Board Member Spotlight 10/14/25

With more than 31 years of experience in banking, Mike Sale of The Commercial Bank, has built his career on relationships, integrity, and community. As a member of the Athens Technical College Board of Directors, he remains deeply involved in supporting local growth and education.

Mike believes community banking is the perfect expression of servant leadership—putting people before profit and focusing on what truly matters: relationships, community development, and personalized service. “We know better than most that a rising tide lifts all boats,” he says. “When our actions are good for our customers and communities, they’re good for the bank too.”

Outside of work, Mike and his wife, Angie, enjoy spending time with their family. Their daughter Amber, a UGA graduate, is in her fourth year of medical school at Brown University. Their son Mason, a Georgia Tech graduate, lives in Charlotte with his wife Lauren, also a Tech alum; he works for Carolina Foods, and she’s with USB Wealth Management. Their youngest, Amelia, graduated from UGA and is completing her final year in the Augusta College/MCG Occupational Therapy program, following in her mother’s footsteps.

With 30 years of experience in banking, Mark Thompson of GB Bank Group/Glennville Bank exemplifies the true spirit of servant leadership through his work and community involvement. His bank recently helped finance the first new housing development in Glennville in several years and continues to support growth across the region, driven by the Hyundai plant. Mark has played a key role in projects providing new housing, rental properties, and loans to support small business development throughout the community.

Outside of banking, he serves as an elder at Ella Grove Baptist Church and has held leadership roles in three Rotary Clubs, remaining a proud Rotarian at heart. He also volunteers as a coach and referee at the local recreation department, demonstrating his commitment to youth and community engagement. Passionate about both service and mentorship, Mark values the role of community banking in helping families achieve home-ownership, entrepreneurs grow their businesses, and young professionals develop into future leaders. With a background in education, he takes special pride in guiding the next generation of community bankers through his work and involvement with the CBA LEAD board.

Mark and his wife, Christy, have been married for nearly 30 years and are the proud parents of three daughters—Madeline, Emily, and Savvy. Deeply devoted to his faith, Mark finds his greatest purpose in serving his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through his family, church, and community. In his spare time, he enjoys cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs and Atlanta Braves and watching his daughters, nephews, and nieces compete in sports.