December 11 - CBA Today eNewsletter - Community Bankers Association of Georgia

CBA’s mission is to exclusively provide uncompromising advocacy, education and resources for its family of Georgia community banks while passionately promoting the state’s sound community banking industry. In this video, hear from community bankers and members of our communities on the many ways CBA serves community banks throughout Georgia, and the many benefits of being an active CBA member:

The year 2019 has seen many achievements for CBA and Georgia’s community banking industry, and we look forward to expanding our member experience in 2020. By now, all CBA member banks should have received an electronic statement of their annual membership dues. If you have any questions regarding your membership, please contact CBA. See all the benefits of membership.

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 Georgia state flag donated to CBA's Live Auction fundraiser by the Governor's office, and in turn donated to CBA by auction winner Dan Speight, CEO of Planters First Bancorp, has recently found a home in the lobby at CBA's new office on Powers Ferry Road. CBA would like to thank Dan and Senator John Kennedy for making this all possible.
First Port City Bank, Bainbridge, recently held a community food drive benefitting the Decatur County Family Connection. Over 8,000 pounds of food was collected from members of the community and food drives from local organizations, including Pic N Save, Memorial Hospital, Care Chiropractic, City of Bainbridge, First Baptist Church, First Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church, YMCA, Southern Regional Wellness, Hutto Middle School, John Johnson Elementary School, and West Bainbridge Elementary School.

In addition, Marvalynn Carroll and Linda King from the bank visited the Headstart program in Climax to give the children a lesson about money and financial planning.

The bank also recently celebrated its 45th anniversary by giving out prizes and refreshments to bank customers.

Lastly, the bank recently held a reception for the retirement of Jenny Herring, Assistant Vice President, honoring her 42 years of dedicated service
Peach State Bank & Trust, Gainesville, held a “No Shave November” for the men in the bank and in return collected over $1,000 to help in the fight to eradicate cancer. Employees made donations to Emory Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta. Read more.
Oconee State Bank, Watkinsville, recently partnered with UGA’s Small Business Development Center to host its Max Money Series for business owners. The five-week course focussed on all the details of financial statements. Ryan Liebowitz, Vice President of Commercial Lending, taught the group about best practices for building a successful partnership with their bank.
Newton Federal Bank, Covington, recently donated $275 to the YMCA of Newton County.
United Community Mortgage Services, the mortgage lending division of United Community Bank, Blairsville, has announced that it will now be able to offer qualifying home buyers up to $2,500 to help cover down payment or closing costs through the Freddie Mac BorrowSmart℠ Program. Read more.
Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta has recently appointed five members to its Affordable Housing Advisory Council: Dewayne Alford, Executive Director and CEO of the Housing Authority of Rock Hill, SC; Althea Broughton, Partner at Atlanta-based law firm Arnall Golden Gregory; Larry Hanson, Executive Director of the Georgia Municipal Association; Brian McLaughlin, President and CEO of Enterprise Community Development; and C. Jeffrey Rice, President of Guilford Partners, Inc. 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 a recent contribution to the PAC/PR Fund.

Special thanks to our recent contributor:

OneSouth Bank, Blakely

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.

Preston Laird from Colony Bank, Savannah, has been promoted to Producing Market Manager for the Savannah market.

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:

Register Now for CBA's 2020 Leadership Academy
Session I - March 17-18 - Macon | Winning Together: Becoming the Leader Your Team Needs and Wants

This series of four sessions will benefit the attendees through individual self-discovery, personal and professional growth and career development. The sessions are designed to build upon each other so that each leader can create action plans for successful practice in their banks.

Testimonial from Nikki Sorrells - Human Resources Assistant, Newton Federal Bank, Covington:
"While I may not have been present from the first class, I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with our instructors and fellow bankers. I feel as though I l gained a tremendous amount of knowledge during this process, and I look forward to utilizing my new understanding and my new skill set in both my role at work and in my personal life."

To learn more and register for CBA's 2020 Leadership Academy, click here.

Sign Up for CBA's 2020 Compliance Program
Grab the KEYS to participate in CBA's Compliance Program where we have enhanced the training programs and added new topics while maintaining the continued learning environment and networking benefits. This opportunity is designed for the banks’ compliance officers by providing annual education, techniques for monitoring and enforcing regulations which support the regulatory compliance success of community banks. Learn more.

Submit Your Availability to Host a CBA Event!
Connect and network with Georgia's community bankers by hosting a Professional Development event presented by CBA. If your bank or business has a training room or space that you would like to make available for training in Georgia, please take a moment to complete this questionnaire and CBA will reach out with additional information on upcoming opportunities. Click here for the availability form.

Last Chance: Apply Now for Barret Graduate School of Banking Scholarship!
Deadline is December 15, 2019!

Advance your career in community banking by attending the Barret Graduate School of Banking. Apply today for a first-year scholarship to cover the tuition at the 48th Annual Graduate Session of the Paul W. Barret, Jr. School of Banking, May 17-22, 2020 at Christian Brothers University in Memphis, TN. Additional details are available online at www.barret.ws. The deadline to apply is December 15, 2019 and a winner will be announced in January 2020. Download the application.

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

DECEMBER 11, 2019