July 14 - CBA Today eNewsletter - Community Bankers Association of Georgia

Last Wednesday was a great day for CBA of Georgia members Unity National Bank of Texas and Loyal Trust Bank. Lori Godfrey, CBA Chief of Staff, EVP, Government and Regulatory Relations, represented CBA at an event in which Fulton County placed $10 million ($5m each) with CBA members – Unity National Bank and Loyal Trust Bank. Unity National was able to participate due to the passage of SB157.

“Lori represented CBA of Georgia well at this event. She was also the driving force behind the passage of SB157,” commented John McNair, CBA President/CEO. “Great initiative by Fulton County Government to keep local deposits with local community banks!”

Special thanks to George Andrews, Institution Development Officer, Unity National Bank, Atlanta for recognizing CBA's effort to pass SB157 in his remarks. George commented that SB157 made this possible for the bank. (View video where bankers start at around 10:50 mark and George Andrews specifically recognizes SB157, Lori Godfrey and CBA around the 15 min mark).

Read more: Fox 5 Atlanta: Two Minority Receive $5 Million from Fulton County Government

Convention Highlights, New Board and More
in the Latest Georgia Communities First Magazine
Take a moment to check out the July/August issue of Georgia Communities First magazine. See highlights from the “Power of Change” Annual Convention, meet CBA’s 2021-2022 Board of Directors as well as LEAD Committee officers and members, and learn about CBA’s numerous upcoming programs.

Congratulations to CBA Member Banks Named to ICBA’s 2021 Top Lenders
The dust from 2020 is finally beginning to settle, and Independent Banker magazine took a look at the hard work community banks put in to serve their customers. The top lenders made the most of one of the toughest years in recent memory through personal connection, ingenuity, and dedication to their communities.
Read entire article.

Congratulations to:

Consumer & Mortgages: $500 million to $1 billion: BankSouth, Greensboro and
Georgia Banking Company, Sandy Springs
Consumer & Mortgages: More than $1 billion: Metro City Bank, Doraville
Commercial: $500 million to $1 billion: Vinings Bank, Smyrna

Anatomy of a Cyber Attack:
What does an actual ransomware attack on a bank look like? KeepMyBankSecure.com is a cooperative initiative founded to answer this and other important questions about cybersecurity. Its ultimate intent is to help educate independent banks, directors, and leadership on the latest in cybersecurity and cyber threat prevention. The initiative, website, and ongoing original content production is underwritten by CBA Associate Member CalTech and is provided as an industry service to U.S. independent banks of all sizes.

According to Zach Duke, CEO of CBA Associate Member Finosec, a number of banks in Georgia have been impacted by the Kaseya breach. “Finosec has created a multi-part video series to help educate bankers, and this may be timely content for CBA’s membership.” Finosec Kaseya Attack Video Series

In addition, Mr. Duke shared that Finosec has other free resources to help bankers manage the incident response and documentation for the Kaseya attack through Finosec Academy.

Have you registered for CBA’s Cyber Risk Summit?
August 19 & 20, 2021
Hyatt, Savannah
Click here to register.

Barret Graduate School of Banking: Best Education Value to be Found
The Barret School of Banking has announced the dates for the 2022 Annual Graduate School Program are May 22-27, 2022. The curriculum, in brief, includes:

One week per year for three years
130 hours of classroom study
Nine on-campus case studies
Eight home study problems

Admission to the Barret School of Banking is open to bank employees, bank regulatory agency employees, and employees of businesses allied to the financial services industry, such as attorneys, accountants, and related professionals. Click to learn more.

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

PeoplesSouth Bank, Donalsonville, volunteered for a Make-A-Wish Foundation pancake supper fundraiser hosted by Miss Donalsonville, Abigail Grantham.

Richard Carlton has been promoted to Senior Vice President at Greater Community Bank, Rome.

Hannah Hall has joined the Loan Operations team at Greater Community Bank, Rome.

Adam Green has joined the Loan Operations team at Greater Community Bank, Rome.

First National Community Bank (FNCB), Chatsworth, which legally merged with Heritage First Bank, effective July 1, 2021, has named Michael Baker as Chief Banking Officer and Rome Market President for the newly combined organization.

Jana Harkins, First Port City Bank, Bainbridge, has been promoted to Branch Manager at the bank’s main office.

Cindy Jurnack has joined Georgia Primary Bank, Atlanta, as Senior Vice President and Loan Operations Manager.

Chapelle Dabney Davis has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, and Director of Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI) for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

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:

Banker Regulatory Forum - Compliance - RAP
Wednesday, July 14, 2021 | STREAM
The regulatory agencies cover their hot topics first, with questions from the bankers allowed at any time. In addition, if time permits, the regulators will answer any prepared questions submitted prior to the meeting. We ensure an open dialogue between bankers and regulators throughout the forum. Register here.

Human Resources & Talent Development RAP
Friday, July 16, 2021 | Macon | In-Person or STREAM
The R.A.P Sessions will be facilitated by CBA Team members and CBA Associate Members that possess a strong HR background with knowledge in topics such as employee recruitment, retention, engagement, and other human resource topics. These sessions will also offer ample opportunity for networking and learning from other community bank human resource associates. R.A.P Sessions will be offered as both virtual and in person. Sign up TODAY!

Consumer & Commercial Loan
Documentation Bootcamp
July 22-23, 2021 | Macon | In-Person or STREAM
The purpose of this session is to provide participants with an understanding of the core loan documentation for Consumer and Commercial Loans. Participants will be exposed to the five steps in the loan documentation process and the documents required to accomplish each step in the process. Learn more and register.

FREE Webinar: Bitcoin + Banking is Happening
Tuesday, August 24 | 2:00 PM
Come hear from NYDIG about what's happening in the banking industry and how Bitcoin is being integrated into many banks offering. The webinar will cover a little about NYDIG, why does Bitcoin matter and matter in particular to banks, what kinds of products are banks rolling out, and an understanding of the regulatory landscape impacting banks and their ability to roll out these kinds of products.

About the Presenter: Patrick Sells, an award-winning entrepreneur recognized for digital innovation in banking, is on a mission to transform financial services through the fusion of Bitcoin and banking. As the Head of NYDIG's Bank Solutions business, Patrick will build upon the momentum from NYDIG's efforts to bring the needed technological infrastructure for banks to be able to offer Bitcoin products and services such as custody, rewards programs, and lending opportunities. Prior to joining NYDIG, Patrick served as Chief Innovation Officer at Quontic Bank, where he evolved the firm into a leading adaptive digital bank in the U.S. through a focus on technology and innovation. Prior to Quontic, he built and ran several technology, data and digital marketing companies, and has advised banks and fintech companies on regulatory compliance. Click to register.

Presenter
Patrick Sells

Genesys Technology Group impacts your bottom line. We understand that you are making an investment by utilizing our services. Technology is one of the largest drains on your balance sheet, and your choices in the market today are extensive. Genesys assists community bankers in making wise technology decisions and encourages bankers to look at their technology holistically. A global view of your technology leverages your buying power, and through solid vendor management principles your bank is better positioned to maximize the return on its technology dollar. Genesys specializes in technology evaluations and renegotiations. Simply put…Genesys saves your institution time and money, thereby providing immediate impact to your bottom line.

To learn more, contact David Saylor at 770-335-6629 or visit their website.

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