June 21, 2023

Neil Stevens, Oconee State Bank, Watkinsville 
Elected as Chair of Community Bankers Association of Georgia

Neil Stevens, President & CEO, Oconee State Bank, Watkinsville, was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of Community Bankers Association of Georgia (CBA). Nominations for the 2023-24 CBA Board of Directors were announced and approved at CBA’s Annual convention held June 7 – 11, 2023 at The Charleston Place in Charleston, SC. His term began June 8, 2023.

 “The CBA Board of Directors consists of some of the most well respected and dedicated community bankers in the state,’ stated John McNair, President & CEO, Community Bankers Association of Georgia. “As a result of the Board’s collective commitment to CBA, the association is now widely recognized as a leading organization both in state and nationally. I am excited to welcome the new members to the Board and looking forward to executing the Board’s strategy and vision to best serve the community banks in Georgia and the southeast region.”   

Board members are selected from two divisions across the state of Georgia, ensuring all Georgia community banks are equally represented. Board members are elected to a one-year term. During the year, directors will be involved in several items on behalf of the CBA membership, such as responding to proposed rules and regulations from the various regulatory agencies, reviewing services which will benefit the community banking industry, and weighing in on proposed legislation.

Jessica Hudson Named CBA LEAD Board Chair

Congratulations to Jessica Hudson, AVP/Loan Operations Officer, First National Bank of Coffee County, Douglas, who was named the 2023-2024 LEAD Board Chair at CBA’s Annual Convention CONNECT, in Charleston, SC.  CBA President & CEO John McNair, expressed his appreciation to Chris Cochran, Senior Vice President, Commercial Banking, Affinity Bank, Atlanta, for his leadership and success as the outgoing 2022-2023 LEAD Board Chair.

LEAD stands for Leadership, Education, Advocacy, Development. ​Each year designated LEAD Board Members are assigned to specific committees designed to promote and assist CBA Board initiatives.  Learn more.

A Night to Remember:
Supporting Advocacy Efforts Speakeasy Style!

Casino tables, 1920’s attire, cork pull, and silent auction made for a fun night at CBA’s Speakeasy event supporting community bank advocacy efforts.  Held at the The Riviera, a revitalized art deco theater, convention attendees enjoyed desserts, beverages, music and competition at the blackjack, poker, roulette, and craps tables.  Guests enjoyed the popular Cork Pull for a chance at bottles of wine or bourbon.  The Silent Auction featured a variety of cool items including sporting events, jewelry, electronics, and much more. Thanks to everyone who dressed in theme, donated to the auction, and supported these important fundraising efforts.

Special Thanks to Connect Sponsors and Exhibitors: 

CBA’s 2023 convention, CONNECT, would not be possible without the support of our valued sponsors and exhibitors.  Thank you for your continued support!

View the full list of Sponsors.

View the full list of exhibitors.

Click here to view all CONNECT 2023 photos 

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Attention North Georgia Bankers –
Dalton Town Hall Talk is Tomorrow!
Oakwood Cafe, Downtown Dalton
11:00 am  - 1:45 pm

Click here to find out more details. 

June 22 - Dalton  July 12 - Waycross  

July 13 - Vidalia  July 20 - Bainbridge

Town Hall Talks are a multi-location Grassroots alternative to a Day at the Dome for you to meet your legislators in person.  We are proud to host these bankers only events where attendees will have the opportunity to engage with  legislators in a Q&A session and hear their perspectives on legislative issues that may impact community banks.

 

We are excited to announce the partnership with the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) at the Dalton event.  Bankers, we encourage you to invite any small business clients to join and attend.  Attendees will be presented with CBA updates, programs, insights on the upcoming legislative session, and most importantly, meet & greet legislators.

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ATL vs PIT, Sept 9th - CBA of Georgia

CBA takes you out to the ballgame. Root, root, root for the CBA Team!

Join us for the Braves vs Pirates game on September 9th, where $14 of every ticket sold goes to support CBA’s Advocacy efforts. Subject to availability.

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

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ICBA hosting two-day ThinkTECH Accelerator event this month

ICBA is hosting a two-day ThinkTECH Accelerator event live in Atlanta and via livestream. The event will feature:

• Wednesday, June 28: Demo Day featuring presentations showcasing the six fintech participants’ real-time payments and deposit 1 1 focused products and services.
• Thursday, June 29: ThinkTECH in an Instant featuring 15-minute breakout sessions and office hours with the Accelerator cohort.

Register for the Live Event and learn more here.

Register for the Virtual Event and learn more here

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Community Banking Podcast Features Neil Stevens, Richy Everly and John McNair  

Recorded from the floor of the 2023 CBA of Georgia Annual Conference and Trade Show, Skip Willcox talks community banking in this mini-podcast with CBA President/CEO John McNair, Outgoing CBA Chair and President/CEO of Bank of Wrightsville Richy Everly and Incoming CBA Chair and President/CEO of Oconee State Bank Neil Stevens. Together, they share the mission of CBA and why community banking matters to people in general. Click here for Big Skip Energy Podcast. 

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Bill Gower, Chief Operating Officer, Senior Lender and Director, Farmers and Merchants Bank, Eatonton, has announced his plans to retire on June 30, 2023. He will remain a director of the holding company, Putnam Greene Financial Corporation, and two affiliates, Farmers & Merchants Bank and The Farmers Bank.
	Bank President and CEO Doyce Mullis, President & CEO, First Bank of Coastal Georgia, Pembroke, has announced his plans to retire on July 5, 2023.
David Keith, Vice President, South Georgia Banking Company, Omega, recently celebrated his 50th anniversary at the bank.
	Joy Godwin joined First Port City Bank, Bainbridge, as AVP/Deposit Operations Supervisor.
Southern Bankshares, Inc. Announces Majority Purchase by New Investor Group  Southern Bankshares, Inc., the holding company of The Claxton Bank, announced a new investor group has agreed to purchase a controlling ownership position in the Company from the current majority shareholder. The investor group is led by individuals from Jacksonville, Florida who have a successful track record of leading and investing in banks and other financial services companies. Philip Williams, the Company’s President and CEO, will continue in a senior leadership role focused on serving the bank’s customers in Claxton, Richmond Hill and other Georgia markets.
	Citizens Trust Bank and Unity National Bank are among 16 minority-focused banks loaning to the NFL.  Read more.
Signature Bank of Georgia, Sandy Springs announces the following staff changes: Anna Conley has been named Group Vice President and Director of Loan Operations. Tierra Styles has joined the Loan Operations Team. Nadia Perrmann, formerly Director of Loan Operations, will take on new responsibilities in her role as Group Vice President and Credit and Compliance Coordinator. Read more.

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• Fed publishes master account database

• FDIC revises guidance on re-presentment fees

• CFPB working to streamline mortgage-servicing rules

• Cotton Marketing News

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Live Virtual Learning: How to Generate More Profit and Add More Discipline and Consistency to Your Pricing Process

Are you 100% comfortable with the method you employ today to set rates on loans and deposits?  At times, do you worry that you are just matching the competition or sometimes that your lenders are more concerned with giving the customer a good deal vs. making money for the bank?  The session will cover:

• Methods to establish more discipline in pricing
• If I don’t just match the competition, how do I win more business?
• Increasing profit through a more formal pricing process
• How to gain lender buy-in

Learn more and register.

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Live Virtual Learning:  Fraud Fusion Center – A New Strategy to Combat Cyber Fraud

June 22, 2023 | 1:00 pm

The Fraud Fusion Center is a new strategy in the fight to combat cyber fraud. In a collaborative effort, people across various agencies, departments, and roles gather and share information which is then analyzed to identify patterns, trends, and potential threats. Experts will host a round table discussion about cyber fraud, current threats, best practices, and more with industry peers and experts. Learn more and register.

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Janine Ciranni   
Account Executive III, Key Accounts      janine.ciranni@vericast.com               
704-526-7910      https://www.vericast.com/solutions/financial/

 

Vericast, formerly Harland Clarke, offers solutions to create better engagement and superior customer experiences that deliver profitable growth. Services range from  check solutions to customer acquisition to marketing and call center support.

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