January 8 - CBA Today eNewsletter - Community Bankers Association of Georgia

The New Year is off to a great start and CBA is honored to welcome several new member banks:

Craft Bank I/O, Atlanta | Ross Mynatt, CEO
Hyperion Bank, Atlanta | Charles Crawford, Chairman & CEO
Loyal Trust Bank, Johns Creek | Charlie Brown, President & CEO
River City Bank, Rome | Jamie Tallent, President & CEO
Tandem Bank, Tucker | Charles DeWitt, Chairman & CEO

“We are delighted to have these banks as members,” commented John McNair, President & CEO of Community Bankers Association of Georgia. “CBA was formed in 1969 with one purpose in mind- exclusively serve the needs of community banks operating in Georgia. Today, nearly 95% of all community banks active in the state are members of CBA,” he continued.

Nationally, CBA is recognized as one of the financially strongest community banking organizations in the country. Beyond CBA’s fierce and exclusive representation of community banks, the association offers its members best in class Professional Development opportunities via its robust education curriculum and event schedule. The support for CBA programs is reflective of the quality educational programming the association endeavors to deliver to members every year.

2020 Legislative Session Kicks Off Next Week
The 2020 session of the Georgia General Assembly kicks off next week, and CBA's EVP of Government and Regulatory Relations, Lori Godfrey, will be ready to represent Georgia's community banks.

Be on the lookout for CBA's weekly Legislative Update, your guide to legislation affecting Georgia's community banking industry. Enjoy easy access to the update which will keep you informed on happenings at the Capitol. Check here for regular updates and alerts.

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

United Community Bank, Athens, recently announced the winner of its Mastercard Priceless Cities Sweepstakes. The bank presented Larisa Fortson of Colbert with a five-night, all expenses paid trip to a city of her choosing. Read more.
Georgia Community Bank, Leesburg, recently held a Christmas party where items were collected for the Giving Tree Closet, managed by the Lee County School System for students living in financially struggling households. In addition, the bank recently held ribbon cuttings for new branches in Blakely and Donalsonville.
Southwest Georgia Bank, Moultrie, recently presented a $2,200 check to the Colquitt County High School Choral Program to help support the program throughout 2020. Read more.
Oconee State Bank, Watkinsville recently participated in Watkinsville’s 2019 Christmas on Main festivities. In addition, the bank celebrated the holiday season with bank customers in the bank's branch.
Quantum National Bank, Suwanee, recently held a holiday donation drive for the Foster Care Support Foundation.
South Coast Bank & Trust, Brunswick, recently sponsored the Jill Stanford Dance Center’s production of The Grinch.
Colony Bank, Fitzgerald, was recently a presenting sponsor at the Governor's Dinner in Albany, GA. Bank President and CEO Heath Fountain recognized Governor Kemp for his commitment to the business community and First Lady Kemp her positive impacts through the GRACE Commission and the Georgia Grown Initiative. Read more.
Andrew Bell, Vice President of Business Development for Affinity Bank, Atlanta, was recently interviewed on North Fulton Business Radio. Listen to the interview.
Citizens Bank of Laurens County, Dublin, recently held a ribbon cutting for its new downtown branch.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta has announced the following promotions and additions: Dan Baum has been named Senior Vice President; Allen Sautter, Jon Willis and Jeff Schiele have been named Vice Presidents; and Shari Bower, Jessie Bitetti and Jean Tate have been named Assistant Vice Presidents. Read more.

Sympathies
CBA extends our sympathies to the family and friends of Emory Lewis, who recently passed away. Emory was formerly President and CEO of First Georgia Community Bank in Jackson, and served as CBA Chairman from 1997-1998. Read more.

In addition, CBA extends our sympathies to the family and friends of Victor Bayne, Director of Century Bank & Trust, Milledegeville, whose wife Dianne Bayne recently passed away. Read more.

2020 Campaign for the CBA PAC/PR Fund Underway!
CBA's 2020 campaign for the Political Action Committee and Public Relations (PAC/PR) Fund is underway, and we are pleased to announce recent contributions to the PAC/PR Fund.

Special thanks to our recent contributors:

Community Bank of Georgia, Baxley
First State Bank , Wrens
Greater Community Bank, Rome
STS Group, Madison, AL
Robert Berry
Paul Brock, MD
Frank Brown, Jr.
Barry Henderson
Kenneth Jones, Jr.
David Lance
Donna McEntyre
Wayne Robinson
Russell Smith
Beth Tilley
Martha Walstad
Edwin Watters
Peter Weber
Debra Weil

In order to achieve our goals, we will need the help of your institution, Board members, officers, and employees. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and will go towards the only Georgia State PAC exclusively committed to representing the interests in community banks. Click here for contribution forms. For more information, contact Lori Godfrey.

Sandi Guest has joined Planters First Bank, Cordele, as Vice President/Business Banker.

Carolyn McFry has joined Greater Community Bank, Rome, as Director of Human Resources/Training Partner.

Glen Allen has joined Colony Bank's Treasury Management division in Savannah.

Harold Reynolds, CEO of BankSouth Holding Co., has been appointed by Gov. Kemp to the UGA's Board of Regents.

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:

Update Your Information for the 2020 Georgia Financial Directory
The digital version of the Georgia Financial Directory will be published in late spring and all CBA members will receive a complimentary copy. CBA has retained NFR Communications LLC to publish the 2020 directory.

Please be on the lookout for a questionnaire from NFR to obtain current data about your bank or company. It is important that you respond promptly with the information requested. The completed form should be returned no later than February 10, 2020.

If you have any questions regarding this change, please contact Lindsay Greene at 770.541-0376. Thank you in advance for your participation.

TRID: The Basics, Hands On Workshop
CBA of GA is a leader in TRID Training. Our partner, ProBank Austin is bringing bankers valuable application to support their banks TRID needs. Whether you are new to the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosures (TRID) for consumer mortgages or just want a deep dive refresher into the basics, this two-day TRID Workshop has it all! Learn more and register.

FREE Webinar: How CCOs Can Optimize Risk and Protect & Grow Deposits
TODAY: Wednesday January 8, 2020 | 1:00 pm

In this webinar, CBA Associate Member Loan Guarantee Insurance Services will discuss the factors currently impacting the commercial real estate (CRE) industry and how Chief Credit Officers and Chief Risk Officers are leveraging new strategies to address these. Learn more and register.

ICBA Securities Announces 2020 Webinars
ICBA Securities, a CBA Diamond Level Preferred Service Provider, has announced their webinar dates and topics for 2020. Webinar topics include portfolio management, market updates, economic outlook, bank & equity strategies, and more. Read more.

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

JANUARY 8, 2020