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

Is your bank striving for better technology, better innovation, and better experiences for your customers? If so, don’t miss CBA’s upcoming Fintech Forum, December 14 at the Georgia Tech Hotel & Conference Center.

Expand your network and explore new services. Connect with speakers, exhibitors, and members of the fintech community ready to educate you and your team.
Strategic Importance of Fintech. Charles Potts, SVP, Chief Innovator at ICBA, will share the impact of value-added solutions that help community banks seize new market opportunities to meet customers’ evolving financial services needs.
BaaS – Banking as a Service: What is it? Learn how BaaS enhances the customer experience.
Georgia Fintech Resources Ready to Help Your Bank. Moderator Scott Mills, William Mills Agency, will lead a panel of representatives from the four major fintech organizations to discuss the benefits they offer.
Digital Transformation is No Longer Optional – It’s Necessary. Register Today!

Fintech Forum: The Regulatory Policy View of Banks'
Involvement in Cryptocurrency
With digital assets moving into the mainstream, community banks need to understand what cryptocurrencies are and the impact of virtual currencies on their institutions and customers.

In this session, James Stevens, Partner, Troutman Pepper, Atlanta, will discuss the current regulatory view of banks’ involvement in cryptocurrency activities and opportunities that banks are exploring in light of the regulatory environment.

James Stevens
Partner
Troutman Pepper

Sympathy
CBA offers our sincere sympathies to family, friends, and associates of board member Leo Phillips, who passed away on November 28th. Mr. Phillips was co-owner of the Cochran Oil Mill and Ginnery, a partner in the law firm of Phillips and Phillips, and served on the Board of Directors of the State Bank of Cochran. Read more here.

Sympathies also to Bobby Voyles, former president of BankSouth, Greensboro, on the recent death of his wife, Caroline. Read more here.

Thoughts and prayers to the family, friends and associates of Kaye Goff, long-time teller at Altamaha Bank, Uvalda, who passed away recently. Read more here.

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

Family Bank, Pelham, participated in the Pelham Christmas Parade with a “Christmas Vacation” themed entry.
Planters First Bank, Cordele, donated bikes, helmets, toys, and a monetary gift to the Prevent Child Abuse-Crisp.
Planters First Bank, Cordele, had the best time participating in the Cordele Christmas Parade!

Dwight Stout has joined Greater Community Bank, Rome, as Senior Vice President, Lending Officer.

Marion Stokes, Founding Partner, Stokes Carmichael & Ernst LLP, Atlanta, will retire on December 31, 2021.

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:

HR & Talent Development/Bank Operations R.A.P. Session - Macon
December 10 | In-Person or STREAM

Succession Planning and Job Mapping — Speakers: Brandon & Lisa Kinsey
What is your internal talent strategy?
Additional R.A.P. Discussions
OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard
CBA’s HR & Talent Development league has the benefit of a HR legal hotline. OSHA put out its guidance to support the President’s vaccine mandate. Grant Greenwood, partner, James, Bates, Brannon, Groover gave our League members these highlights.

RAP Session Sponsored by:

BSA/AML Bootcamp
December 15-17 | In-Person or STREAM

The Role of FinCEN
BSA 101
The Tools of BSA
Money Laundering Methods in Today’s Environment
Review of the BSA Building Blocks and 5 Pillars
CIP, CDD, and EDD
Bank Secrecy Act: Legal Update & Enforcement Trends
BSA Compliance Management Program
Risk Assessments and Risk Rating of Customers
BSA Reporting and Record-Keeping
Currency Transaction Reporting (CTR) & Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR)
Monetary Instrument Logs (MIL)
Wire Transfers
High-Risk Products and Services
Case Studies
Everything You Wanted to Ask a Banker and Auditor about BSA
Tools Available for Today’s BSA Team
Suspicious Activity Report – From Decision Making to Writing the SAR
BSA and OFAC Training
Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) Compliance
Record Retention
Action Planning

Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta Awards More Than
$18 Million for Affordable Housing Development
Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (FHLBank Atlanta) announced it has awarded $18,723,850 through its members to help fund 40 affordable housing initiatives in 12 states and the District of Columbia as part of its 2021 Affordable Housing Program (AHP) General Fund. Collectively, these initiatives represent over $582 million in total housing development.

FHLBank Atlanta member financial institutions will distribute more than $18 million of General Fund awards to assist in the acquisition, new construction, rehabilitation, or preservation of 2,194 affordable rental and homeownership units. For the complete list of 2021 winners, click here.

Free On-Demand Webinar for CBA Members:
FedNow: Faster Payments, Future, Feasibility
What is FedNow? FedNow is the new instant payment service from the Federal Reserve Bank. Although still in development, this service will enable financial institutions of every size to provide safe, efficient, instant payment services in real time, every day of the year, every hour of the day. Since this is the newest payments channel offering from the FRB in decades, there are a lot of questions to answer. Register here.

STS Group understands customer service is top priority. With focus on service, STS Group has experienced tremendous growth, becoming the Southeast region's strongest provider of financial security, ATMs, and branch automation equipment. With their involvement in CBA, FBA, and ABA, their reputation of outstanding service continues to spread throughout the region.

To learn more, contact Chris Nelson at 205-567-3613 or visit their website.

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

Georgia Department of Banking & Finance – November Bulletin
CFPB: Community Banks Charge Lower Overdraft Fees
Fed Releases Reserve Bank Fee Schedules
Beige Book Contacts Expect Price Pressures to Ease in 2022
Prepare Now for New Bank Data Collection and Reporting Requirements — Guest article from Emily Dent, CPA, Silver PSP, Mauldin & Jenkins
FDIC Q3 Georgia Profile Now Available

December 8, 2021