of production to make sure there were always enough boxes for packing. The biggest lesson I took away was that to be a good supervisor, you must lead by example.
Q: What was the most useful piece of advice you received from a mentor?
A: I began my career as a teller, which is where many bankers start. In that role, I quickly learned you had to sink or swim.
The most important lesson for me was to pay attention to detail. Back in the 1980s, cash transactions were constant. If your drawer didn’t balance, you had to go through all your work for the day to find the mistake. I realized it was far better to focus carefully on every transaction as it happened. That focus on detail has stayed with me throughout my banking career.
Q: Tell us about one experience that exemplifies being a banker or your role at the bank.
A: During my first summer as a teller, I learned a hard but valuable lesson about details. A widow came in to cash some savings bonds, and I mistakenly thought the amount was $600 when it was really $6,000. She had already walked out the door when I caught the error.
I locked up my drawer, ran outside and asked her to please come back so I could give her the rest of her money. A few weeks later she returned with her son and introduced me to him, saying I had been so honest with her. That experience drove home how important it is to get the details right and also reminded me that banking is about people, not just numbers. The decisions you make directly affect their lives.
Q: What would someone be surprised to learn about you?
A: I collect vintage peach crate labels, mostly from the Fort Valley area where I grew up. My family has long connections with peach farming, and in the 1930s and 1940s, growers used colorful labels for their crates. They’re rare to find today, which makes collecting them even more special.
Another thing people might not know is that my favorite painter is Peter Max, the 1970s pop artist. I’ve met him in person and own a signed print and a couple of autographed items. As a kid, I even wore Peter Max designed glasses.
Q: First tap/click of the day?
A: Every morning, I open Georgia High School Football Daily. I never played football in high school, but I enjoy following the news, especially since family members attended different schools and I like to keep up with their alma maters.
Q: Most used app?
A: Waze, because I commute an hour each way to work.
Q: TV show or series you love?
A: I enjoy period pieces, especially Downton Abbey, The Gilded Age and Outlander.