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Preliminary Schedule of Events

September 10 - 14, 2025

Agenda Sponsors Exhibitors Hotel and Travel FAQ's

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm	CBA Board Meeting
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm	Convention Registration Desk Open
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm	Exhibitor Set-Up
5:30 pm - 6:15 pm	Sponsorship Reception (invitation only)
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm	CBA Board Leadership Dinner (invitation only)

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

7:30 am - 8:00 am	Breakfast (Hot)
8:00 am - 8:15 am	Welcome Kickoff Kick off the CBA convention in style with the dynamic Pat Dix as our emcee! With his engaging presence and infectious energy, Pat will set the stage for an exciting, inspiring, and unforgettable few days. Don’t miss this electrifying start to an incredible convention experience!
8:15 am - 9:15 am Billy Boughey	Opening Session with Billy Boughey - "Journey to Success!" An engaging conversation about the important "signs" we encounter on the path to success. Billy will explore eight key signs—like Yield, Detour, and Stop—and how they relate to leadership and personal growth. By understanding and applying these signals, we can navigate challenges, make better decisions, and stay on course. This is one of his most requested talks. ABOUT BILLY: Billy is a nationally recognized keynote speaker, Founder of Elevate Experiences, and a former professional baseball player. He has led events for top organizations like Delta, Disney, FIFA, and Coca-Cola, and works with teams to enhance culture and leadership. As the author of Culture Reconstructed and Start from Scratch, Billy empowers leaders to build impactful businesses. His engaging keynote presentations inspire teams to elevate performance, strengthen leadership, and drive lasting success within organizations.
9:15 am - 9:30 am	Stretch Break
9:30 am - 10:15 am Shawn O'Brien	"The State of the State" - Shawn O'Brien Review analysis on how Georgia banks are performing and trending both nationally and within the state in areas such as deposits, loans, net interest margins, efficiency and other key metrics. Discuss the current credit landscape and outlook ahead. Cover key demographic and economic trends shaping the state and its future. ABOUT SHAWN: As president of QwickRate, Shawn O’Brien continues to enhance the delivery of direct non-brokered funding and investing through QwickRate’s CD Marketplace, while also bringing new offerings to its more than 3,000 institutional subscribers. Setting industry standards for financial institutions by offering time-saving performance and ease of use, these newer products and services include QwickAnalytics® for bank research, analysis, and regulatory tools like CECLSolver®. Shawn currently serves on the board of directors of the National Bank of St. Anne, an Illinois community bank. He holds a B.A. in Business degree from the University of Notre Dame.
10:15 am - 11:00 am	Exhibit Break Time
11:10 am - 11:50 am Dawn Gehring	*"Building Resilient Succession Plans: A Competency-Based Approach" –* Dawn Gehring Succession planning is more than just a list of names. It’s a strategic imperative for ensuring business continuity and supporting smooth leadership transitions. How can organizations create succession plans that are proactive, sustainable, and adaptable to both planned and unplanned departures? Join FHLBank Atlanta’s Dawn Gehring for an engaging discussion on designing a robust, competency-driven succession framework that aligns with your institution’s current and future business needs. ABOUT DAWN: Dawn Gehring is the Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for FHLB of Atlanta and is responsible for developing and executing the Bank's human resources strategy, including talent acquisition, talent management, learning and development, compensation and benefits, and HR operations. She also leads the Bank's staff services functions, which include facilities operations, print and mail services, and procurement. Gehring joined the Bank in 2016 as Director of Human Resources, managing a human resources team responsible for a broad range of programs, including talent acquisition, compensation and benefits, payroll, human resources information systems, employee relations, policy administration, and regulatory compliance. Previously, Gehring served as Vice President of Global Human Resources for a multi-national service provider in the power and energy industry. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa.
11:50 am - 12:00 pm	*CBA Business Meeting and Announcements* CBA Chair Frank Griffin and CBA CEO John McNair
	*Afternoon and Evening On Your Own*

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

7:30 am - 8:00 am	Breakfast (Hot)
8:00 am - 8:05 am	Advocacy Day Kickoff Get ready for an inspiring and high-energy Advocacy Day featuring our own dynamic Chief Operating Officer and Lobbyist, Lori Godfrey, as our emcee! She will set the stage for impactful conversations, powerful insights, and a call to action that drives real change at the Gold Dome and on Capital Hill. Don’t miss this day to connect, engage, and be part of something bigger!
8:05 am - 9:00 am	Regulatory Panel: Navigating the Evolving Landscape Stay ahead of the curve with this year's insightful Regulatory Panel, where industry experts and policymakers discuss the latest updates, challenges, and trends shaping the regulatory environment. This engaging session will cover key compliance issues, emerging policies, and best practices to help your banks adapt and thrive. Expect thought-provoking discussions and a chance to ask pressing questions as our panelists share their expertise. Whether you're navigating new regulations or preparing for future shifts, this session will provide the clarity and strategies you need to stay compliant and competitive.
9:00 am - 9:10 am	Stretch Break
9:10 am - 9:40 am Senator Carden Summers Rep. Demetrius Douglas Rep. Noel Williams, Jr.	Legislative Panel: Policy Trends & Industry Impact Join this year’s Regulatory Panel, where industry experts and policymakers explore the latest updates, challenges, and trends shaping the regulatory landscape. This session will cover key compliance issues, emerging policies, and best practices to help your bank remain agile and competitive. Gain insights, engage in discussions, and get answers to your most pressing questions, as our panelists share their expertise. Stay ahead of regulatory changes with strategies designed to ensure compliance and success. ABOUT SENATOR SUMMERS: Senator Carden Summers, a Republican, has represented Georgia's 13th Senate District since 2019, covering several counties including Ben Hill, Crisp, and Tift. He chairs the Senate Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions and serves as Vice Chair of the Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee. He also sits on the Agriculture & Consumer Affairs and Economic Development & Tourism Committees. A lifelong Crisp County resident, Summers and his wife, Janis, own a real estate and outdoor advertising business. They have two children, Jade and Weston. ABOUT REPRESENTATIVE DOUGLAS Demetrius Douglas, a Southside Atlanta native, excelled in football and basketball at Lakeshore High School before playing linebacker at the University of Georgia under Coach Vince Dooley, where he earned All-American honors and later entered the UGA Football Hall of Fame. After graduating with a degree in education and a minor in marketing, he played professionally for the New York Jets, Washington Redskins, and Calgary Stampeders. Following his football career, Douglas spent 15 years in the mortgage industry and became a successful real estate entrepreneur. Passionate about youth development, he has coached high school football and is currently a defensive coach at Dutchtown High School. A committed community leader and deacon at Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral, he has served in the Georgia House of Representatives since 2012, representing District 78. Demetrius and his wife, Veda, live in Henry County with their daughters, Destiny and Demi. ABOUT REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAMS Representative Noel Williams Jr. serves House District 148, covering Crisp, Pulaski, Wilcox, and parts of Houston and Ben Hill counties. He chairs the House Banks and Banking Committee and sits on several others, including Insurance, Natural Resources & Environment, and Ways & Means. A University of Georgia political science graduate, he worked in insurance before becoming a principal at Partners Benefit Group. He also serves on the boards of South Georgia Banking Company and Crisp Regional Hospital. A longtime Cordele resident, Noel is active in his church, local chamber, and Kiwanis Club. He and his wife, Laura, have two children, Trey and Elizabeth.
9:40 am - 10:30 am	Exhibit Break Time
10:35 am – 11:30 am Brian Robinson Tharon Johnson	Georgia’s Big, Beautiful Election Cycle Republican Brian Robinson and Democrat Tharon Johnson serve up insights into state politics with a side of humor as we enter a year that will see massive turnover in statewide offices and a competitive U.S. Senate race. Brian and Tharon are co-hosts of WABE’s Political Breakfast podcast, panelists on Fox 5’s Georgia Gang, columnists for Georgia Trend and appear together often on CNN. ABOUT BRIAN: Brian Robinson owns Robinson Republic, a communications consulting firm that specializes in public affairs messaging throughout the state of Georgia. His clients include corporations, issue advocacy groups, chambers of commerce, public officials and political campaigns. Robinson Republic assists clients with message development, issue advocacy, media training, media relations and crisis management. He is a weekly political commentator in metro Atlanta media’s leading outlets and national cable news channels. He’s cohost of WABE’s Political Breakfast and a panelist on Fox 5’s Georgia Gang. He writes a column on politics in each edition of Georgia Trend magazine and is often quoted in leading national publications as an expert on Georgia politics.Prior to opening his own business, Robinson worked as deputy chief of staff for communications for Gov. Nathan Deal. Before that he served seven years on Capitol Hill in the Georgia delegation. ABOUT THARON: Tharon Johnson is the founder and CEO of Paramount Consulting Group, a full service, bipartisan government affairs and communications firm based in Atlanta, serving clients in the corporate and political sectors. Paramount Consulting Group specializes in government affairs, lobbying, campaign strategy and communications. Leveraging deep relationships from across the aisle, the firm supports clients through a variety of complex needs, providing strategic guidance and solutions that drive results. A nationally recognized political strategist and trusted community leader, Tharon appears each week on Fox 5 Atlanta’s longest-running public affairs program, “The Georgia Gang” and on 90.1 WABE-FM’s popular “Political Breakfast” podcast, ranked among the top 40 political podcasts nationally. He is also the author of the award-winning column “Red, Blue, and You,” which can be found monthly in Georgia Trend magazine. Tharon advises elected officials at the highest levels of government. Most recently he served as a senior advisor to the Biden-Harris campaign in the battleground state of Georgia. He has served at senior levels of federal, state, and local campaigns, including for President Barack Obama, Congressman John Lewis, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Congressman John Barrow and DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond.
11:30 am - 12:05 pm Paul Merski	"Legislative Lens - Exploring Policy Through Dual Perspectives" This session will be a conversation bringing together advocates on the state and federal levels that represent our community banks. This will be a unique, behind-the-scenes look at the legislative and regulatory landscapes from both the statehouse and Capitol Hill. Join Lori Godfrey, CBA of GA, and Paul Merski, ICBA, for this informative session. Through candid dialogue and expert insight, they will shed light on the challenges, opportunities, and evolving priorities that impact community banking at every level of government. This platform not only highlights the intersection of state and federal advocacy but also deepens understanding of how policy decisions shape the future of local financial institutions. This session will give attendees meaningful perspective on the issues that matter most to community banks—straight from the advocates on the front lines. ABOUT PAUL: Paul Merski is Executive Vice President of Congressional Relations at the Independent Community Bankers of America® (ICBA), where he leads legislative and political initiatives. With over 30 years of experience in economic and policy development, he previously served as chief economist for the Joint Economic Committee and senior advisor to Senator Connie Mack, among other key roles. A recognized industry voice, Merski is a frequent media contributor and has been named a top Washington lobbyist by The Hill every year since 2018.
	Afternoon On Your Own
8:00 pm - 10:00 pm	Advocacy Celebration / Silent Auction

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

7:30 am - 8:00 am	Breakfast (Hot)
8:00 am - 8:05 am	Saturday Kickoff Pat is back as our Emcee for the day as he brings everyone together one last time until 2026.
8:05 am - 8:35 am Quentin Leighty	Morning Boost with ICBA Rise and shine with our Morning Boost with ICBA—the perfect way to energize your day! Join us for a session filled with fresh insights, engaging conversations, and the latest in ICBA updates, all designed to fuel your success. We are thrilled to have Quentin Leighty, ICBA Treasurer, who will share some coffee and hopefully spill some tea on all things ICBA. So start your morning with inspiration and momentum and power up your day with ICBA! ABOUT QUENTIN: Quentin Leighty is treasurer of the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), the only national advocacy organization that exclusively represents community banks. He also serves as president and chief financial officer for First National Bank Colorado, which is headquartered in Las Animas, Colo.Leighty serves in many leadership roles at ICBA. He is a member of the ICBA Executive Committee, board of directors, and Federal Delegate Board. He serves on the Policy Development Committee and is the Executive Committee liaison to the Mutual Bank Council and Rural America and Agriculture Committee.Active at the local level, he is a member of the Independent Bankers of Colorado and a board member of the Palmer Lake Outdoor Classic. Leighty was previously a director with Bankers’ Bank of the West.Leighty graduated from the Monfort College of Business at the University of Northern Colorado and is a member of the Alumni Advisory Board for the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado.
8:35 am - 9:35 am Kristina Morris, ICBA Moderator Tyler Brantley, Vertice AI Karan Kashyap, Posh Zara Perumal, Overwatch Data	PANEL: Artificial Intelligence in Banking? Are you Ready for the Future? This panel of AI experts will explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in community banking, focusing on how these technologies can streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and drive growth. Through insightful discussions, the panel will highlight practical AI applications tailored to the unique needs of community banks, emphasizing the strategic value of AI for executives looking to stay competitive, improve decision-making, and foster deeper connections with customers. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of how AI can unlock new opportunities and deliver measurable results within the community banking sector. ABOUT KRISTINA: Kristina Morris currently serves as Vice President of Innovation Investments at ICBA, where she builds and leads ICBA’s investment and portfolio management supporting the organization's innovation strategy. She most recently served as project manager for FinTech Atlanta, where she was responsible for driving and supporting the organization’s mission to develop Atlanta as a global hub for financial technology. Before her work with FinTech Atlanta, she held several roles, including program officer at The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and business development manager at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta. Kristina has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Women’s Studies from Emory University and a Master of Business Administration from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia. She currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Atlanta Community Food Bank and the board of the University of Georgia Alumni Association, Atlanta Chapter. ABOUT TYLER: Tyler Brantley is the Head of Community Banking at Vertice AI. A career entrepreneur, Tyler has been working with community banks for nearly a decade helping them modernize their technology strategies and tackle some of their biggest digital transformation challenges. Tyler and his family have a deep background working with community banks across Georgia and while he and his family currently reside in Nashville, TN, he loves any opportunity to get back to the Peach State. He’s a graduate of Sewanee: The University of the South. ABOUT KARAN: In 2013, Karan Kashyap, Posh’s Chief Executive Officer, began his journey at MIT where he met co-founder and CTO Matt McEachern their freshman year by rushing the same fraternity.His education at MIT included undergraduate and graduate degrees focused on artificial intelligence, where he was named a Siebel Scholar for his research work. While Karan was completing his graduate degree, he and Matt began AI and software consulting with enterprises across multiple industries, building a business foundation, and establishing a pathway to the beginning of Posh. Posh now has more than 100 clients across the banking and credit union space with an ever-growing client base and employee roster.Outside of work, Karan has joyfully traveled across 20+ countries, plays a variety of sports including soccer, golf, and squash, and enjoys cooking. He lives in Cambridge, MA. ABOUT ZARA: Zara Perumal is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Overwatch Data, an AI platform that helps community banks detect and respond to fraud and cybercrime earlier by monitoring fraud tactics across the deep, dark, social web, and other external sources beyond transactions. Overwatch combines AI and human expertise to surface risks like fraudulent checks, stolen cards, and leaked credentials before they impact customers, reducing manual workloads for fraud teams and protecting customer trust. Previously, she worked at Google’s Threat Analysis Group, building machine learning and software systems to counter state-sponsored hacking and disinformation. Zara holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a Master of Engineering in Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity from MIT’s LIDS and CSAIL labs, where she specialized in active learning for malware detection and risk-limiting post-election audits. She is particularly interested in the intersection of AI and crime, exploring how the same technology used to fight crime can also be exploited by criminals. She has presented on this topic, testified before Congress, and was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 in Enterprise Technology in 2022.
9:35 am - 9:45 am	Stretch Break
9:45 am - 10:45 am Jeffrey C. Gerrish	Critical Information for Community Bank Executives The position of a community bank executive is one of honor and prestige. It is also one that is not low stress or free of risk. This presentation provides valuable insight into the duties, responsibilities and considerations of a community executive in today’s environment and presents individual and corporate strategies to ensure success. ABOUT JEFFREY: Jeffrey Gerrish is Senior Chairman of the Board of Gerrish Smith Tuck Consultants, LLC and a member of the Memphis-based law firm of Gerrish Smith Tuck, PC, Attorneys. The two firms have assisted over 2,000 financial institutions in all 50 states. Jeff’s consulting and legal practice places special emphasis on strategic planning; community bank mergers and acquisitions; dealing with the regulators, particularly as related to enforcement actions; bank holding company formations; acquisition and ownership planning for directors; stock repurchase plans; regulatory and compliance issues, including fair lending, unfair and deceptive and abusive practices; capital raising; securities law; ESOPs; and other matters of importance to community financial institutions.
10:45 am - 10:55 am	Stretch Break
10:55 am - 11:55 am Don Yaeger	Closing Session with Don Yaeger - "What Makes the Great Ones Great!" As a sportswriter and author of more than two dozen books, Don has had a front row seat with some of the greatest winners in athletics, including Walter Payton, Jimmy Connors, Michael Jordan, John Wooden, Pat Riley and Dale Brown. They are all legends in their own right, but does anyone believe the athletes mentioned above are really the GREATEST athletes of their time, physically? Remember, Jordan wasn’t even the first pick in the draft. Payton had to go to a small black college because bigger schools didn’t want to risk a scholarship on him. Each became a champion through strength and skills that had nothing to do with physical prowess. Using rich personal accounts gathered from more than twenty-five years of interviews with many of today’s sports legends and business leaders, Don has distilled Sixteen Consistent Characteristics of Greatness. Don shares some of these characteristics with audiences, in an easy, engaging style, which helps participants realize that they, too, can achieve a higher level of personal success. ABOUT DON: An award-winning keynote speaker, 11-time New York Times bestselling author, and host of the top-rated Corporate Competitor Podcast, Don Yaeger is one of America’s most compelling thought leaders. A former Sports Illustrated Associate Editor, he shares powerful lessons on achieving greatness from his firsthand experiences with legendary sports and business figures. Sought after by companies and organizations, Don coaches leaders on building a culture of greatness using insights from his extensive study of elite teams. Renowned thought leaders like John Maxwell and Simon Sinek have called him the best storyteller they’ve worked with. His expertise has earned him invitations to major talk shows, from Oprah to Good Morning America. His Corporate Competitor Podcast, launched in 2020, quickly gained recognition, ranking among Spotify’s top 5% most followed and shared podcasts worldwide. Don has interviewed top executives, including former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the CEOs of Disney, Delta Airlines, and Chick-fil-A. A Hawaii native and Ball State University Hall of Fame inductee, Don now lives in Tallahassee, Florida, with his wife, Jeanette, and their two children.
11:55 am - 12:30 pm	Closing Session
	Afternoon On Your Own
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm	Tailgate Party
6:00 pm - 6:45 pm	Reception
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm	Chairman's Dinner and Installation of Officers
8:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Entertainment

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

Departure