Fall 2019 Georgia Communities First Magazine

GeorgiaCommunitiesFirst Official Publication of the Community Bankers Association of Georgia

Fall 2019

INSIDE 2019-2020

Board of

Directors Successful

Annual Convention

Lifetime

Service Awards Announcing 2020

Scholarships Professional Development

Opportunities

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contents Fall 2019

C B A S TA F F John McNair President & CEO john@cbaofga.com Lori Godfrey Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff, Government and Regulatory Relations lori@cbaofga.com

f e at u r e d

15

9

30

26

Kristi Greer Senior Vice President Professional Development kristi@cbaofga.com Lisa McNair Director of Finance lisa@cbaofga.com Tammy Maass Vice President, Accounting tammy@cbaofga.com Lindsay Greene Vice President Member Services, Marketing and Communications lindsay@cbaofga.com Jeremy Thomens Assistant Vice President Marketing and Communications jeremy@cbaofga.com Cassie Conklin Assistant Vice President Digital Strategy and Professional Development Marketing cassie@cbaofga.com Connie Shepard Assistant Vice President Professional Development and Member Engagement connie@cbaofga.com Donna Coutant Professional Development Associate donna@cbaofga.com

21 Delivering Much Needed Aid to

the Bahamas

2

“The Only Thing Constant is Change”

3

Our Path For the Future is Clear

5

2019-2020 Board of Directors

6

General Counsel Corner: What’s Up With Hemp? – Updates on Hemp Regulation

trends

t h e l at e s t

22 Investing in a Flat Yield Curve Without

Getting Burned 25 Need to Know: Digital Life Insurance 101 p ro f es s i o n a l d e v e lo p m e n t

7

CBA’s Fall PAC/PR Clay Shoot

26 Upcoming Opportunities

9

CBA Visits College Career Fairs

29 Webinars

15 Highlights from 51st Annual

Convention & Mini-Trade Show

member services

30 Lifetime Service Awards s p ot l i g h ts

18 Preferred Service Provider

Spotlight: Scott Couch, STS Group

33 CBA’s 2020 Scholarships

Cover: CBA visits Athens for UGA Career Fair (Page 9) s ta y connected

@CBAofGeorgia

@CBAGeorgia

@company/ cbaofgeorgia

Community Bankers Association of Georgia | 1900 The Exchange, Suite 600, Atlanta, GA 30339 (770) 541-4490 or (800) 648-8215 • Fax (770) 541-4496 | www.cbaofga.com • cba@cbaofga.com Fal l 2 0 1 9 | G e org i a Co m m un i ti es F i rs t | 1

Vantage Point

“The Only Thing Constant is Change” – Heraclitus (Greek Philosopher)

While reading ancient Greek philosophy is not a past time of mine, I have always found this quote to be especially meaningful for so many different reasons. As community bankers, we know the meaning of this quote first-hand. Our business is changing literally before our eyes. What might have been cutting edge last year is now standard today. Since September 30th is CBA’s fiscal year-end, I thought I would summarize some of the key changes made at the association and preview some new ones for the coming year.

OPERATIONS: CBA significantly upgraded its technology and overall operational practices in FY2019. We transitioned the phone system to VoIP, moved our computer system into the cloud and will transition fully to a virtual desktop environment by December 31st. Additionally, we have gone fully digital with our magazine and brochures and have modernized our web site to be more graphically pleasing, end user functional, and to integrate fully with our CRM. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Under the leadership of Ms. Kristi Greer, for 2020, CBA will fully modernize our curriculum to meet the today’s needs and prepare community bankers for tomorrow. Along with the programming quality enhancements, CBA’s education offerings will be held at various strategic locations throughout the state as opposed to CBA headquarters. Additionally, we significantly enhanced our convention agenda to include more educational opportunities for attendees. This change was received well by our community bankers as witnessed by the overall convention attendance. CBA’s annual convention had the most bankers it has had in over 10 years! Based on the convention success, we will implement similar for our Spring Meetings and the Leadership Convention. Kristi and her team are in the final stages to completing the overall education calendar to be on the lookout for some great educational opportunities in 2020.

ADVOCACY: With the passage of SB157 and the bill signing at CBA headquarters by Governor Kemp, CBA has established itself as the leading advocacy representative for Georgia’s community banking industry. Candidly, CBA

2 | ww w.cbaofga.co m | Fall 2019

John McNair President & CEO Community Bankers Association of Georgia

needed an attitudinal shift with respect to advocacy and I am proud to say your CBA staff has answered the call. For the 2020 legislative session, we are preparing an aggressive campaign. While I am not prepared to outline our agenda just yet, I will state that CBA will be taking on some pretty significant issues that have long been ignored.

FINANCIAL GROWTH: As a result of having few community banks, the last few years have been challenging for the CBA financially. I am pleased to say the CBA is on track to close the fiscal year 2019 out in positive territory and will show positive budget growth for FY2020. Additionally, CBA has made the decision to sell our headquarters and move into leased space on or before December 1, 2019. The proceeds of the sale will enable CBA to act on several strategic initiatives to further advance the community bank agenda for many years to come.

As you can tell, lots of changes at CBA over the past 12 months. I think Heraclitus would be proud of our collective efforts!

In closing, I would like to thank the entire CBA membership and Board of Directors for their support this entire year. Your CBA Executive Committee chaired by Mr. Tim Jones worked exceptionally hard to provide direction and guidance as well.

I am excited to welcome back our returning Board members and to work with our eight (8) new members. Chairman Ron Quinn takes the helm October 1 and while he has big shoes to fill, I am confident he will guide CBA to even greater heights for FY2020!

From the Top

Our Path For the Future is Clear

First, I would like to thank you all for allowing me the honor of serving as the Chairman of the CBA for fiscal year 2020.

As we begin a new year, the Community Banker Association of Georgia is poised to continue as a strong advocate of business in our state.

Georgia for the sixth year in a row has been named the #1 state in the U.S. in which to do business. The community banks in Georgia account for eighty percent of the loans made to small business and agribusiness statewide. In 2018, 322 new businesses were started in Georgia, of which 74% were outside of metro Atlanta. The network of community banks is strong and only getting stronger. Estimates are that by year-end 2019 the number of banks in Georgia will decline to 159, which include all announced mergers and acquisitions, and the formation of two new banks in our state.

The first de novo actively that we have seen in eleven years.

Georgia Department of Banking and Finance Commissioner, Kevin Hagler has stated he would like to see a community bank in every county in Georgia. Ironically, there are 159 counties in Georgia. Competition among community banks statewide is healthy. Community bankers are all working to make the communities we serve stronger. Local deposits in community banks are deployed to make loans needed to help support local business and support agribusiness, the number one industry in Georgia.

Ron Quinn President & CEO Peach State Bank & Trust, Gainesville 2019-2020 CBA Chairman

have the green light to grow. There is a new energy at the Community Bankers Association of Georgia with our new President John McNair. John’s past experience with over 14 years serving at the national level promoting community banking with the ICBA will continue to enhance the missions and purpose of the CBA of Georgia. The energy level, passion, and commitment for Community Banking instilled

by John is contagious. We all need to jump on board and get involved with our association. By sending staff for education, regional meetings, and annual conventions we will make our Association grow and prosper. The CBA welcomes all bankers with the love of supporting your community and the value that community bankers provide to grow business, families, and individuals to tell your story. Send in articles for the weekly newsletter to tell what you are doing in your communities. Community Banking is the backbone of our state. Our path for the future is clear with perfect vision!

Let’s all move from 2019 to 20/20.

We have all enjoyed the highest employment numbers in the history of Georgia and the lowest unemployment numbers in the last 19 years. Georgia is ranked #1 for job training with a skilled labor force. As bankers we need to begin rebuilding the number and quality of future bankers to continue to grow the banking industry. The CBA’s initiative to work with University’s around Georgia to provide interns for community banks will be a major stride in accomplishing this goal.

Georgia is also ranked as the #1 state in the “Ease of Doing Business with State and Local governments.” With the current leadership of Governor Kemp and his proven commitment to Georgia business, we as community bankers

Fal l 2 0 1 9 | G e org i a Co m m un i ti es F i rs t | 3

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Meet the Board

Welcome CBA Board of Directors!

2019-2020 Chairman

Chairman-Elect

Vice Chairman

Treasurer

Debra Weil Bran Thompson Ron Quinn David Lance South Georgia Peach State Bank & Greater Community Community Banking Company Bank, Glennville Trust, Gainesville Bank, Rome of Fitzgerald Division 2 Chair

Division 3 Chair

Neil Stevens Clark Hungerford Oconee State Vinings Bank, Bank, Watkinsville Smyrna Member at Large

Jolene Carroll Bank of Eastman

Member at Large

Corey Gibbs Community Banking Company of Fitzgerald

Division 4 Chair

Division 5 Chair

Scott Curry Derek Williams First State Bank of Century Bank & Trust, Milledgeville Randolph County, Cuthbert Member at Large

Frank Griffin Flint Community Bank, Albany

Member at Large

Member at Large/ 2019-2020 LD Chairman

Member at Large/ President & CEO

Kelly Stone Community Bank of Georgia, Baxley

Greg Proffitt Newton Federal Bank, Covington

John McNair CBA of Georgia, Atlanta

Immediate Past Chairman

At Large

Division 1 Chair

Tim Jones Citizens Community Bank, Valdosta

Lee Clark First State Bank, Wrens

Shannon Henry Bank of Dade, Trenton

Division 6 Chair

Division 7 Chair

Ex-Officio/ ICBA

Stephen Lewis First National Bank of Coffee County, Douglas

Member at Large

Member at Large

Chuck Harwell Community Bank of Dublin – Laurens County

Jane Lawson First Peoples Bank, Pine Mountain

Paul Bennett Richy Everly Bank of Wrightsville Pineland Bank, Alma Member at Large

Member at Large

Ray Muggridge Bank of Camilla

Mike Sale The Commercial Bank, Crawford

General Council

Dan Brannan James-BatesBrannan-GrooverLLP, Atlanta Fal l 2 0 1 9 | G e org i a Co m m un i ti es F i rs t | 5

Corner GENERAL COUNSEL

legal news and updates for cba members

Have a topic you would like to see covered in “General Counsel Corner?”

Email us at generalcounselcorner @ jamesbatesllp.com

cbahotline

@ jamesbatesllp.com

Michael N. White

Attorney (478) 749-9921

mwhite@jamesbatesllp.com

Corrie E. Hall

Attorney (478) 749-9949

chall@jamesbatesllp.com

David B. Anderson

Fall 2019

What’s up with Hemp? – Updates on Hemp Regulation

By Michael N. White, Corrie E. Hall and David B. Anderson

The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (“Farm Bill”) was a groundbreaking piece of federal legislation, igniting a legal hemp industry throughout the United States. As a result, many farmers and business owners are seeking to break into production, distribution, or retail of hemp or hemp derived products. However, federal and state agencies are still working to create a legal framework for the hemp industry, leaving many financial institutions with questions about banking hemp-related businesses. This article briefly explains the Farm Bill, corresponding federal and state regulatory actions and provides practical guidance for financial institutions dealing with hemp-related customers.

The Farm Bill became effective January 1, 2018. The Farm Bill, among other things, removed hemp – defined as the cannabis plant with not more than 0.3% delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) on a dry weight basis – and hemp-derived products from the definition of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”).

The Farm Bill also legalized the cultivation, production and distribution of hemp throughout the United States, subject to regulations promulgated by the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”). The Farm Bill also provided for state regulation of state hemp industries, provided that these state regulations are approved by the USDA and do not interfere with interstate transportation of hemp.

With the passage of the Farm Bill, interest in the hemp industry has skyrocketed across the United States.

Much of this focus has been on businesses that sell cannabidiol (“CBD”), a cannabinoid that derived from hemp. Yet federal and state regulatory frameworks for hemp and hemp-derived products are still very much under development.

In March 2019, the USDA held a listening session for public input on hemp regulations. The USDA has not promulgated any hemp regulations yet, but has promised that these regulations will be implemented prior to the 2020 growing season. On July 10, 2019, the Georgia Department of Agriculture published a notice of intent to consider the adoption of “Hemp Growers and Processors Rules” (“Proposed Rules”), which remained open for public comment until August 10, 2019. These Proposed Rules indicate how Georgia intends to license and regulate the cultivation and distribution of hemp and hemp-derived products. However, under the Farm Bill, these Proposed Rules must be approved by the USDA. This creates the classic Catch-22 – Georgia’s regulations are ready, but cannot be implemented until approved by the USDA, and the USDA’s own regulatory framework has not been finalized.

expressly preserved the Food and Drug Administration’s (“FDA”) authority to regulate the use of hemp in food and drug products. This includes CBD products, which is a burgeoning market. The FDA has approved one CBD drug for use with certain pediatric seizures, but has not otherwise approved any hemp or CBD drug. However, the FDA has not approved the use of CBD in products that are marketed for a therapeutic or medicinal use.

The FDA has sent warning letters to those marketing CBD products for this use to cease and desist. Further, the FDA has not approved the use of CBD products as additives in foods, such as dietary supplements or conventional food. The FDA has only approved the use of hulled hemp seeds, hemp seed protein and hemp seed oil in conventional food products. There are no approved uses of hemp or CBD products in animal food. In May 2019, the FDA held a public hearing to obtain scientific data and information concerning the use of hemp or CBD products and solicited electronic documentation or comments. The FDA is currently evaluating how to address hemp and the use of CBD oils in food and drug products.

Financial institutions should continuously remain abreast of ongoing regulatory notices and publications, as the hemp legal landscape is in constant flux. Once state and federal regulations are in place, financial institutions should be mindful of their requirements and conduct appropriate due diligence to ensure compliance. This due diligence should be strong on two fronts: (1) the financial institution’s monitoring and conducting of its customers to ensure that the customers are in compliance with federal and state regulations on hemp and hemp-derived products; and (2) the financial institution’s reporting and compliance with its own regulators’ requirements with respect to hemp and hemp-derived industries. Customer due diligence is particularly important, given the 0.3% THC by dry weight threshold requirement; this is because hemp or hemp products above this 0.3% requirement remain subject to the CSA and are illegal.

Right now, without further state or regulatory guidance, financial institutions increase risk when banking customers that are selling hemp or hemp-derived products such as CBD, without a guarantee that their customers are following state and federal guidelines.

This emphasizes the importance of remaining informed and seeking guidance as these issues emerge until further direction from state and federal regulators.

This should also lead financial institutions to internally discuss what their risk tolerance is with respect to these businesses and determine how best to engage in ongoing due diligence, without taxing existing resources.

Hemp cultivation and distribution are not the only hemp-related industries in limbo. The Farm Bill also

Attorney (478) 336-5517

danderson@jamesbatesllp.com

PRESENTED BY GEORGIA’S LAW FIRM:

6 | ww w.cbaofga.co m | Fall 2019 OFFICES MACON + ATLANTA

“General Counsel Corner,” a recurring column featuring legal news and information of interest to CBA members, is brought to you by James-Bates-Brannan-Groover-LLP. Visit us at GeorgiasLawFirm.com

The Latest

Fall Clay Shoot Scores Big for CBA’s PAC/PR On Thursday, October 10th, CBA’s Leadership Division hosted another successful PAC/PR Clay Shoot. The event was held at Burge Plantation in Mansfield. Over 60 bankers and Associate Members came out and helped raise money for CBA’s PAC/PR Funds. The CBA maintains the only state PAC working exclusively for Georgia’s community banks.

“Our sporting clay shoots continue to be a fun experience for everyone involved,” stated John McNair, President & CEO of CBA of Georgia. “We couldn’t be more appreciative of the turnout and support for this worthy cause.“

Many scored an impressive 70 or higher. The top shooter in the morning flight with an 81 was Jody Porter, Pinnacle Bank, Elberton, and the top shooter in the afternoon flight with an 89 was Jerry Dowdy, First State Bank, Wrens.

Other Prizes: Congratulations to Rob Hughes, SBA Works, for being the lucky winner of the Winchester SX4 12-Gauge Shotgun sold by Pawn Pro, Inc. in Covington. This event’s raffle sponsor was Eclipse Brand Builders.

Congratulations go out to our 1st and 2nd Highest Scoring Teams!

First Place Team – First State Bank, Wrens, (l-r): Lee Clark, Jerry Dowdy, Brian Whitaker, Haynes Standard, and Trapper/Score-keeper, Jessi Englert, The Independent Bankers Bank

Second Place Team – The Citizens Bank of Cochran and Community Bank of Dublin—Laurens County (l-r): Brian Bazemore, B.J. Coody, Chuck Harwell, Matt Fordham, and Trapper/Score-keeper, Tara Williams, Newton Federal Bank

Shotgun Raffle Winner – Rob Hughes, SBA Works (center) with sponsor Michael Smith, Eclipse Brand Builders (left), and CBA’s John McNair (right)

Thank You To Our Sponsors!

Premier Sponsor

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20 Gauge Sponsors

28 Gauge Sponsors

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Drink Sponsor

Shotgun Sponsor

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Membership Sponsor

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Fal l 2 0 1 9 | G e org i a Co m m un i ti es F i rs t | 7

THE FUTURE OF

COMMUNITY BANKING

IS SO BRIGHT, BETTER BRING TO ORLANDO MARCH 8–12 GAYLORD PALMS RESORT & CONVENTION CENTER

Join fellow bankers and innovators at ICBA LIVE to support the community banking industry.

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REGISTER EARLY TO RECEIVE PERKS: WWW.ICBA.ORG/LIVE2020

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The Latest

CBA Represents Community Banks at College Career Fairs promote the role community banks play in their communities, and share the prospective opportunities for students at community banks. The CBA team has since been actively collecting resumes from students and connecting them with community bankers.

One of CBA’s key initiatives for 2020 is to advance talent acquisition for Georgia’s community banks. CBA has recently been active at career fairs for the University of Georgia, Georgia Southern University, and Kennesaw State University.

At each fair, CBA has been engaged with students to spread awareness of community banks across the state,

CBA has encouraged students to post their resumes on the Career Center

on CBA’s website. Students can post their resumes, as well as search for open positions at community banks.

Posting job opportunities and searching for available candidates on the Career Center is open only to CBA members.

Visit CBA’s Career Center at web. cbaofga.com/jobbank.

(l-r): Lisa McNair; Cassie Conklin; John McNair, Lisa & Debra Weil, Chair of CBA’s Vision 2020 subcommittee

Fal l 2 0 1 9 | G e org i a Co m m un i ti es F i rs t | 9

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The Latest

CBA and IBSC Expand Professional Development for SC Community Banks​ The Community Bankers Association of Georgia and the Independent Banks of South Carolina are pleased to announce a partnership to expand community bank Professional Development programming in South Carolina. CBA’s regional professional development division, the Southeastern Community Bankers Association, will offer its full professional development curriculum to all community bank members of the IBSC effective October 1, 2019.

Members of IBSC will be able to avail their organizations to all of SECBA’s programming at member rates.

“It is an honor for CBA to partner with IBSC to offer community bank specific education to the great community bankers of the Palmetto state,” said

John McNair, President & CEO of Community Bankers Association of Georgia (CBA). “Teresa is one of the best association executives in the country and IBSC members are of some of the finest, most dedicated community bankers anywhere.”

“The IBSC is excited to have this opportunity to work with CBA of Georgia. John and his team have one of the most robust education programs in our industry, explained Teresa Taylor, Executive Director, Independent Banks of South Carolina. “Every seminar is planned by community bankers for community bankers, so our members leave with knowledge they can use immediately!

“As an adult education practitioner, I am overjoyed at the chance to build this partnership. It will increase the number of community bankers whom can benefit from the excellent instructional techniques, timely topics and professional growth opportunities to support the industry,” stated Kristi Greer, M.Ed., Senior Vice President, Professional Development, Community Bankers Association of Georgia. Read the full press release.

Fal l 2 0 1 9 | G e org i a Com m un i ti es F i rs t | 11

The Latest

CBA Hosts Conferences and Classes for Community Bankers CBA has been busy this fall offering several high-level programs across the state designed for bankers of all positions. Here are some highlights of our recent programs.

Community Bankers Earn CBA’s 2019 Leadership Academy Certificate On September 18th, community bank leaders received their certificate for completing CBA’s four-part series, Community Bank Leadership Academy. Taught and facilitated by David Branch, Darla Harms and Dianne Barton, the series focuses on understanding personality profiles, mindset alignment, leadership traits and learning how to successfully use this personal and professional development in the bank.

The 2019 graduates are: Chris Acker, American Commerce Bank, Bremen; Chip Davis, Family Bank, Pelham; Matt Fordham, The Citizens Bank of Cochran; Kristy Harrell, First Port City Bank, Bainbridge; Angie Hendrix, The Claxton Bank; Jessica Hudson, First National Bank of Coffee County, Douglas; William Hurt, Planters First Bank, Cordele; Shanna Jackson, The Claxton Bank; Stephanie Jordan, SunMark Community Bank, Hawkinsville; Alan Patterson, Vinings Bank, Smyrna; Nikki Sorrells, Newton Federal Bank, Covington; Mani Swarnam, Georgia Primary Bank, Atlanta; Natalie Woodall, UnitedBank, Griffin.

Thank you to our sponsors, James-Bates-Brannan-Groover LLP, Point to Point Environmental, STS Group, and Warren Averett.

CBA Hosts Bank Security and Workplace Violence Conference On September 19th, bankers got together at Lanier Islands Legacy Lodge to learn the four types of workplace violence, warning signs, unusual behaviors, the impact to work and people, how to be mentally prepared, and what to do in the event of an incident. We also had a bank security officer, bank security subject matter expert, outline his experiences, best practices and how to build a business plan to get what your bank needs to keep employees safe. Our participants left with knowledge of security tools that can be put into place to support the safe working environment.

We would like to thank our speakers, Carol Dodgen, Bill Wineman, Randy Bullock & Courtney Bedenbaugh for teaching at this excellent program.

Freddy Thomspon, Vidalia Federal Savings Bank shared “facility was great, enjoyed meeting the people and having time to share stories and experience.” Henry Kelser, Northeast Georgia Bank commented “very good, strong presentation, practical application.”

Thank you to our sponsors, ATM Response, CashTrans, Consolidated Banking Services, Inc., Dodgen Security, and STS Group.

1 2 | ww w.cbaofga.co m | Fal l 2019

The Latest Bankers Gather in Savannah for CBA’s Annual Cyber Risk Summit Just under 50 bankers gathered in Savannah on August 22-23 to participate in CBA’s annual Cyber Risk Summit. The program kicked off with Ron Plesco, a former prosecutor who is an internationally known information security and privacy attorney who brought eye opening information that increased our knowledge of cyber vulnerabilities. Ron brought examples of cyber forensics that gave us all a new way to think about the risks of fraudulent activity. The program was packed full of knowledge building opportunities.

ISO’s had the chance to consider how and what to educate their bank’s board of directors in terms of IT and cyber crime, presented by Richard Snitzer, IT specialist from the FDIC. Bankers had opportunities to network and share best practices throughout the conference as cyber experts presented topics that allowed our participants to create action plans that will bring value to your community banks.

Thank you to our sponsors, BBVA Compass, CBIZ, Finosec, Fiserv, Safe Systems, and SHAZAM. To learn more about upcoming Professional Development opportunities relevant for your bank, turn to page 26 or visit www.cbaofga.com.

save the dates Banker Regulatory Forum Thursday, November 7, 2019 Vinings Bank, Smyrna

Day at the Dome Wednesday, February 7, 2018 State Capitol & Georgia Freight Depot, Atlanta

Charlie Curry Memorial Clay Shoot Wednesday, September 30, 2020 Wynfield Plantation, Albany

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The Latest

Energy Abounds at CBA’s Annual Convention

CBA’s 51st Annual Convention did not disappoint! Bankers, Associate Members, regulators and legislators came together for an exciting few days full of education, networking and takeaways.

The convention kicked off with the Casino Night and Silent/Live Auction, raising money for CBA’s PAC/PR Fund.

The General Session began with a Conversation with the Regulators, the Mini-Trade show featuring top financial services providers from across the country, information on fintech solutions for community banks, and a “State of the State” address from Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan.

sessions were held covering a variety of topics ranging from BOLI, liquidity management, executive succession planning, Georgia’s ag economy, digital transformation, future of payments, and human resources. The convention ended with the Chairman’s Reception & Banquet. ​ ankers and Associate Members also B collected much needed hurricane relief supplies which were delivered to Miami and to Freeport Bahamas by Scott and Carrie Couch, STS Group and Cassie Conklin from CBA.

Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan

CBA is thankful for the support and participation of our invaluable Sponsors and Exhibitors!

On Saturday, Kevin Tweddle from ICBA spoke on how innovation and fintech will shape the future of banking. Robert Fisher, ICBA Vice Chair, provided an ICBA update, and Ronald Sims, FDIC, discussed economic and banking trends in Georgia. A very popular session was “Options for Municipal Deposits Post SB 157, facilitated by Senator John F. Kennedy. Seven concurrent

Scott & Carrie Couch, Cassie Conklin

Incoming 2019-2020 Chairman Ron Quinn and Tim & Bobbie Jones

CBA’s popular Silent Auction

Fal l 2 0 1 9 | G e org i a Com m un i ti es F i rs t | 15

Scenes from Amelia Island

F a l l 2 0 1 7 | G e orgia Comm unities Firs t | 16

The Latest

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Platinum sponsors

silver sponsors

bronze sponsors

General sponsors

individual event sponsors

Board Appreciation Reception & Dinner Co-Sponsors

Chairman’s Reception & Banquet Co-Sponsors

Hotel Key Cards

Financial Institutions Group

Welcome Refreshments & Bottled Water

Convention Program

Thursday Night Desserts and Coffee & Mini-Trade Show Cash Prize

Friday Breaks

Saturday Breaks

Convention Totes

In-Room Gifts

Selfie Station

Charging Station

Friday Breakfast

Thursday Night Hosted Bar

Friday 7-Minute Spotlight

Saturday 7-Minute Spotlight

Convention Tumblers & Friday Cash Prize

Name Badges

Board Meeting Refreshments & Saturday Cash Prize

Meeting Space WiFi Friday Promo Items

Friday Lunch Buffet Co-Sponsors

Saturday Lunch Buffet

Saturday Breakfast

Photo Booth

Registration Packet

PAC/PR Auctions & Casino Night

Video Message Friday General Session

Saturday Promo Items

Convention Signage

Thank you to our exhibitors!

Ameriprise Financial Services • ATM Response • ATM USA, LLC • Atris Technology • BFS Group • CBIZ Computer Services, Inc. • CRA Partners • Crescent Mortgage • Cummins-Allison Corporation DeNyse Companies • Eclipse Brand Builders • FITECH • Hamilton Mortgage • Harland Clarke Holtmeyer & Monson • Intercept Consulting Group • J.B. Lloyd & Associates, LLC • Kasasa • Pentegra Point to Point Environmental • Promontory Interfinancial Network • QwickRate • SBA Works • SecureWorks SHAZAM • STS Group • The Baker Group • TJS Deemer Dana • Travelers • VGM Forbin Fal l 2 0 1 9 | G e org i a Com m un i ti es F i rs t | 17

Spotlight

Preferred Service Provider Spotlight: Scott Couch, STS Group and educate them on solutions that match expectations.

Many times we talk ourselves out of closing a sale because itʼs not what is best for the customer. It is about building a trusting partnership and that formula works best for them.

In this issue, CBA is pleased to feature Scott Couch, President and CEO of STS Group. CBA invited Scott to participate in a Q & A so you can learn more about this Preferred Service Provider and a little more about Scott.

Tell us about STS Group and your role with the company: I founded STS in 2008 after a long career as a bank security equipment technician and installer.

During the economic downturn (which ironically began the day I founded STS Group) many customers relied on STS Group to maintain a secure branch environment while controlling overhead. We are still very focused on that but have become the industry experts on new branch equipment like teller cash recyclers, interactive teller machines and more. Our in-house research lab and technicians explore new solutions daily. STS Group has also invested in the latest operations technology allowing us to remotely diagnose and solve many ATM and TCR issues without dispatch, improving equipment down time and saving community banks money.

Other offerings like our customer web portal and automated call status messaging makes bankers lives easier so they can focus on what matters: serving customers.

STS provides physical and electronic security equipment to over 200 financial institutions in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.

We have approximately 100 employees and provide same day service on everything from vaults and drive-thru equipment to alarm systems, camera systems, ATMs, ITMs and more.

Having had no prior management or business training, I had to commit and learn very fast. STS Group has built a very solid foundation around core values, strong leadership and processes. We have earned our reputation. We help Georgiaʼs Community Bankers by being a partner. Because the company was founded on providing service, we listen to our customers What’s new? Any hot products?

My passion is teaching innovative community banks about the latest technology. This technology can improve the customers’ experience and create a safer and more efficient environment.

It has been proven that the proper implementation improves a community bank’s bottom line and allows branch staff more time to interact with customers.

We are truly leading the way to tomorrow’s branch. These community branches are much smaller in size and the technology is used to compliment strong staff, this creates the “Universal Banker” concept. These technologies include Interactive Teller Machines, Self-service safe deposit boxes, teller cash recyclers, video analytics and much more.

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Spotlight One of my favorite things to do is take interested customers on a field trip to visit one of the branches that we have helped design. This is an opportunity to hear an unbiased opinion from the front line branch staff.

Interesting facts about you: I am a firm believer in giving back or paying it forward. I was blessed with the opportunity to sit in the driver’s seat at STS Group and be part of making a difference A recent example is the Bahama relief opportunity that CBA played a very important role in.

What do you do for fun outside of work?

This all started with a passion for technology. My first business was a bicycle repair shop, Continental Bikes. I was 13 and it was in my parents’ backyard. Thatʼs when I learned about a P&L (but mostly the “L” part.) My love for all things mechanical is stronger than ever. My son and I are almost finished restoring a ‘72 Chevy pickup and I find my solitude building Harleys and riding dirt bikes. I have a large family (4 children) and we are very close so spending time laughing and playing together is also my favorite.

For more questions on STS Group, contact Scott at (256) 260-7963 or scott@stsgrp.com

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Spotlight

Delivering Much Needed Aid to the Bahamas GoFundMe to social media, donations started rolling in. With those funds Scott was able to purchase generators, work gloves, shovels, and much more. Scott, accompanied by his wife Carrie, loaded these supplies into their trailer and headed towards Florida.

When Scott Couch, President and CEO of STS Group, saw the coverage of the devastation in the Bahamas from Hurricane Dorian, he was taken back to the 2011 tornadoes that ravaged his own hometown. “I felt an immediate desire to be there and to help in any way that I could,” said Scott.

Scott shared details of his trip to social media and CBA picked up the post and shared it. By the time Scott and Carrie arrived at the CBA annual meeting, a small mountain of donations had amassed. “We were blown away by the support. When I left the convention, the trailer was actually overloaded and we had to be very careful getting it down to Fort Lauderdale safely.” said Scott.

The next morning, Scott pitched an idea to his family that he would take his truck and enclosed trailer and drive it from Madison, Alabama to the CBA Annual Meeting in Amelia Island, Florida and collect supplies for hurricane victims along the way.

“I am a risk taker and a spontaneous person, so it really did not come as a shock to them,” said Scott. “We did not want to just donate money, we wanted to deliver supplies that would fulfill an immediate and desperate need.”

Scott launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to purchase supplies.

Within minutes of posting the

Scott found a Hurricane Dorian relief group on Facebook and connected with a couple of retired pilots that were flying relief missions to the Bahamas. Scott met up with the pilots, helped them load the plane with all the donated supplies, and took off to the Bahamas. Over the course of three weeks, Scott, Carrie, and the pilots flew over 20 round trips to the Bahamas to deliver supplies.

They met a young man named Dunlop who connected them to Pastor Pinder of Emmanuel Baptist Church in High Rock, one of the areas hardest hit by Dorian. Pastor Pinder helped ensure that all supplies went directly to the High Rock community and soon enough word spread of what Scott and his team were doing.

back to Florida at night, shop for the items, and bring them back the next day. The pastor put in an ‘impossible request’ for musical instruments so they could hold church service. I reached out to a local church in Fort Lauderdale and they sent about $10,000 worth of instruments with us a few days later.

It was a truly moving experience,” said Scott. Watch the video of the service.

Overall Scott and his team took about 12,000 pounds of supplies to the Bahamas. Scott said, “I could not have done this without everyone at STS Group and the help of CBA and its members. They all stepped up and did their part so that we could do our part down in the Bahamas and help create a culture that changes the world. Thank you all so much.”

“We started getting requests from people for certain items. We would fly Fal l 2 0 1 9 | G e org i a Com m un i ti es F i rs t | 21

Trends

Investing in a Flat Yield Curve Without Getting Burned economic slowdown to come.” The Great Recession began the very next year. While we do not know for certain whether this current inversion foretells a coming recession, community banks are wise not to dismiss it out of hand.

Investing in a Flat or Inverted Yield Curve

Earlier this year, the yield on the ten-year US Treasury Note fell below that of the three-month T-Bill and the yield curve officially inverted for the first time since August 2007. Almost on cue, all the talking heads were paraded out on CNBC and Bloomberg Television to tell us that a yield curve inversion normally precedes a recession, but no one seemed to say what we should do about it. Should banks stop making loans? How should a community bank invest its excess liquidity? Should we stay short or go long? Managing a community bank balance sheet and investment portfolio is challenging on most days, but especially so when the yield curve is flat or inverted.

With short term Treasuries and even Fed funds yielding more than intermediate or longer-term bonds, deciding what to buy and how long to buy can be a difficult and often confusing decision for community bank portfolio managers. Many banks made serious mistakes during previous inversions that cost them a significant loss of earnings and even led to some bank failures. We should learn from their mistakes and our own past experiences as we consider current investment strategy. Here are some recommendations for investing in a flat or inverted yield curve: •

Resist the Urge to Stay Short Inverted yield curves are often followed by periods of falling rates, particularly on the short end, so don’t be fooled by the higher yields offered on shorter investments. The market is efficient, and if shorter bonds are yielding more than intermediate bonds, the market perceives a greater risk in staying short (reinvestment risk).

•

Review Your ALM Position The vast majority of banks are positioned for higher rates, i.e. margin expands if rates rise, but contracts if rates fall. If the Federal Reserve’s three-year tightening cycle is finished, or nearly finished, banks should be asking themselves just how asset sensitive they want to be. Managing your interest rate risk exposure to better position the bank for potentially lower rates is much easier to do with investments rather than loans since bonds “don’t talk back.”

•

Seek Out Yield Curves That Are Not Flat/Inverted The single best way to invest in a flat yield curve is to find a yield curve that is not flat. The tax-exempt municipal

Is This Time Different?

Legendary mutual-fund investor Sir John Templeton once said, “The four most costly words in the annals of investing are ‘this time is different.’” There are a lot of investors, analysts, and even Fed officials that are saying just that today: “This curve inversion is not a reliable indicator of a future recession because the massive amounts of global central bank bond buying have distorted its powers of prognostication.” Does this sound familiar? It should because it is very similar to what Fed officials were saying the last time the yield curve inverted in 2006. Former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan said in 2005 that the yield curve had lost its forecasting ability because of heavy foreign buying of U.S. bonds. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said in March 2006 that he “would not interpret the currently very flat yield curve as indicating a significant

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Trends curve remains extremely steep and provides the best opportunity for extending duration and protecting earnings. The MBS and CD curves are also steep and provide good value in the two- to five-year part of the curve.

•

Don’t Chase Yield by Taking on Credit Risk Inversions are often followed by economic slowdowns and recessions, so this is not the time to buy lower rated bonds or buy into sectors with credit risk such as assetbacked securities and corporate bonds. There are a lot of banks that bought corporates in 2000 (remember Enron and Worldcom?) or private label CMOs in 2006 that wish they would not have—some are no longer in business.

that helps increase bank performance and build shareholder value.

Ryan W. Hayhurst serves as Manager of the Financial Strategies Group of The Baker Group. Ryan oversees the design and implementation of investment and asset/liability strategies for financial institutions. Contact: 800-937-2257, ryan@GoBaker. com.

Ryan Hayhurst

Manager of the Financial Strategies Group The Baker Group A CBA Endorsed Member Company

I believe every community bank should have a written investment strategy to help navigate the complexities of investing in a flat yield curve. The right strategy will help you avoid the pitfalls of the past and build an investment portfolio

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There’s lending, and there’s intelligent lending.

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Trends

Need to Know: Digital Life Insurance 101 An Immediate Route to Consumer Loyalty When a consumer purchases more products from you, their loyalty can go up. That’s why providing a variety of insurance products is a keystone of a blueprint for smarter marketing.

Digital insurance has disruptive power. Here’s how you can harness it.

The financial industry might have been late to the digital transformation party, but they’re catching up quickly. From mobile payments to digital currencies, the industry is betting (and winning) billions on transformation efforts. Soon, adding digital life insurance to your product portfolio won’t just be a novelty, it will be a necessity. But with some smart investments and the right partner, your financial institution will be on the cutting edge of this emerging trend.

What It Is: A New Use for Established Tech Digital life insurance combines technologies like machine learning and algorithm-based database scrubbing to assign risk factors based on a variety of automated factors, then offers consumers an underwritten product based on their risk factor. This ability to forego the traditional, lengthy medical assessment means a process that used to take weeks now takes minutes for the majority of consumers.

Because this process uses a model that has already proven successful in other insurance niches, financial institutions who embrace it get to forego the risk factors that usually come with new tech-based products while still harnessing the power of an emerging technology. That’s a big win-win.

There’s Opportunity in Early Adoption As our lives grow more and more digital, we expect to interact with brands online. That makes the potential consumer reach of digital insurance huge, as it reaches individuals who may not ever set foot in brick and mortar institutions. This combination of meeting consumers where they are and giving them a quicker route to conversion allows early digital insurance adopters to profit, because interacting with consumers through their preferred channel drives higher conversion rates.

Digital insurance is the perfect component of a smarter marketing platform for two reasons. First, it’s immediate. With Franklin Madison’s solution, customers can have an offer for an underwritten policy in less than 10 minutes. Second, life insurance is a product with inherent stability. Individuals who buy life insurance aren’t likely to jump ship anytime soon. And that consumer stability drives long-term loyalty.

A Better User Experience Digital insurance isn’t just a win for financial institutions. It’s also a huge win for the consumers, who are able to avoid a highly personal medical history conversation followed by an in-person exam. That would then traditionally be followed by several weeks of waiting for coverage to go into effect.

Conversely, for most potential customers who use Franklin Madison’s solution, the process is completed entirely online and results in prices that are comparative, if not cheaper, than traditional competitors. What used to take anywhere from 5-15 weeks can now be accomplished in 10 minutes.

If you haven’t added digital insurance to your product portfolio yet, now’s the time as consumers are adopting it faster than ever. And if digital insurance is in your company’s future, we can help. It comes with marketing support from the proven leader in building consumer security through insurance products.

To learn more about digital life insurance, download our eBook, Transformation Next: Digital Life Insurance, on the power of the next digital disruptor.

Andrea Heger oversees the Client Services account teams at Franklin Madison, and manages the extensive network of broker partners.

Andrea Heger Senior Vice President, Sales & Client Services Franklin Madison A CBA Associate Member

In one study, 50% of adults said they had searched for life insurance in the past year, with a third attempting to make purchases online.

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Professional Development

Register Now for These Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities!

Compliance Conference: Emerging Risks Tuesday-Thursday, October 21-24, 2019 Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa, Young Harris ​ hat are the emerging risks in Compliance?

W Join us for our Compliance Conference at the beautiful Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa to get the latest Enterprise Wide, Deposit and/or Lending compliance emerging risks. We will cover hot topics and emerging risks surrounding deposits, loans, and enterprise-wide Compliance. Choose to attend the entire Conference or what applies to your functional area. (This program is in replacement of last year’s Compliance Lending School.) Learn more and register.

Essentials for Today’s Supervisors Tuesday-Wednesday, October 29-30, 2019 Idle Hour Country Club, Macon We are bringing back our Supervisory Training. We invite you to discover how to empower your people and build high performing teams by investing in your supervisory skills. This day and half professional development workshop will cover many topics that will allow you to put action steps into place to increase employee engagement and productivity Sign up today for this one and half day workshop to grow your professional supervisory role. Learn more and register.

CBA’s Commercial Lending School Monday-Thursday, November 4-7, 2019 James-Bates-Brannan-Groover-LLP, Macon This school is designed to take the student through the process of commercial lending to develop and advance the skills necessary to administer quality commercial loans. Numerous in-class case studies and exercises will be utilized to assist with PRICING comprehension and retention of these skills. Learn moreCBA and register.

Member: $1125/$995 each additional person from the same institution

Compliance Program IV: Anti-Money Laundering/Bank Secrecy Act December 3 - Savannah | December 4 - Tifton December 5 - Macon | December 11 - Duluth December 12 - Rome

Prospective Member: $1495 (Prepayment required) *Tuition includes: comprehensive materials, 4 lunches, 4 continental breakfasts & afternoon snacks.

ENROLL TODAY!

WHO SHOULD ATTEND Anyone with at least one year of experience in commercial lending or the equivalent of commercial lending training.

A good understanding of accounting principles is beneficial.

Click here to view Cancellation/Change Policies

TESTIMONIAL “Thoroughly enjoyed being challenged throughout the entire week.”

Kirk Ransom/Community Banker Morris Bank/Warner Robins

Topics will include “Beneficial Ownership,” Customer/Member Due Diligence, and the THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS New Regulations (Final Rules issued May 2018); Money Services Businesses (MSB), Third-Party Payment Processors (TPPP), AVAILABLE Marijuana Dealers, “De-Risking,” and Other “High-Risk” Clients; Human Smuggling and TraffickingSPONSORSHIPS Guidance; Suspicious Continental Breakfast - $150 per day Activity Lunch - $750 per day (1 available) Reporting – Latest Trends and Rulings; and much more! Learn more and register.

Morning or Afternoon Break: $150 per day 2 6 | ww w.cbaofga.co m | Fal l 2019

Name Badges - $350 Manual Printing - $1,000 Door Prizes: $150 Tent Cards with sponsor logo - $200 Charging Station - $200 Contact Lindsay Greene for more information

Professional Development Session IV: “Raising the Bar for Sustainable Growth” Thursday, December 12, 2019 Vinings Bank, Smyrna

2019

branch management series

More than ever before, today's Branch Manager The toolkit for today’s branch is faced with a multitude of challenges and CPE CREDITS managers and supervisors offered in AVAILABLE opportunities. Successful banks have Branch four one-day series.

Managers who are focused on motivating and engaging the team, building and increasing loyal customer relationships, mitigating risks through compliance and regulatory adherence, and accomplishing retail banking goals.

Learn more and register.

Save the Dates: 2020 Community Banking Leadership Academy Who is your up and rising leader?

“I attribute so much of my recent success to this Academy. I’ve been able to take lessons learned here and apply them to situations at my bank to make positive changes. I would recommend this Academy to any aspiring leaders.”

- Stephanie Jordan/Data Analytics, SunMark Bank 2020 Session Dates: • March 17-18, 2020 • May 19-20, 2020 • July 21-22, 2020 • September 15-16, 2020

save the dates Consumer Lending School

BSA/AML Bootcamp

Monday-Friday, February 10-14, 2020

Tuesday-Thursday, February 25-27, 2020

Cyber Risk Summit

Advanced BSA Officer School

Thursday-Friday, August 20-21, 2020

Tuesday-Friday, August 25-28, 2020

Fal l 2 0 1 9 | G e org i a Com m un i ti es F i rs t | 27

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Professional Development

CBA’s Webinars: Professional Development When and Where You Choose CBA is committed to superior customer service and has been a leader in webinar training for over a decade. Webinars are designed for most positions in a community bank from the teller line to the board room. Speakers are industry experts with long-term, real-life, handson experience. Benefits of participating in a CBA webinar are: •

Easy to use, time effective, cost effective, convenient, interactive

•

Current topics delivered by experienced speakers

•

Continuing Professional Education Credits

•

Take-Away-Toolkit (consists of an employee training log and a quiz to measure staff learning)

•

Webinar series for Bank Directors, Compliance Professionals, Risk Managers, Leaders, and much more!

View Listing CPE CREDITS AVAILABLE

Register today for a webinar training option that best meets your training needs! For the most current listing of webinars, visit www.cbaofga.com.

save the dates 42nd Annual Leadership Division Convention & Mini-Trade Show

52nd Annual Convention, Directors’ College & Trade Show

Thursday - Sunday, June 11-14, 2020 The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, FL

Thursday - Sunday, September 24-27, 2020 Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, Miramar Beach, FL

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Member Services

Celebrating a Lifetime Service The Community Bankers Association of Georgia is proud to honor community bankers who have served 30, 40 or 50 years in the banking industry. This year’s honorees are featured below.

The CBA is extremely grateful to these individuals who have served as role models to the banking community. Honoring them is a small token of the CBA’s appreciation for their efforts to the banking industry.

“Georgia is fortunate to have such an impressive number of community bankers who have reached these milestones. It’s our pleasure to honor the men and women who have served the banking needs of their communities and lent their expertise to a new generation of community bankers throughout their careers,” stated John McNair, President & CEO of the Community Bankers Association of Georgia.

Margaret Ayers Northeast Georgia Bank, Lavonia - 75 Years On May 10, 2019, Margaret celebrated 75 years working at the bank, a huge milestone in Georgia banking history. Research indicates that Margaret has worked at the same bank longer than anyone else in Georgia or The United States.

For years Maragaret has been a part of the Lavonia Chamber of Commerce, the Lavonia United Daughters of the Confederacy, the Lavonia Lions Club, the

Charlie Curry First State Bank of Randolph County, Cuthbert - 50 Years Mr. Curry passed away in February 2018, the year marking his 50 years of dedicated service to the community banking industry. CBA presented a posthumous Lifetime Service Award to the family of Mr. Curry. Present to accept the award were Charlie’s wife, Lorraine Curry; his daughter, Heather Hoats; and his son, Scott Curry, Chairman, President & CEO of the bank.

Charlie was a past Chairman of the Randolph County Commission, former councilman for the city of Shellman, and past Director and President of the Cuthbert Rotary Club. In addition, Charlie was a Director of Flint Community Bank in Albany, and Chairman of the Community Bankers Association of Georgia from 2013-2014.

Vonda M. Coleman First State Bank of Randolph County, Cuthbert - 50 Years Ms. Coleman began her career at the bank in 1968. In 2013, she retired as Senior Vice President and currently serves as an executive consultant, and member of the bank’s Board of Directors.

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Member Services Joe Daniell Vinings Bank, Smyrna - 50 Years Joe has been a Cobb County banker for 52 years, starting at the Marietta Commercial Bank in 1967. He has led joint efforts with the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance to organize two state-wide banking schools, the Bank Audit School in 1975 and the Bank Operations School at Kennesaw State University in 1980.

Joe has served an active role in the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce. He has chaired several committees over his career, including the Partners in Education Program in 1988 and 1989, Leadership Cobb in 1987, and the Marietta High School Executive Internship Program.

Greg Funkhouser Rabun County Bank, Clayton - 40 Years Greg has served as President of Rabun County Bank since 1991, and also serves as the Secretary and a Director of the bank’s holding company, Liberty Bancorp of Georgia, Inc. Mr. Funkhouser has been with Rabun County Bank for 39 of his 40 years in various capacities.

Greg serves an active role in the local community. In addition to providing music and participating in a local nursing home ministry, he has held many leadership roles in various organizations, including Rhapsody for Rabun, Richard’s Kids, Clayton Rotary Club, the Rabun County Chamber of Commerce and the Lions Club.

Order Your Copy of the 2019 CBA Salary Survey CBA is pleased to partner with Associate Member Pentegra to offer the 2019 Georgia Community Bank Salary Survey. The survey is a compilation of current salaries and general benefits for common positions within Georgia’s community banks and can be a vital tool when determining competitive pay and benefits for employee recruitment and retention. Banks are categorized by asset size as well as Metro-Atlanta and non-Metro Atlanta.

All CBA member banks who participated in the survey received a complimentary copy of the survey report.

Non-participating member banks are able to purchase the survey for $275 and the non-member cost is $475. Click here to order your copy.

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Fal l 2 0 1 9 | G e org i a Com m un i ti es F i rs t | 31

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Member Services

CBA’s Memorial Scholarship Applications Are Now Available!

The Walraven Scholarship is awarded in the amount of $500 to a bank employee who desires to continue their education while working full-time at a CBA member bank. The scholarship is named after the late J. Steven Walraven, an active community banker who exemplified professionalism and community involvement. To compete, employees must write a short essay on how community banking has impacted their life and how it will enable them to give back to their community.

The Community Bankers Association of Georgia (CBA) is proud to announce the 2020 Julian & Jan Hester Memorial Scholarship and the J. Steven Walraven Scholarship!

The Hester Scholarship is open to Georgia high school seniors who will be entering a Georgia college, university or technical school (two year program or more) in the fall semester of 2020. The scholarship is named after the late Jan Hester, daughter of Lalia and the late Julian Hester, long-time CEO of the CBA. The four winning recipients will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship. CBA’s Leadership Division proudly assists with this initiative.

Applications for either scholarship should be returned to the bank no later than Friday, April 3, 2020. All completed applications should be submitted by the bank to CBA no later than Friday, April 10, 2020. Only complete applications will be eligible. A panel of independent judges will review the applications and winners will be announced in late April 2020.

Please visit www.cbaofga.com to download the scholarship application and encourage participation from your community.

For more information, please contact Jeremy Thomens at jeremy@cbaofga.com.

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Financial, Compliance and Risk Management Services Offices Across Georgia | 800.823.0117 | www.nicholscauley.com

Fal l 2 0 1 9 | G e org i a Com m un i ti es F i rs t | 33

First Tennessee The DIFFERENCE When you work with First Tennessee Correspondent Services, you’ll get the personal attention that has made us a continuous provider of correspondent services for over 100 years. Contact a relationship manager about your bank’s needs at correspondentservices@ftb.com or toll-free at 800-453-7686.

Holding Company Loans • Fed Funds Letters of Credit • International Services Image Cash Letter • Settlement Services Commercial Safekeeping

©2019 First Tennessee Bank National Association operating as First Tennessee Bank and Capital Bank. Member FDIC.

Member Services

Welcome New CBA Associate Members CBA would like to welcome our new Associate Members. Make sure your vendors are CBA members – please refer any potential Associate Members to Lindsay Greene at lindsay@cbaofga.com.

Accumatch Mr. Keith Armstrong Dallas, TX Property Tax Management

CyberVAULT Services Mr. Jeremiah Johnson Marietta, GA Consulting

Adams, Hemingway, Wilson & Rutledge LLC Mr. John Sillay Macon, GA Legal Services

Fitzgerald MSI Mr. Michael Fitzgerald Fulshear, TX Consulting

Compliance & AML Solutions Mr. Ken Simmons Gainesville, GA Regulatory Risk Management CRC Swett Mr. Greg Gryska Alpharetta, GA Insurance Services

Georgeson LLC Mr. Michael Ryan Jersey City, NJ Compliance Hargray of Georgia, Inc. Mr. Phillip Scroggin Savannah, GA Telecommunications

The Benefit Company Mr. Nick Hendricks Atlanta, GA Insurance Services

KEMCO Mr. Buz Campbell Decatur, GA Full Service Building Maintenance

The Burke Group Mr. Matt Gordon Atlanta, GA Financial Services

Loan Guarantee Insurance Services Mr. David Eichenblatt Atlanta, GA Insurance Services Pritchard & Jerden Mr. Brian Olsen Atlanta, GA Insurance Risk Management Consulting Progressive Communications Mr. Terry Pealor Macon, GA Telecommunications

Reich & Tang Mr. Roger Maude New York, NY Financial Services WebMobileFusion Inc. Mr. Lincoln Parks McDonough, GA Advertising/Marketing

2020 Barret School of Banking Scholarship Deadline to apply is December 15, 2019 CBA is proud to announce a scholarship for a Georgia community banker to attend the 2020 session of the Barret Graduate School of Banking as a first-year student.

The Barret School of Banking is a non-profit independent school created by and governed by a Board of Regents, whose members are executives from banks and other firms involved with the financial services industry. The mission of the School is to provide an adult learning experience for the career-oriented individual in commercial banking or a related financial services industry business.

The scholarship includes both tuition and housing for for a student for the first year at the 48th Annual Graduate Session of the Paul W. Barret, Jr. School of Banking which will be held May 17-22, 2020 at Christian Brothers University in Memphis, TN. For more information visit www.cbaofga.com/barret-schoolof-banking. The deadline to apply is December 15, 2019.

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Member Services

Boost Your Brand with a 2020 Marketing Package!

Community Bankers Association of Georgia (CBA), the state’s only advocate working solely for the interests of community banks in Georgia, invites you to participate in the 2020 Preferred Service Provider Packages program.

CBA offers numerous ways to build your brand to our 150 Georgia community banks and demonstrate your company’s commitment to the success of the community banking industry.

Preferred Service Provider Packages offer all Associate Members the option of upgrading to package of your choice: Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze. Your purchase of a package gives your company access to a variety of sponsorships, advertising and other membership benefits depending on the level you select. Here are a few benefits of becoming a Preferred Service Provider: •

Early access to advertising, exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities. Package holders have the opportunity to reserve their advertising and sponsorship before everyone else. Opportunities will be released to Diamond

first, then Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and then opened to all Associate Members.

•

One Payment per year – simplified for budgeting and accounting; packages are for the calendar year.

•

Customized package options – Choose your package level and customize it to fit your needs with available flex options and special discounts.

•

Packages are secured by invitation only to CBA Associate Members in good standing for two years or more. All packages are reviewed by CBA’s Member Services Committee, which is comprised of bankers from across the state.

We look forward to helping you determine the best investment opportunities to meet your business objectives. If you have questions, please contact Lindsay Greene at lindsay@ cbaofga.com or (770) 541-0376.

Diamond

Platinum

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Associate

2019 Endorsed Member Companies ACG | Refurbished ATMs Phil Winn | Phil.Winn@acgworld.com | (678) 458-9899​

Kasasa | Branded Suite of Banking Products Shanna James | shanna.james@kasasa.com | (512) 582-7174

ATM Response | ATM Service & Cash Logistics Tony Webb | twebb@atmresponse.com | (770) 855-2989

Pentegra | 401k/Retirement Planning Wade Connor | wade.connor@pentegra.com | (704) 608-4563

Bahr Consultants, Inc. | Insurance Review Hank Bahr | hank@bahrconsultantsinc.com | (865) 694-6098

S&P Global Market Intelligence (Formerly SNL Financial) | Financial Data Colin Wyatt | Colin.Wyatt@spglobal.com | (434) 817-5475

BFS Group | BOLI & Executive Benefits John Gianacaci | JGianacaci@bfsgroup.com | (609) 915-9168

SecureWorks | Managed Internet Security Program Stuart Schielack | sschielack@secureworks.com | (512) 497-2174

Computer Services, Inc. | Secure-Connect for Directors Andy Lapp | andy.lapp@csiweb.com | (800) 545-4274, ext. 16064

SHAZAM | Debit Card/EFT Processing Alex Jernigan | jjernig@Shazam.net | (229) 220-0064

CRA Partners | Senior Housing Crime Prevention Sue Shaffer | sue.shaffer@shcpfoundation.org (901) 529-4787

STS Group | Bank Security Equipment & Branch Automation Technology Chris Nelson | cnelson@stsgrp.com | (205) 567-3613

Crescent Mortgage | Secondary Market Mortgage Services Skip Willcox | swillcox@crescentmortgage.net (478) 357-4441 The Eversole Group, LLC | Marketing Program Craig Eversole | craig@theeversolegroup.com (601) 977-5225 Executive Insurance Agency, Inc. | VSI Program Ryan Sower | ryan@executiveinsuranceagency.com (770) 474-2355 FITECH | Merchant Services Matt Mingenback | mmingenback@fitech.com | (316) 518-8850

The Baker Group | Portfolio Management & Asset/Liability Strategies Paul Clanton | pclanton@gobaker.com | (405) 415-7337 Travelers | Insurance/D & O/ Bond Program Diana Baker | dcbaker@travelers.com | (678) 317-7882 William Mills Agency | Public Relations & Marketing William Mills | william@williammills.com | (678) 781-7200 Promontory Interfinancial Network, LLC Bank Assetpoint/Insured Cash Sweep (ICS) Danny Capitel | dcapitel@promnetwork.com | (770) 630-6796 *Cooperative Marketing Alliance

Genesys Technology Group, LLC | Vendor Renewal & Evaluation David Saylor | david@genesystg.com | (770) 729-4139 Harland Clarke | Check Program Ryan Busenitz | Ryan.Busenitz@harlandclarke.com | (678) 595-0625 Holtmeyer & Monson | SBA Lending Arne Monson | amonson@holtandmon.com | (800) 340-7304

For more information on these providers, special discounts for CBA member banks, or to learn about the endorsement process, contact Lindsay Greene at (770) 541-0376 or lindsay@cbaofga.com.

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