Connect Convention

Connect55th Annual Convention ​
& Mini-Trade Show

Wednesday, June 7 - Sunday, June 11
The Charleston Place
205 Meeting Street

Charleston, SC 29401  

Wednesday 6/7: Arrivals, Registration Check-In

Thursday 6/8 - Saturday 6/10: Programming 

Sunday 6/11: Departures, Check-Out

In order to provide you with the best convention experience, any registrations received after the 18th will be considered an onsite registration at an increased rate.  Onsite registrants may be subject to longer wait times at check-in and may not be listed in any pre-printed items.  We thank you for your understanding and can't wait to see you soon in Charleston! 

SUITCASING - Suitcasing is the act of soliciting business during the exhibit networking times or in other public spaces by non-exhibiting companies, including another company’s booth or a convention center/hotel lobby. It is CBA’s objective to do everything possible to protect our Exhibitors and community banker attendees from suitcasing.

 Agenda
 Sponsors 

 Silent Auction  Registered Attendees Click Here For Confirmation PDF
Wednesday, June 7
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM CBA Board Meeting (By Invitation Only)
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Convention Registration
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Exhibitor Set Up
6:00 PM - 6:30 PM Board Reception (By Invitation Only)
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM Board Dinner (By Invitation Only)
Thursday, June 8
7:30 AM - 8:00 AM Breakfast
8:00 AM - 8:15 AM Welcome and Opening Session
8:15 AM - 9:15 AM

Keynote: How Championship Leaders Lead With Passion, Purpose And Love For Their People ATTITUDE OF A CHAMPION LEADER 
Aaron Davis

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9:15 AM - 9:30 AM Stretch Break
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM

Navigating the New Era of Banking 
David Noël - EVP Support Services, Genesys

Managing key initiatives and projects to completion has never been more important. That's why we're bringing in David Noël from Genesys Technology Group to walk us through some foundational concepts that will help you thrive in the new era of banking.

0:15 AM - 11:00 AM

Exhibit Break Time

SUITCASING - Suitcasing is the act of soliciting business during the exhibit networking times or in other public spaces by non-exhibiting companies, including another company’s booth or a convention center/hotel lobby. It is CBA’s objective to do everything possible to protect our Exhibitors and community banker attendees from suitcasing.

11:10 AM - 11:55 AM

Current Credit Environment; Strategic Loan Review, Stress Testing, Credit Quality & Best Practices 
David Ruffin, Qwickrate

In this session, we’ll discuss: (1) Where the hotspots and high risk areas are right now in terms of credit quality — including a review (highest to lowest) of credit risk by industry. (2)  How to react to additional credit stress without overreacting. (3) The growing importance of loan reviews in the management of credit risk moving forward — taking loan reviews from merely a point-in-time event to an ongoing risk management tool. And why stress testing and loan reviews should be combined for a more effective approach.

12:00 PM - 12:30 PM Announcements CBA Business Meeting & Announcements
12:30 PM - 8:00 PM Afternoon on your own
8:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Night Event (Advocacy Fundraiser)

Monetary Donation Donate Auction Item Browse Auction Items

Shhh... Don't Tell the Regulators!
This clambake is bound to be the cats meow!

Join your fellow bankers at a swanky bootleg party to celebrate CBA’s advocacy efforts.  The secret location will be revealed to the attendees during the convention. We will have continuous card play at our blackjack, poker, roulette, and craps tables not to mention CBA will also have the infamous silent auction that is sure to bring out a little bit of competitiveness amongst our attendees. Guys and Dames don your best 20's glad rags for an opportunity to win some great prizes.  (Dessert and Hosted Beer & Wine Bar)
 

And if you don’t know what to wear think Pinky Blinders meets the Great Gatsby.  

The password at the door to get in is “Advocacy”.

HAVING FUN IS REQUIRED!

FESTIVE ATTIRE IS OPTIONAL!

 


Call for Silent Auction Items - Come Support the Voice of Community Banks in Georgia! 


Don't know what to donate? 
Take a look at some of these exciting ideas! 

Friday, June 9
7:30 AM - 8:00 AM Breakfast
8:00 AM - 8:15 AM Friday Kick Off
8:15 AM - 9:15 AM

Creating a Winning Team  - Learn from UGA Football Alumni & UGA FCA Chaplain
Panel: Thomas Settles, Rennie Curran, Jeb Blazevich
Moderated by: Neil Stevens

Join us as we bring together some of UGA’s football finest to discuss the importance of building teams that work together. As any great team knows, instilling a culture of teamwork and communication is the key to success. It’s not just becoming connected but staying connected that makes a team successful. We have the distinct pleasure of having UGA Chaplain Thomas Settles; former UGA player and NFL player, Rennie Curran, and former UGA player, Jeb Blazevich  who will share their experiences of teamwork in a brotherhood that has withstood for years. 

9:15 AM - 9:30 AM Stretch Break
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM

Economic Outlook   
Lindsey Piegza, Ph.D., Stifel

Chief Economist Dr. Lindsey Piegza will look at the current state of the economy amid the  pandemic and what it means going forward for overall growth, interest rates and monetary policy. She will cover macro-economic trends in consumer spending and investment, in addition to new monetary and fiscal policy initiatives and the potential economic effects of these changes. She will also examine the changing global and political environment, and how it will affect the economic recovery. Participants will leave this session able to advise management teams on the possible effect of economic issues on their organizations.

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM

Exhibit Break Time

SUITCASING - Suitcasing is the act of soliciting business during the exhibit networking times or in other public spaces by non-exhibiting companies, including another company’s booth or a convention center/hotel lobby. It is CBA’s objective to do everything possible to protect our Exhibitors and community banker attendees from suitcasing.

11:10 AM - 11:55 AM Future of Banking 
Conversation with Andrew Couse, First Bank of Clewiston, FL,  Pat Dix, Shazam, Dan Baum, Federal Reserve System’s FedNow.
12:00 PM - 12:35 PM Announcements National Update 
Derek Williams, ICBA Chairman
12:35 PM Afternoon and evening on your own
Saturday, June 10
7:30 AM - 8:00 AM Breakfast
8:00 AM - 8:15 AM Saturday Kick Off
8:10 AM - 8:35 AM

Community Banking Trends - Laws & Regulations, What are the happenings at our state Capital? 
Lori Godfrey, CBA

8:40 AM - 9:35 AM

Regulator Debrief/Recap and Legal Update with Q/A
Panelist: Representatives from all our Regulatory Agences
Moderators: Doroteya Wozniak & Mike White, James-Bates-Brannan-Groover, & Lori Godfrey, CBA of GA

9:35 AM - 9:50 AM Stretch Break
9:50 AM - 10:35 AM

Assessing the Interest Rate Environment and Competitive Landscape
Neil Stanley, The CorePoint

We will cover:  Effectively and efficiently deal with exception pricing on a scalable basis to avoid rate matching.  How to seize the opportunity of refinancing that has shifted to deposits as interest rates rise. How hybrid savings accounts blend advantageous features of CDs and Savings for all stakeholders.

10:40AM - 11:10 AM

Breakout Session A - The Plan for Succession & Success
Brian Rhonemus, Thonemus Group 

Emphasize the importance of succession planning and show the steps in creating such a plan, Provide examples of successes in companies that have succession plans in place, and how those companies have a competitive advantage over others.  The benefits of thoughtful succession.

10:40AM - 11:10 AM

Breakout Session B - Implementing an Effective Marketing Budget 
Chris Bates, Agora Eversole

This session will help guide the banks as to the best budget spend balance between various marketing platforms (traditional/local; social media; digital advertising; SEO) and will provide attendees with several actual (name redacted) marketing budgets and tangible comparables as a year evolves.

11:15 AM - 12:15 PM

Keynote Address: Heart of Leadership: Becoming a Leader Others Want to Follow 
Randy Gravitt, Integreat Leadership

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12:15 PM - 12:35 PM Announcements
12:35 PM - 6:30 PM Afternoon on your own
6:30 PM - 7:15 PM Chairman's Reception
7:15 PM - 8:30 PM Chairman's Dinner
8:30 PM - 10:30 PM

Chairman's Party Join CBA as we present "Music City Nights" with a singer - songwriter evening featuring Makayla Lynn and Chuck Cannon.

MAKAYLA LYNN
Named by Rolling Stone Magazine as a new artist you need to know, Canadian
born Makayla Lynn is a fresh face exploding into the Nashville scene. She has spent time at #1
on CMT’s 12 Pack Countdown and is a two-time East Coast Music Award winner in Canada.
Releasing a record with Grammy Award winning producer Keith Stegall and his daughter Jen
Stegall, Makayla’s growth as a songwriter and music-maker through her young years has
allowed her artistry to settle into it’s place in the world of Country/Americana storytellers
much like her influences. She has a lot of new music coming to your ears in 2023!

CHUCK CANNON
Chuck Cannon grew up in the South Carolina Low Country. He’s a Southern boy whose music
echoes the R&B, Rock & Roll, Country and Gospel music he grew up on. Chuck’s songs have
been recorded by an incredibly diverse array of recording artists from around the world and
have logged over 25 million radio airplays. One of Cannon's first notable compositions was "I
Love the Way You Love Me", a Number One hit for John Michael Montgomery in 1993. This
song also won the Song of the Year award at the Academy of Country Music awards, which is
awarded to songwriters.

Sunday, June 11
8:00 AM Departures

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors


Special Thanks to Our Exhibitors

SUITCASING - Suitcasing is the act of soliciting business during the exhibit networking times or in other public spaces by non-exhibiting companies, including another company’s booth or a convention center/hotel lobby. It is CBA’s objective to do everything possible to protect our Exhibitors and community banker attendees from suitcasing.

Company   Representative
Abram Armored Tony Webb
ACG Phil Winn
Adlumin Stephanie Erickson
Agora Eversole Chris Bates
BCC-USA John Gianacaci
BHG Financial Rachel Thornton
College Ave Student Loans Brian Reed 
CRA Partners Marnie Stewart
Crescent Mortgage Skip Willcox
DefenseStorm Chad Lynn
DeNyse Companies Caitlin Wilson 
Eclipse Brand Bulders Joel Thompson
Executive Insurance Agency Ryan Sower
Federal Reserve Bank  Steve Peterson
Fitech by Deluxe Tanner Rizenbergs
Genesys Technology Group David Saylor
HC3 Dustin Kellums
Holtmeyer & Monson Arne Monson
ICBA   Scott Brown
ICBA Securities Jim Reber
IntraFi Network Danny Capitel
Kasasa Ryan Busenitz
Newcleus JR Llewellyn
Point to Point Environmental Nithin Nair 
QwickRate Melissa Wallace
SBA Works Rob Hughes
SHAZAM Alex Jernigan
STS Group Adam Stephens
Travelers Diana Baker
United Bankers' Bank Trey Moore
Vericast Janine Ciranni
Warren Averett Josh Bowen


Hotel Information:

The CBA room block is currently closed.  If you need to cancel your hotel room resevation please contact Ellen Shea at ellen@cbaofga.com 
  
Check-In and Check-Out Time:
Check-In at the hotel is 4:00 pm and check-out is at 12:00 pm.
 
Reservation Cancellations:
All rooms are subjected to The Charleston Place cancellation policy. Any reservations canceled within seven (7) days or less prior to arrival will be subjected to one-night’s room and tax.

Things to See & Do In Charleston from Explore Charleston

  

CONNECT Speakers

Aaron Davis
Aaron Davis
Attitude Expert-Author-High Energy Keynote Speaker
Thursday Keynote Speaker
Andrew Couse
Andrew Couse
First Bank of Clewiston Executive Vice President
Future of Banking Conversation
Brian Rhonemus
Brian Rhonemus
Rhonemus Group
The Plan for Succession & Success
Chris Bates
Chris Bates
CEO AgoraEversole
Balancing Your Marketing Budget
Dan Baum
Dan Baum
Federal Reserve System’s FedNowSM Vice President & Head of Payments Product Management...
Future of Banking Conversation
David Noël
David Noël
EVP Support Services Genesys Technology Group
Navigating the New Era of Banking
David Ruffin
David Ruffin
Principal QwickRate
Credit Quality
Derek Williams
Derek Williams
ICBA Chairman President & CEO Century Bank & Trust
ICBA Update
Jeb Blazevich
Jeb Blazevich
UGA Football Alumni, Employee Benefits Broker | Coun...
Connection: How to Build a Connected Team
Lindsey Piegza
Lindsey Piegza
Ph.D., Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated Managing Director, Chief Economist
Economic Outlook
Lori Godfrey
Lori Godfrey
Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff Community Bankers Association of Georgia
Community Banking Trends
Neil Stanley
Neil Stanley
CorePoint Founder & CEO
Winning the Battle for Deposits
Neil Stevens
Neil Stevens
CEO Oconee State Bank
How to Build a Connected Team - Moderator
Pat Dix
Pat Dix
Vice President of Strategic Alliances SHAZAM
Future of Banking Conversation
Randy Gravitt
Randy Gravitt
Author, Speaker, Podcaster, & Executive Coach
Saturday Keynote Speaker
Rennie Curran
Rennie Curran
UGA Football Alumni Keynote Speaker, Author, Leadership & Business Coach...
Connection: How to Build a Connected Team
Thomas Settles
Thomas Settles
UGA FCA Chaplain
Connection: How to Build a Connected Team