Jan 26 - CBA Today eNewsletter - COMMUNITY BANKERS ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA

CBA Board Member and past CBA Chair Derek Williams, President & CEO, Century Bank & Trust, Milledgeville, has been nominated for the position of Chair-Elect of the 2022—23 Board of Directors of the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA).

ICBA’s current board will vote on the nominations during ICBA LIVE 2022—the largest gathering of community banks in the country, which is scheduled for Feb. 27-March 3, 2022, in San Antonio.

"I am extremely proud, pleased, and excited to announce that Georgia’s own Derek Williams has been nominated to serve as ICBA’s national Chair-Elect for 2022 and is slated to become the ICBA national Chair in 2023,” stated John McNair, CBA President & CEO. “This is an incredible honor for Derek and his family, CBA, and Georgia’s community banking industry! It has been a long time since a community banker from Georgia has been in the national spotlight via ICBA, and I could not be more excited to have Derek represent all of us and our industry. Please join me in offering a hearty CONGRATULATIONS to Derek!"

Read announcement from ICBA.

Derek Williams
President & CEO
Century Bank & Trust
Milledgeville

Announcing the McNair Family Scholarship Honoring Nicholas Cimino
John and Lisa McNair, together with their family, announce the annual McNair Family Scholarship, honoring Nicholas Cimino. The scholarship is designed for adult learners working at a Georgia community bank.

The McNair Family Scholarship recognizes and honors the achievements of Nicholas (Nick) R. Cimino. The scholarship will be awarded once per year to an adult learner who is currently employed at a Georgia community bank and plans to work towards an associate, bachelor's, or trade degree.

An adult learner is defined as a student at least two years removed from high school. The student must be working at least 25 hours per week at a Georgia community bank. The $1,000.00 award will be paid directly to the institution of higher learning to offset student expenses.

Click here to learn more about Nick Cimino and his dedication to earning his college degree while working and raising his family. All applications must be received at the CBA office by April 30, 2022. The winner will be announced by the end of May 2022.

Wipfli Research Shows State of Community Banking
in 2022
“CBA is pleased to make available this State of Community Banking report, compliments of our Preferred Service Provider WIPFLI,” said John McNair, President & CEO of Community Bankers Association of Georgia. “Digital strategy, cyber security, talent management, and wealth management are identified as top priorities for community bankers. CBA offers numerous training programs and partnerships to assist with all. Enjoy the report, and please let the CBA team know how best we can serve your institution or company.”

Wipfli's State of Community Banking 2022 Outlook is based on a survey of community banks that show how they are navigating today’s challenges of digital branches, online services and workforce shortages.

Some key reveals:

84% of respondents haven’t closed a branch in the past 12 months
77% have added wealth management
29% expect to add cryptocurrency offerings
74% say talent management is a top concern

CBA Legal Hotline – Free for CBA Member Banks
CBA’s partnership with James-Bates-Brannan-Groover-LLP as a Diamond Preferred Service Provider and CBA’s General Counsel offers expanded services to CBA member banks. As a service that has been offered by CBA to member banks for many years, the CBA Legal Hotline includes the option to either call 404-844-2765 or use the easy online form to submit a legal question to the JBBG community bank practice group.

Did you know that CBA offers a Human Resources & Talent Development League where members have a complimentary HR legal hotline? Same great service from James Bates Brannan Groover! Learn more about the HR League.

Georgia’s community bankers do great things in their communities every day. Here is the latest on community outreach and news from CBA Members:

The Signature Bank of Georgia Team recently participated in The Betty White Challenge and collected donations, with the Bank matching contributions. Good Mews: a no-kill, cage-free cat shelter in Marietta, received the funds. Great cause in honor of a great lady!
James Magazine recently hosted a reception at Atlanta’s Buckhead Club, where James Magazine CEO and Publisher Phil Kent presented awards. Veteran lobbyist Bryan Fiveash was inducted into the magazine’s “Hall of Fame.” This year, CBA has partnered with Fiveash-Stanley, Inc. for our grassroots lobbying efforts year-round.

Amanda Billings has been named Human Resources Manager at Greater Community Bank, Rome.

River City Bank, Rome, announces the promotion of Scott Nanney to Market President in Blairsville.

Read more here.

Think CBA First for Your Professional Development Needs!
Be sure to think of CBA first when it comes to your training and Professional Development needs. Here are some upcoming CBA events:

2022 Leadership Academy
Inspired by CBA’s LEAD Committee, the Community Bank Leadership Academy is designed specifically for the future community bank leader. This series of four sessions will benefit the attendees through individual self-discovery, personal and professional growth and career development. Each participant will walk away with their own personal development plan. The workshops are designed to bring continuity and sustainable accomplishments, which will allow each participant to build positive influence, team connections, and ongoing learning resources. The Academy aims to support Georgia’s community banks in the development of its people so that these bankers will become impactful leaders of influence—for the bank, themselves, and their communities. Participants who consecutively attend & participate in all four sessions in a calendar year will receive a Certificate of Completion.

The "Tool Belt"
Leaders choose to professionally grow their knowledge. This series will encourage not only workshop participation but also ongoing self-development. The sessions are designed to build upon each other so that each leader can create action plans for successful practice in their banks. You will see value plus change.

Early Bird Savings for VenCent Fintech Summit – Curated for Bankers, by Bankers
The inaugural VenCent Fintech Summit will be held April 11—13, 2022, in Little Rock, Arkansas, and will provide top-tier networking and solution-driven opportunities. At the conference, VenCent will immerse attendees in live product demonstrations from up to 75 of The Venture Center’s fintech accelerator alumni, courses from fintech and finance subject matter experts, and facilitate unlimited collaboration and innovation networking.

Presenters from Georgia include Kim Kirk, Executive Vice President, Chief Operations Officer,
Queensborough National Bank & Trust Co., Louisville, and Zach Duke, Founder and CEO, Finosec, Alpharetta.

The Venture Center produces the award-winning FIS Fintech and ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerators. Registration is now open, and Early Bird Savings ends February 3, 2022. Learn more.

Georgia Year-End Review and What’s Ahead in 2022
Thursday, February 17, 2022 | 10:00 – 11:00 AM
Join this timely webinar for analysis from QwickAnalytics® as our experts break down 2021 and outline what to expect in 2022. We’ll assess how Georgia banks performed in critical areas such as loan growth and net interest margin, reveal where Georgia excels versus the rest of the nation, and discuss what’s ahead in 2022—and how your bank can start preparing for it now. More info and to register.

SHAZAM pioneered the PIN-debit point-of-sale transaction, still used worldwide today. We’re the only nationwide independent, member-owned debit network, processor and core provider supporting community banks and credit unions. Since we don’t answer to shareholders, we can reinvest profits in technologies our clients need as they serve the next generation of consumers. SHAZAM ensures our clients have the products and services they demand and expect in a cost-effective way. Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Iowa, we’re a leader in payments and financial technology, with a simple mission: Strengthening community financial institutions.

To learn more, contact Alex Jernigan at 229-861-3802 or visit their website.

Here are some of the latest news stories relevant to community banking and the financial services industry:

January 26, 2022