Announcing Winners of the 2026 Julian & Jan Hester Memorial Scholarship

Congratulations to the winners of the Julian and Jan Hester Memorial Scholarship, which is funded by CBA and its membership. Each year, CBA awards four $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors attending a college, university or technical school in Georgia in the fall. Congratulations to:

The scholarship is named for the late Jan Hester, daughter of Lalia and the late Julian Hester, long-time CEO of the CBA. To compete, students must write a short essay on the characteristics of a community bank, and the continuing benefits they offer to their home communities.

“CBA is proud of these exceptional students and wish them well as they pursue their educational goals,” stated John McNair, President & CEO of CBA. “Each recipient demonstrated impressive academic achievement, leadership and dedication to their communities. The selection process was highly competitive, and the caliber of applicants continues to reflect the remarkable talent and character of today’s graduating seniors.”

This year’s scholarship program was led by LEAD Board Members Linda Smith, Embassy National Bank and Jay Funderburke, South Georgia Banking Company, whose leadership helped drive strong participation and contributed to the program’s continued success.

Special thanks to the 2026 judges: Dr. Marguerite Brickman, University of Georgia, Athens; Kara Szczepaniec, Eclipse Brand Builders; and Linda Smith, Embassy National Bank.