Palmetto Banker Winter 2011

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The South Carolina Bankers Association

Winter Issue 2011-3

Palmetto Banker “I feel it is my responsibility to continue to find ways to reach young children.� Robert P. Hucks, II Young Bankers Division

Testimonials from Across SC See Page 8 -10 for Details



2009 Park Street, PO Box 1483 Columbia, SC 29202-1483 Phone: 803/779-0850 Fax: 803/779-0890 Fax: 803/256-8150 www.scbankers.org Chairman Sharon W. Bryant First Citizens Chairman-Elect F. Richard “Rick” Redden, III Wells Fargo First Vice Chairman R. Arthur “Art” Seaver Jr. Southern First Bank, N.A. Treasurer David M. Lominack TD Bank Immediate Past Chairman Teresa W. Knight The Palmetto Bank SCBA Staff

Contents Compliance Corner page 20

Financial Literacy page 8

President & CEO

Lloyd I. Hendricks Executive Vice President/General Manager/ BankPAC Treasurer

Linda W. Parker Executive Vice President, Financial Planning

Golf Tournament

Donna S. Taylor

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Executive Vice President, Employee Benefit Trust/ SC Bankers School

Teresa D. Taylor Senior Vice President, Member Services, Conventions/ Conferences

E. Anne Gillespie Senior Vice President, Government Relations, Economic Development and Counsel

A. O’Neil Rashley, Jr. Vice President, Communications Director/Editor, Palmetto Banker

Feature - ATM Fraud

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Penny D. Cothran

Legislative Update

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Carolyn E. Laffitte

Legislative Profile

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Director, Government Relations

Cover Article - Testimonials

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Vice President, SCBA Services, Inc.

Amber Setzler Barnes Director, Community Bankers Council M. Caroline Sheorn

The PALMETTO BANKER is a publication distributed by the South Carolina Bankers Association. We welcome your comments and suggestions concerning the magazine. The magazine exists to serve its members by communicating news of interest, education and SCBA activities. Items and articles from members are welcomed; however, the editor reserves the right to refuse copy considered unsuitable for publication or not appropriate to our purpose. With the exception of official announcements, the South Carolina Bankers Association disclaims responsibility for opinions expressed and statements made in articles published in PALMETTO BANKER. Designed and published by CC Publish, Inc. (704) 545-7399 © 2011

Feature - ICS, A New Savings Product

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Young Bankers Conference

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Golf Tournament

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Community Bankers

18

Compliance Corner

20

Welcome New Associate Members

22

Bankers School

24

People On The Move

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Bank News

26

Calendar of Events

27

Good Deeds

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Feature

Tips to Stop ATM Fraud by Don Jackson, Dell SecureWorks

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ake card readers, or skimming devices, that steal customers’ PINs and debit card numbers are still being used on ATMs costing banks hundreds of thousands of dollars. Once thieves acquire a debit card number and a PIN, they can clone debit cards and sell them on the black market or empty bank accounts themselves. U.S. Secret Service spokesperson Robert Novy said earlier this year that although the agency lumps ATM fraud with other bank fraud and cannot single it out to give exact numbers, it believes ATM skimming is on the rise. Banks can do a few things to can help protect their customers from skimming. As well as using security cameras and anti-skimming devices, such as those that detect when a foreign device is placed over a card reader, banks can publish safety tips in their newsletters and on their websites. Cyber security expert Don Jackson of Dell SecureWorks, an information security services provider that protects more than 3,000 customers globally, including more than 1,600 banks and credit unions, recommends the following tips.

Skimmers ■ Feel around and test the card-entry slot for fake covers or “overlays” that can contain small electronic skimmers that read the information from the magnetic strip on the back of your ATM card as you insert it into the machine. ■ Look for glue, adhesive, loose plastic or wires around the card-entry slot, which may indicate the presence of a skimmer overlay on top of the real card slot.

Keypad Overlays ■ Look for thin plastic overlays or thick key blocks on top of the keypad where you enter your PIN. These overlays are used to record your key presses. ■ Look for glue or adhesive or loose wires around the keypad. ■ If the key press is mushy or fails to register with the ATM when using a normal touch, report it and use another ATM.

Cameras

ATM Safety Tips PIN Safety Tips ■ Always cover the PIN pad with your hand when entering your PIN to hide it from anyone standing nearby or from illegitimate cameras placed above pin pads that may be spying on users. ■ Try to use ATMs located inside banks or one attached to the outside of a bank where they are least likely to have been tampered with.

■ Look for any cameras pointed at the ATM itself. Real ATM cameras will be aimed to see the face of the person using the ATM. ■ Look for boxes, holders or other objects attached to the outside of the ATM. These can house covert cameras that record your PIN. ■ Look for small holes or out-of-place transparent or mirrored material used to hide cameras under false fronts.

The ATM Itself ■ Look for signs of tampering such as scratched, pried, unlocked or open panels. ■ Look for loose wires or antennas. ■ Be wary if the front outer cover is loose or cracked. ■ Note any error codes or odd messages on the ATM screen. ■ Look for signs of thin plastic inserts or plastic wrap in the card slot or cash dispenser.

Suspicious Persons ■ Look for people loitering around the ATM as you approach it. ■ Look for people who might be using mobile phones or devices as cameras that may record your activity. ■ Watch for “shoulder surfers,” or people standing close enough to see over or around you while you use the ATM. ■ Look for people nearby who might be using a laptop or netbook computer to monitor a wireless skimmer. Don Jackson is Director of Threat Intelligence for Dell SecureWorks’ Counter Threat Unit research team. He often works with government and law enforcement agencies on cyber security threats such as the notorious ZeuS banking Trojan. Jackson discovered the ZeuS Banking Trojan, which is designed to steal banking information and data from infected computers via Web browsers and protected storage devices.

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Legislative Update

State Legislative Issues for Banks to Watch in 2012

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he South Carolina General Assembly reconvenes on January 10, 2012 for the second year of its two-year session. Since it is the second year, for any pending bill to be enacted it must be passed by the June adjournment. Although there are many statewide issues pressing, South Carolina’s banks need to be aware of and closely watch three main issues.

meetings concerning foreclosure and servicing problems to determine whether S702 should be amended. SCBA has voiced its opposition to S702 and is sharing with legislators the many federal and state initiatives dealing with foreclosure and servicing.

Taxation

The South Carolina Supreme Court’s recent cases of Matrix and Coffey - holding that a mortgage and subsequent foreclosure is unenforceable if the closing was conducted without a lawyer present - have raised many concerns for banks. Banks now question whether this potentially gives a windfall to some homeowners that intentionally refuse to pay and also as to whether modifying the loan would be considered the practice of law. Modifications are particularly troublesome as both the federal government and the Supreme Court’s recent foreclosure order strongly encourage banks to work with distressed homeowners and modify loans; yet the court’s own decisions provide little guidance as to whether a modification is the practice of law. To address the banks’ concerns, Reps. Clemmons and Viers introduced H3988. Since only the Supreme Court can define the practice of law, the bill instead focuses on the foreclosure remedy and simply states that a mortgage or modification – and subsequent foreclosure - is still effective even if the unauthorized practice of law is involved. The bill affirms the Supreme Court’s sole authority to define the practice of law in South Carolina. H3988 has not had a hearing yet and will be controversial – many lawmakers prefer not to deal with the practice of law as many see it as solely the Supreme Court’s issue. Still, SCBA takes the position that the holdings of these cases and their impact on the marketplace should be addressed legislatively and lawmakers need to appreciate the difficult position banks are put in as they attempt to work with homeowners. 2012 will be a busy year at the statehouse with the many issues that confront South Carolina and since both the House and Senate will be up for re-election. SCBA will continue to closely follow and work on these issues that affect our banks throughout the year.

Governor Nikki Haley, Senate President pro tem Glenn McConnell and Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell have all stated that they will introduce bills proposing comprehensive tax reform. In fact a special committee of the House of Representatives Republican Caucus met this summer to discuss adoption of parts of the Tax Realignment Commission’s report. Although, TRAC’s proposals focused primarily on sales tax exemptions, all South Carolina banks should be aware that TRAC also recommended: 1) taxing banks and thrifts as C Corps (5% rate); and 2) repealing banks’ and thrifts’ personal property tax exemption. SCBA opposes these proposals since, if adopted, they would have an enormous financial impact on our banks and their ability to lend in their communities.

Foreclosure Residential foreclosure remains a concern in South Carolina and two bills addressing foreclosure are still pending. One bill, H3108, would establish a mandatory mediation program for all foreclosures in the Office of Court Administration. This bill has not been heard. A more comprehensive bill of concern is S702. This bill: 1) mandates court-appointed mediation of all foreclosures in South Carolina; and 2) proposes to comprehensively regulate all mortgage servicers (including banks) by declaring that a servicer owes to the homeowner a duty of utmost care, honesty, and loyalty in all transactions, including the duty of full disclosure of all material facts, requiring prompt crediting of payments received and declaring that a servicer acts on behalf of and as the agent of the mortgage holder or investor. Although S702 has not had a committee hearing, the Senate Banking Committee held statewide public forum

The Unauthorized Practice of Law

W.C. Grimes

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Legislative Profile

Brian White

Chairman, House Ways and Means Committee District 6 - Anderson County

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n 2001, Brian White began his service for District 6-Anderson County as a State Representative in the South Carolina House of Representatives. Having been born in Anderson County and spending his entire life in South Carolina, Brian certainly understands the needs and values of the State. Throughout his childhood, Brian’s parents, Earl and Sara White, instilled the importance of hard work by having him help with the family business, White’s Aviation. In 1990, Brian became Vice President of White’s Aviation, which had since grown into a full service charter airline with more than ten planes providing service to the entire Southeast. In 2003, Brian joined Capstone Insurance Services, LLC in Greenville as a licensed insurance agent, specializing in commercial insurance. Additionally, Brian is a licensed commercial pilot and a licensed real estate agent. Since being elected to the House of Representatives, Brian has gained great respect from his colleagues and became known as an honest and diligent public servant. These attributes are no better represented than by the positions he has held in the relatively short time he has been in office. These positions include: Member of the Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee in 2001; Member of the Ways and Means Committee in 2005; Chairman of the Anderson County Legislative Delegation in 2006; Chairman of the Anderson Area Transportation Study Committee in 2006;

Chairman of the House Rules Committee in 2007; Chairman of the Sportsmen’s Caucus in 2010; and Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee in 2011. In his capacity as Chairman of Ways and Means, Brian’s service expands into his active role as one of the five sitting Members on the State Budget and Control Board. Brian holds the distinction of being the only board member to represent the Upstate. Brian is married to Courtney Bell White, and the couple has three daughters: Amelia Grace, Isabelle Faith, and Madeline Hope. The family resides in Anderson County and attends First Presbyterian Church in Anderson. As an avid outdoorsman, Brian enjoys hunting, fishing, golfing, and flying during his spare time. More importantly, his greatest pleasure is quality time spent with his family.

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Cover Article

Young Bankers Testimonials – Why is PEP Important to Me?

John Pollok

Montague Laffitte, III

COO, SCBT, N.A. believe that Personal Economics Program is one of the responsibilities that I as a banker have to the communities we serve,” said Pollok. “I handle this program myself because I believe it is a very important part of what we do for the community. It is a great feeling to know that you’ve ignited a desire for learning about saving money in the heart of a child.

Columbia City Executive, SCBT, N.A. n today’s society, children grow up without the necessary skills to manage money. The [SCBT] Minor Savers’ Program was created to create a fun and engaging way to motivate children to learn. Our goal is to help these children better prepare for the future and become successful, financiallyresponsible citizens of our community.

“According to studies conducted each year, Americans today are saving less than past generations. We hope students enjoy the program and learn some useful information to help them establish good savings habits early to help reverse this disturbing trend,” said Pollok.

“The SCBA’s Personal Economics Program is an important aspect of our company. Having been in South Carolina for over 70 years, it is important for our Bankers to give back to the communities we serve. PEP is an opportunity to not only give back, but to also strengthen these communities through improving financial literacy. During times of economic uncertainty it is important for the people living in our communities to have as much information as possible as it relates to banking, the banking system, and overall financial literacy,” said Montague Laffitte, SCBT Columbia city executive. “From a personal standpoint, it is gratifying to watch children learn and get excited about banking. It is also a great opportunity for our bankers to get out in the community. We take a lot of pride in helping our customers and others. PEP gives us the opportunity to do that,” said Laffitte.

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Marvin E. Robinson, Jr.

Robert P. Hucks, II

Vice President, Business Services Officer BB&T

Vice President Coastal Carolina National Bank

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EP is important to BB&T because it allows us to set aside time during the year to show our commitment to our communities and our industry. We have a passion for making our communities better by teaching basic financial skills that will hopefully play an important role in developing responsible lifelong financial habits (credit and savings) for children and adults alike.

PEP is important to me because it gives me an opportunity to join the classroom and impact students in a way that is meaningful. I am able to teach them financial skills through activities and sharing real life experiences. Changes in legislation and the economy will influence the processes of obtaining credit. For young people, this is something that will be a new responsibility and I have the opportunity to help teach them how to use this new responsibility. In the past, I have presented to small groups of business owners and/or future business owners. I have discussed various subjects from the elements of positive lender-borrower relationship to the process of obtaining a small business loan. My priority is to educate them and give them some tools as they move forward in their new ventures. Occasionally, this may result in opportunities for me to give opinions to them on their current credit needs but the primary focus is to educate them in the process of obtaining credit. PEP, as well as ABA’s “Get Smart about Credit Day” and Teach Children to Save Day, gives BB&T the opportunity to be involved with a larger effort that has national recognition and various staffs to assist us in these ongoing initiatives. BB&T believes that financial education and literacy has never before had such a priority for students everywhere, at all levels. In April of 2009, I was a banker in Greer, SC. Five of my peers from various institutions and I were recognized by the city council at their meeting that month and April 21 was declared Teach Children to Save Day. This was in conjunction with the ABA’s national Teach Children to Save Day. That day all six of us as well as coworkers from six different institutions set out and made many presentations at several schools in the community and I think we reached over 100 students. This was a great example of a coordinated effort by multiple banks in a community partnering with the local schools to provide financial education. We were able to come in with a lesson plan filled with activities that taught the importance of money and saving. When I first became involved, I found that the school administrations welcomed this effort and appreciated that we would take time out of the office to come share with their students. This has continued to fuel my motivation to do what I can to make an impact.

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lthough I grew up on a dirt road farm in the country, I had high aspirations of becoming a banker like my father. All my life I have been surrounded by the service and kindness that encompasses the make-up of a community bank. My father went to work for a community bank upon graduating college and worked there until his retirement 38 years later. During that time he held positions ranging from teller to president/CEO. Needless to say, I have been running around a bank since I was in diapers, and have found myself fortunate to have a mentor such as my father to guide me in the education and importance of financial literacy.

Seeing the impact my father had on our community, and having the capability to help people through life’s situations is what led me to pursue a career in banking. Many young children throughout the state of South Carolina, and even the nation for that matter, do not have a mentor in place as I did when growing up. For that reason, programs such as PEP (Personal Economics Program) are vitally important to our state to ensure we properly equip our children with the tools necessary to navigate through life’s financial challenges. For this reason, as a community banker I feel it is my responsibility to continue to find ways to reach young children and strengthen their awareness when it comes to financial literacy. By focusing our attention on the youth in our communities throughout the state, we ensure South Carolina will have a brighter future, as these individuals will one day enter the work force and become contributing members of society. We also provide a stronger foundation for small business in our state, as well as cultivating a more educated and informed group of potential bank customers in our communities. Whether it is learning the importance of saving or how to establish and maintain good credit, by providing our youth with these basic but important fundamentals, we are providing our state and its citizens with a foundation that will set us apart from others and ensure overall success. Please take part in any financial literacy programs going on in your community and support PEP throughout our state…one way or the other, financial literacy ultimately affects us all. 9 Palmetto Banker


Cover Article

Bradley Cox CRA Officer The Peoples National Bank

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he Peoples National Bank is a proud participant in the Personal Economics Program (PEP), a program that encourages financial literacy in classrooms within our communities. Teach Children to Save and Get Smart About Credit are two of the programs that twelve of our bankers were able to use in classrooms throughout Pickens County and Greenville County during the 2010-2011 school year. Through the efforts of these twelve bankers, PNB was able to reach over 500 students in these two counties and create long-lasting relationships with administration and faculty within our local school districts.

Students today have a desire to learn more about banking, finance, saving money, personal credit and a host of other topics that we are able to share in the classroom. When asked about PEP, Bart Turner, city executive for our Pickens branch said, “PEP is a wonderful way to encourage and promote the importance of saving at an early age. The eagerness of kids to learn has made it a wonderful experience all three years I have participated. I am looking forward to next year.” This year PNB celebrates its 25th anniversary of service to upstate South Carolina and the PEP program is one of the avenues that allow us to give back to future generations. Participation in PEP has taken our bankers from the kindergarten classroom to the college auditorium. In a recent e-mail to our PEP participants, I told them that this program is an opportunity for us to get in front of our future customers. This information should bring about a sense of urgency to bankers to challenge us to impart knowledge and skills to these students who will one day require the services of our banks. Employees of PNB look forward to opportunities to be a part of the learning process. Valerie Ison, an employee at our main office said, “Early financial education is key to a secure future. Teach Children to Save allows me the opportunity to share my banking knowledge in creating a financial building block in their lives.” This approach by bankers in our community is sure to make a significant impact in the lives of students and we look forward to the opportunities we will have in the future to be a part of the Personal Economics Program.

Teach Children to Save Day!

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Feature

ICS, A New Savings Product Providing Community Bankers With A Competitive Edge Danny Capitel, regional director, Promontory Interfinancial Network, LLC

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he economic turmoil and uncertainty of the last few years continue to have a major impact in the financial marketplace. The appetite among institutional investors for safe and liquid investments is strong and will likely remain so for the foreseeable future. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has put in place regulations that will give some depositors extra protection through 2012. Under its new rules, through December 31, 2012, the FDIC will provide unlimited deposit insurance coverage for certain qualifying noninterest-bearing transaction accounts, including noninterest-bearing traditional checking accounts. But in order to take advantage of this protection, a safety-conscious investor has to choose to keep money in an account that does not earn any interest. Fortunately, banks that are members of the Promontory Network can offer their customers an alternative – ICS, a savings product that provides access to multi-million-dollar FDIC insurance and interest. Using Promontory’s new ICS (or Insured Cash Sweep) service, banks can provide a savings product to businesses, nonprofits, and many other large-dollar depositors, and can keep the full amount of deposits on balance sheet through a true reciprocal deposit arrangement. Through ICS, customer funds can be swept from a transaction account at their relationship institution into interest-bearing savings accounts (money market deposit accounts) at multiple banks. And each relationship bank maintains full control over its customer relationships and sets the rates it offers to customers for funds placed through the service.

ICS is a new tool that can help community banks to compete head-on with the largest financial institutions for money market mutual fund monies that may be “in play.” Additionally, ICS enables participating banks to compete on dimensions other than price – in particular, by featuring access to a level of security greater than any bank (regardless of size) can offer on its own. While a bank’s current suite of cash management products may include the basics, adding ICS can help financial institutions take care of their most valuable customers. With ICS, banks can offer largedollar depositors, such as businesses and public funds (in states that permit the use of the service) all these benefits at once: yield, peace of mind, and the ability to make multiple monthly program withdrawals. And unlike money market mutual fund sweeps and short-term bond funds, ICS lets banks keep the full amount of customer funds on their balance sheets. Additionally, when customers adhere to program limits, ICS reduces many of the ongoing collateralization and tracking burdens associated with repo sweeps and collateralized deposits – making ICS a great alternative from both the bank’s and the customer’s perspectives. All of this makes ICS the most convenient deposit sweep service. If you want to learn more about this great new service, visit Promontory’s website at www.promnetwork.com, or contact Erich Buckenmaier at 866-776-6426, ext. 3476 (toll-free), or by e-mail at dcapitel@promnetwork.com.

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Young Bankers Conference

Young Bankers Go to the Blue Ridge Mountains 2012 Young Bankers Division Annual Conference

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he Young Bankers Division Annual Conference will return March 9-11, 2012 to the enchanting and rustic Grove Park Inn & Spa in Asheville, NC. The annual conference brings together young bankers and associates from across South Carolina for a weekend of fun, fellowship and growth in their careers in banking. With several dynamic speakers, the business sessions will prove to be both challenging and enlightening. As in the past, we will begin Saturday morning with a Prayer Breakfast. Following the business sessions, attendees are encouraged to network with vendors and peers. The conference will conclude with a special dinner and dueling piano show Saturday evening. Reward your young leaders with an investment in their futures! Attend the Young Bankers Conference. Registration materials were mailed November 1, 2011. Go to www.scbankers.org and click on Event Registration/ Members Only for more information.

About the Speakers

Michael P. “Mike” Ayotte & Harry M. Davis, Ph.D. “The Great Debate” Mike Ayotte is president & CEO of Morganton Federal Savings & Loan in Morganton, NC. He is a 1979 graduate of Florida State University with a BS in finance, and has spent 22 years in the investment business, primarily in the area of fixed income products. For many years Mike Ayotte he specialized in bank investment portfolio management and asset/liability. Mike has served as an adjunct faculty member of the Graduate School of Bank Investments and Financial Management program at the University of South Carolina, is a former faculty member of the North Carolina School

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of Banking at Chapel Hill, is a current faculty member at the South Carolina Bankers School and the Graduate School of Banking of South at LSU, and is a frequent lecturer and guest speaker on investment economics and portfolio management. Dr. Harry M. Davis is the Professor of Banking (1980) and Economist (1981) for the North Carolina Bankers Association. He is professor of finance and past chair of the Department of Finance, Banking, and Insurance at Appalachian State University (1981-1998). Dr. Davis received his undergraduate degree in economics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1970, a master’s degree in economics at Vanderbilt University Harry M. Davis in 1972, and a Ph.D. in finance at the University of Georgia in 1976. As the NCBA economist, Dr. Davis puts together quarterly economic forecasts that are carried by various news outlets. He is frequently interviewed throughout the year by newspapers, television, and radio stations for stories on the economy and banking. Dr. Davis is a frequent speaker at state, regional and national banking conventions on economic and banking issues. Dr. Davis is the dean of and serves as an instructor for the North Carolina School of Banking. He is an instructor for the Director’s College sponsored by the NC Commissioner of Banks and the FDIC. Dr. Davis is the asset/liability management instructor for the South Carolina School of Banking. He is also an instructor for the North Carolina Insurance Executive Management School. Dr. Davis helped start a bank in Boone in 1998, which was later sold. He serves as vice-chairman of the board of the bank. Dr. Davis received the Distinguished Graduate Faculty Member Award granted by the Graduate School at ASU in 1995. He received the Excellence in Teaching Award given by the Walker College of Business at ASU in 2004-2005.


Rory Aplanalp “The Model of Control” and “How to be Happier by Watching What You Put on Your P.L.A.T.E.” A proven professional, Rory Aplanalp has lived in and worked in the real world of business. He began his career as an Evans Training Personnel franchise owner, and later, became the National Training Rory Aplanalp Director for all the Evans franchises. He then founded Human Resource Development, a leader in the sales training field. HRD was acquired by the Franklin Covey organization and for fourteen years Rory was affiliated with Franklin Covey where he was regarded as their most requested seminar presenter and keynote speaker. Today, he is president and CEO of Aplanalp Associates, Inc., an international speaking and training organization which offers the finest human potential and professional development keynotes and seminar programs. He is a professional member of the National Speakers Association, Meeting Professional International & American Society for Training and Development. Rory is the co-author of the best-selling book entitled “The Five-Minute Rule” and the recipient of a U.S. Senate Citation. Rory represents a diverse group of associations, organizations, Fortune 100 companies, educational institutions, and businesses. His client list includes Promotional Products Assoc. Int’l, American Apparel and Footwear Association, ExxonMobil, Chase Bank, Crowe Chizek, Verizon Wireless Communications, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Continental Airlines, Price Waterhouse Coopers, REMAX, AT&T, The Children’s Miracle Network, Hearst Publishing, Nestlé, General Motors, the U.S. Army & Navy, The Department of Justice, Humana Health, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Stewart Title, several independent school districts, nursing and banking associations as well as numerous state banks. Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, Rory now resides in Houston, Texas and enjoys spending time with his family. His greatest accomplishment in life is being a father and granddad… his next greatest accomplishment is being able to do something that has a lasting impact on the lives of others by helping them realize that each and every one of us has the power to “Make a Difference.”

F. Rick Saunders “The Success Journey”

F. Rick Saunders

Rick Saunders has been in finance and banking for over 31 years. From 1983 through 1997, Mr. Saunders was senior vice president and city executive of Florence for Pee Dee State Bank, Florence, South Carolina, where he was also a member of the bank’s senior loan committee and board of directors. During this time, his responsibilities included corporate banking, business

development, and policy-making. From 1997-1998, he served as senior market executive with Centura Bank after its merger with Pee Dee State Bank. In 1998, he began organizing First Reliance Bank and presently is the president and chief executive officer of First Reliance Bank. Mr. Saunders graduated from the South Carolina Bankers School, a cooperative program with the College of Business Administration of the University of South Carolina, in 1986. In 1988, he graduated from the Southeastern School of Agriculture Lending, a cooperative program with the College of Agricultural Science of Clemson University. Mr. Saunders is currently a member of many civic and charity organizations. Some of his awards include: 2007 Business Man of the Year (Florence Chamber of Commerce), 2007 Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and 2004-2005 Beta Gamma Sigma honoree from Francis Marion University School of Business. He currently resides as a member of the South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions (governorappointed), and the legislative committee for the South Carolina Bankers Association. He is also a member of the South Carolina Bankers Association board, the advisory board for the Francis Marion Center for Entrepreneurship, the McLeod Foundation board of trustees, the board of directors for First Reliance Bank and First Reliance BancShares, the Florence Rotary Club and the Florence Baptist Temple.

Prayer Breakfast

Featuring Captain Michael Nunn – Florence County Sheriff’s Office and Survivor of “The Miracle on The Hudson” Mike is a native of Columbia, SC and the son of Mills and Dale Nunn. He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of South Carolina. Mike began his legal career in Florence in 1982. He later became a senior partner with Aiken, Bridges, Nunn, Elliott & Tyler where his practice consisted primarily of hospital and medical malpractice, product liability and complex business litigation and governmental tort liability litigation. Mike has served on numerous state and federal bench and bar committees including the Fee Dispute Resolution Board. He is a fellow of the American Board of Trial Attorneys, the minimum requirement of which is to be lead counsel in at least 100 jury trials. After 27 years in private practice, Mike accepted the position of general counsel and public information officer with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office in April of 2009. Prior to accepting this position, he served as a reserve deputy with the Sheriff’s Office for 4 years. He is also a graduate of the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy as a Class One officer and carries the rank of captain with the Sheriff’s Office. Mike is married to Florence native Lee Hicks Nunn and they have two children; Weston, age 26 and Mills, age 20. Mike and both of his sons are Eagle Scouts. He and his family are members of First Presbyterian Church in Florence where Mike serves as an elder.

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Young Bankers Conference Dinner and Dueling Piano Show

Golf Outing

The Golf Course at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa The Golf Course at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa continues to earn accolades after a complete restoration of its original Donald Ross design in 2001. In 2005, The Golf Course was rated 32nd best in the state by the North Carolina magazine golf panel. This ranking is 37 spots better than the previous year when it debuted in the “N.C. Top 100” at #69. This also signified the largest jump in stature by any golf course in the state from 2004 to 2005. Also, in 2005, Golfweek magazine included The Golf Course in its 2005 “America’s Best” listings. The Golf Course is rated as the 8th best in North Carolina with five of the seven courses rated higher located at legendary Pinehurst.

A dueling piano show is an all-request, sing-along, clap-along fully interactive experience like no other. Rock, pop, country, hip-hop, rap, you name it, these guys can do it. Blending great music, comedy, audience “call-downs” and special event skits, this show is unparalleled in keeping audiences engaged. You’ll be singing, clapping, and laughing from start to finish. Bring your requests and be ready for some fun. 88 Licks Piano Troup, out of Atlanta, GA, is comprised of some of the most exciting and talented dueling piano players in the southeast. The players are veterans of some of the top dueling piano venues including JellyRoll’s, Howl at the Moon, RumRunners, Jake Ivories, The Big Bang, Sing Sing, and many more. The show is anchored by musical director Mike Renna, a graduate of Boston’s famous Berklee College of Music, and a well-respected singer/piano player in the circuit.

Mark Your Calendar! March 9-11, 2012

Go to www.scbankers.org and click on Members Only for more information. 14 Palmetto Banker


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Golf Tournament Gold

2011 Young Bankers Division Scholarship Golf Tournament The 22nd annual scholarship golf tournament was a huge success. Held October 3, 2011 at the Columbia Country Club, a record number of golfers traveled to Blythewood, SC on a beautiful autumn day to support scholarships for future bankers. Congratulations to the winners and supporters of this worthy cause – it’s “fore” the future of banking!

l Bennett, Cross BlueShield, Ha Spann Laffitte, Blue te, SCBT, ffit La ue , and Montag Palmetto State Bank Division, lect Young Bankers N.A. and Chairman-E er a day on the course enjoy catching up aft

ael Delaney, First Trey Werner, The Palmetto Bank, Mich endon and Collin Clar of Bank The k, Citizens, Will Buyc Mackie, AR Funding l Par Sponsor Howe BA, and Michae Construction presNeil Rashley, SC ents a check to Go s ch Sa lf Chairman, Chad an ldm Patrick, Go Westendorf, Palmett o State Bank

First Reliance Team: Chad McMurra y, Rick Saunders, Richard McIntyre and Jeff Paolucci, chairman, Young Bankers Division

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Blake David Keller, Robert Thompson, and chat ., N.A , First Taylor, all with Southern C NBS , with Beth McMahan

s, Daniel Sloan Southcoast Team: Jeff Odom, Jimmy Hyam and Carter Pearson

Michael Boozer, Th e Plateau Group, Na kia Davis, The Peop Bank, Robert Huck les s, Coastal Carolin a National Bank, Westendorf, Palmett Chad o State Bank


tin Blum, First Citizens, Second Place Team: Jus tial Insurance, Bryant Travis Hudson, Pruden and Griffin Bell, Bell Puntch, First Citizens Carrington Law Firm

Beverage Cart Sponsors and STS Team: Mark Conway, Ted Brunson, Phil Martin and Brent Owenby

2011 Golf Chairman, Chad Westendo rf, Palmetto State Bank

ers: last place winn esented to the pr d am ar Te Aw nk nd Ba e Sandhills Horse’s Behi dge Bank and th rs ge Ri an ue str Bl , no in ... dd r Glenn Bu Rhonda Tille d an n so ib G a iss of Jim Smith, Al to this award.

Thank You! TO OUR 2011 YOUNG BANKERS DIVISION SCHOLORSHIP GOLF TOURNAMENT SPONSORS BEVERAGE CART SPONSORS STS BDC/CDC First Citizens Performance Trust HOLE-IN-ONE SPONSOR STS

, WIS-TV Hannah Horne

enjoys the Carol Bigham, Affinion, with Kathy Mexican Madness tent tion ruc Schreiman, Howe Const

STRING HOLE SPONSORS Elliott Davis, LLC FHLB-ATL TEE GIFT SPONSORS Wells Fargo First Reliance PAR SPONSORS Blue Ridge Bank Citizens Building and Loan Howe Construction Palmetto State Bank Southern First Bank, N.A.

17 Palmetto Banker


Community Bankers

Community Bankers Council Fall Peer Group Session Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort, Pawleys Island, SC – September 8, 2011

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n Thursday, September 8, 2011, the Community Bankers Council, chaired by William O. “Will” Buyck, Jr., The Bank of Clarendon, hosted the annual Fall Peer Group Session at Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort on Pawleys Island, South Carolina. The session attracted 45 attendees from the banking industry! Bart Smith with the FDIC in Charlotte, NC joined us for the event and as always left everyone with valuable information. Neil Rashley and Lloyd Hendricks with the South Carolina Bankers Association also took the podium to share important legislative information. The Community Bankers Council wishes to thank Rick Faust and Fiserv for hosting a wonderful dinner the Wednesday prior to the event at the Reserve Harbor Yacht Club, in order for the session attendees to relax, network and enjoy time with their peers. The Community Bankers Council sponsors two peer group sessions each year: one in the spring and the other in the fall. These sessions are offered regionally for everyone’s convenience. Plans are underway for the Spring Peer Group Session scheduled for March 6, 2012 in the Midlands. Each October, the Council also hosts the annual Community Bankers Forum. Our next issue will recap the 2011 Forum, so be on the lookout. The Council consists of 18 members that continue to stay active in accomplishing its mission which is “to recognize the unique needs of community bankers and to review and recommend products and services which could help make community banks more profitable and efficient.” If you have any suggestions or input for future Council focus points, speakers or events, please contact Caroline Sheorn at the SCBA office at csheorn@scbankers.org.

Will Buyck, chairman of the Community Bankers Council

Neil Rashley, South Carolina Bankers Association

Bart Smith, FDIC

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Compliance Corner

Real Estate Appraisals Under the New Interagency Guidelines

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n December 2, 2010, five federal banking agencies – the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Federal Reserve Board (FRB), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) and National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) (collectively, the “Banking Agencies”) – issued their long awaited revision to the Interagency Appraisal and Evaluation Guidelines that were first issued in 1994. As a result of these revisions, lending institutions have found themselves under greater scrutiny regarding real estate appraisals. To get an idea of how banks have implemented these procedural changes, Palmetto Banker turned to Michael B. Dodds, MAI, CCIM for answers. Mike has been a regular contributor to Palmetto Banker over the past several years and has spoken at several community banker conferences. His company, Integra Realty Resources - SC has been providing appraisal services in the Carolinas for over 20 years. In 2009, Integra opened an appraisal management division. Through the new division, Mike has helped a variety of banks with proper implementation of the Interagency Guidelines.

Palmetto Banker - You mentioned the term independence in ordering appraisals. What does this mean? Dodds - Basically, the institution’s reporting lines for its appraisal and evaluation program, including the ordering, reviewing, and acceptance of appraisals and evaluations, must be independent of the loan production staff. A violation of the independence provision carries the stiffest penalties, up to $10,000 per day, per occurrence. As you can imagine, civil penalties of that magnitude have gotten the attention of most bank executives.

Palmetto Banker - What part of the new regulations do banks seem to be overlooking in your opinion? Dodds - I have been surprised at how seldom banks review their approved appraiser list. The Guidelines state that an institution must have standards for the criteria, evaluation and monitoring of persons who perform appraisals. In just about every case, we have made new bank clients aware of appraisers on their approved list that had been disciplined in recent years. It is public information, and not difficult to find. One bank client had three deceased appraisers on its list. Needless to say, that list had not been updated in years. We require our approved appraisers to provide a copy of their license, E&O policy and statement of good standing once per year.

Palmetto Banker - How have banks in the Carolinas Palmetto Banker - Is there an appraisal related responded to the new Guidelines? “horror story” that you can share? Dodds - It has probably been about like you would expect. The larger banks addressed the new requirements immediately, since they have Dodds - I have been told that a bank examiner stated that a pargreater resources. We have worked with a number of mid-size community banks, and most of them have required some kind of tweaking to their appraisal process, mostly on independence in ordering appraisals and the level of reviews performed. Bank holding companies are doing a really good job. Of course they are looking to streamline the appraisal process to ease the transition after an acquisition. They also know that the regulators expect a higher level of compliance if the company wants more acquisition opportunities going forward.

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ticular fee appraiser “almost single-handedly took down a community bank” due to incompetent appraisals. The appraiser in question did a high percentage of the commercial appraisals for the bank due to his low fee structure. I have reviewed multiple reports by this appraiser, and I honestly don‘t know how he is still in business.


Palmetto Banker - As the real estate market Dodds - Without a rebounds, are appraisals easier or harder to doubt, appraisals of multiple unsold lots review? Dodds - From an appraisal standpoint, we are in the second most important period in the past 15 years. The first 18 months of the recession was a dangerous period, as appraisers were still using pre-recession comparable sales. This obviously led to overvaluing of properties, and many of the problems that we have seen. Now, as property values have stabilized, and appreciation is occurring in many markets, we are seeing appraisers still using distressed sales as comparables. I can’t emphasize how important it is for lenders to use appraisers that maintain a solid, current database of comparables, although this mainly applies to commercial appraisers. As part of our approval process, our appraisal management division will be asking appraisers which comp services, such as CoStar, Reis and Loopnet, that they subscribe to. We use those resources every day in our review practice.

or condo units have had the most errors or erroneous assumptions. There are multiple assumptions that can compound the problem if projected incorrectly. The individual unit values and the projected absorption of those units must be taken into account when selecting an appropriate discount rate. We have seen appraisers try to be conservative in each of those assumptions and improerly penalize the property. I bet we go back to the fee appraiser with questions on 80% of these types of appraisals.

Palmetto Banker – Any final thoughts?

Palmetto Banker - What are the options for community banks that are looking to upgrade Dodds - We have had credit analysts tell us point blank that they their appraisal review process? aren’t comfortable reviewing appraisals, but nobody ever asked them if they felt competent to do them. Ask your in-house review person if

Dodds - The choices are pretty simple, and we have talked with they truly feel comfortable reviewing appraisals in the current market. many bank executives that have weighed the pros and cons of each. The first option is to hire an in-house appraiser. This sounds like the simple solution, but has proven to be a challenge due to the limited number of appraisers that are competent to review both commercial and residential reports. Outsourcing the various aspects of an appraisal process is the other option. Some banks have the independence part of the process covered and only need assistance with technical reviews of the appraisals received. We do technical reviews for a number of banks that don’t need the full bundle of appraisal management services. Every bank’s situation is different.

They may need better resources, or it may be time to consider outsourcing the review function on complicated properties.

Palmetto Banker - What exactly does “technical appraisal review” mean? Dodds - A technical review is an appraisal review prepared by a properly licensed real estate appraiser. In addition to reviewing for basic USPAP compliance, the reviewer checks the math, methodology and researches additional comps to make sure that the fee appraiser used the best data available. Palmetto Banker - Of all of the property types being appraised, which presents the greatest challenge to reviewers?

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Welcome, New Associate Members Banks Street Partners 1380 West Paces Ferry Road, Suite 2060 Atlanta, GA 30327 Contact: Lee Burrows, CEO E-mail: lburrows@banksstreetpartners.com Website: www.banksstreetpartners.com Banks Street Partners is a boutique investment banking firm serving financial institutions in the Southeast. The partners of BSP have decades of experience in advising community banks and savings institutions on a full range of strategic issues, including mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning, and raising capital.

Callison, Tighe & Robinson, LLC PO Box 1390, Columbia, SC 29202 (mailing) 1812 Lincoln Street, Columbia, SC 29201 (physical) Contact: Ian D. McVey, Member Phone: 803-404-6890 Fax: 803-404-6902 E-mail: ianmcvey@callisontighe.com Website: www.callisontighe.com Tracing its roots back to 1947 when Preston Callison established a practice devoted to servicing the real estate industry, Callison Tighe has grown to a full service law firm of sixteen lawyers dedicated to providing effective representation in a cost effective manner. Our firm’s attorneys are equipped to handle most any matter that its client’s face on a daily basis. Callison Tighe’s attorneys have years of service to the banking community in the areas of foreclosures, loss mitigation, bankruptcy, tax corporate governance, employment and transactions.

Carolina Auction Team, Inc. 135 Metro Drive, P.O. Box 4125 Spartanburg, SC 29305 Contact: Brent Murdoch Phone: 864-597-0784 Fax: 864-597-0107 E-mail: brentmurdoch@carolinaauction.com Website: www.carolinaauction.com Carolina Auction Team, Inc. is a real estate marketing firm, which has successfully sold thousands of properties at auction during its 40-year history. Unlike the stereotypical auction liquidator, Carolina Auction Team provides thorough, professional third party asset field review and advisory services. When OREO disposition fits the auction method of marketing, we deliver a thorough, professional and proactive marketing plan for an immediate asset sale at top current market price, terminating holding cost and eliminating further management time.

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Properties we’ve successfully sold at auction include single-family homes, townhomes & condominiums, trophy properties, vacant and improved commercial & industrial properties, plantations, timberland, farmland & acreage tracts, subdivisions, waterfront properties and related personal assets. Our auction-marketing executives are experienced, trained, solid professionals, focused on results and offer a full-service, turn-key protocol. We engage strong support staff to organize every detail, promote your auction event and follow up to closing. Carolina Auction Team offers the resource capacity to effectively undertake any size transaction. We have sold on site and off site in transactions of 1 to 326 parcels, with sale attendance from many states in America and numerous foreign countries. While focusing on the Carolinas, the firm has worked in locations from Pensacola, Sarasota and West Palm Beach to Nashville, Northern Virginia, Memphis and across the Southeast. From coastal markets to the Midlands and the Upstate, we work for banks and financial institutions, publicly traded and private corporations, trust officers and others with proprietarial concerns.

CRS Data 341 Troy Circle Knoxville, TN 37919 Contact: Shawn L. Martin, Enterprise Solutions Specialist Phone: 800-374-7488 Fax: 865-584-8047 E-mail: smartin@crsdata.com Website: www.crsdata.com CRS Data is a web-based solution offering access to public records to thousands of organizations across America. We provide quick access to: sales and mortgage histories, warranty deeds, mortgage market share, comparables, interactive GIS and plat maps, area demographics, and property analysis. CRS Data can assist your financial institution in its efforts to provide safety and soundness and meet the ever changing demands of the financial regulators. We specialize in collecting valuable public record information pertaining to residential and commercial real estate transactions. We then convert the data into a useful, intuitive format that our customers appreciate. Our tools are like having the whole courthouse, plus the tools to find and analyze real estate and mortgage information at your fingertips, just the way you want. To maintain our market leadership position, CRS Data is committed to expanding both the product capabilities and markets served. We continue to design and enhance functionality to meet the ever-evolving needs of our broad base of customers.


Welcome, New Associate Members CustomerStream PO Box 2628 Brentwood, TN 37024 Contact: Jeff DeWald, President Phone: 704-248-0777; 615-483-8383 Fax: 704-227-0703 E-mail: jdewald@customerstream.net; mgreer@customerstream.net Website: www.customerstream.net Designed to set a community bank debit card apart from the competition, CardCash® replaces lost income from NSFs by optimizing debit card activation and usage. This incentive program improves on valueadded service to accountholders with a cash-back benefit on non-PIN debit card purchases and creates new fee income and accountholder loyalty. CardCash® includes software for accountholder account access and cash-back rewards tracking, monthly e-statements, and a fully functional management performance dashboard for the bank. Implementation, training and marketing are integral components of the program, all provided by Customer Stream with no setup cost for member banks.

EverFi, Inc. 2715 M Street, NW Washington, DC 20007 Contact: Emily Finkelstein Phone: 781-726-6677 ext. 124 Fax: 781-726-6688 E-mail: sue@everfi.com Website: www.everfi.com EverFi is the nation’s leading financial literacy software company. The award-winning program teaches, assesses, and certifies students in critical life skills including financial literacy, student loan management, and other essential subjects. The 10-module, 6-hour program is integrated into the school curriculum and covers over 600 topics including banking, credit scores, insurance, credit cards, student loans, mortgages, taxes, stocks, savings, 401k’s and other critical concepts. The system tracks student progress and reports the unique score of each user. Upon completion of the course, students are provided with Certification in Financial Literacy. SCBA members can sponsor, brand, and name the program in their local communities. The program serves to increase bank visibility, demonstrate community reinvestment and link with potential customers in an exclusive way.

Gallivan, White & Boyd, P.A. PO Box 10589, Greenville, SC 29603 (mailing) 55 Beattie Place, Suite 1200, Greenville, SC 29601 (physical)

Gallivan, White & Boyd, P.A. is a leading litigation, banking and business law firm, with 48 attorneys and 60 support staff in our three offices located in Greenville and Columbia, SC and Charlotte, NC. The firm represents banks, thrifts, financial institutions, and holding companies in commercial lending transactions, problem asset workouts, foreclosure and other collection actions, and general regulatory matters. Attorneys on the firm’s Banking and Business and Commercial Litigation Teams have extensive experience handling all aspects of complex banking and financial litigation, including lender liability actions. In addition, shareholder Arthur L, Howson, Jr. is chairman of the board of directors of BankGreenville, shareholder W. Howard Boyd, Jr. is a member of the advisory board of Regent Bank, and shareholder C. William McGee is a member of the advisory board of SCBT, N.A.

Peter C. Browning & Associates, LLC 2038 Providence Road Charlotte, NC 28211 Contact: W. Allen Rogers, II, Partner Phone: 704-442-8559 Fax: 704-442-5334 E-mail: allen@peterbrowning.com Website: www.peterbrowning.com Within the framework of its director and CEO advisory services, Peter Browning & Associates has developed a specialty practice that addresses the many corporate governance issues facing community bank boards today. Increased regulatory oversight, heightened compliance requirements, president shareholder demands and strict accountability are just a few of the concerns impacting the duties and responsibilities of bank directors. Now more than ever, boards must be extremely diligent in the way they function and how they engage proper governance. With collective expertise covering numerous facets of banking, the Partners of Peter Browning & Associates have worked either directly for, or as advisors to, numerous banks and thrifts ranging from de novo community banks to Tier 1 global institutions. The firm’s competence is grounded in practical experience that encompasses capital raising, mergers/acquisitions/divestitures (including cultural and operational integration), strategic assessment, succession planning, special committee counseling and board governance. Moreover, certain Partners of the firm currently serve or have served on bank boards and in bank management at the executive level. Drawing from this base of knowledge, Peter Browning & Associates has developed comprehensive programs and seminars that address board governance, board performance and dynamics, board recruiting and board/management interaction.

Contact: Arthur L. Howson, Jr., Shareholder Phone: 864-271-9580 Fax: 864-271-7502 E-mail: ahowson@gwblawfirm.com Website: www.gwblawfirm.com 23 Palmetto Banker


Bankers School

Bank Directors’ and Managers’ College Concludes Ninth Year Daniel-Mickel Center for Executive Education, Darla Moore School of Business University of South Carolina, Columbia October 19-20, 2011 and November 29-30, 2011 The 2011 Bank Directors’ and Managers’ College helped a small group of bank directors gain a better understanding of their overall duties and increasing challenges. For the past nine years, this highly regarded program was initially designed to provide new insight into bank operations, create valuable dialogue with regulators and enhance even the veteran director’s education. It has since evolved to include bank managers as they fulfill their fiduciary obligations in providing a higher level of service to their respective communities. The Bank Directors’ and Managers’ College is held in two sessions every fall with housing provided by The Inn at USC. Call Anne Gillespie at 803-779-0850 for more information.

It’s Time to Enroll in South Carolina Bankers School Chairman Francis A. “Frank” Townsend, III, Southern Bank & Trust, Aiken, wants you to attend the South Carolina Bankers School. It will be held July 8-13, 2012 at Lander University in Greenwood, SC. Don’t miss the Early Bird Deadline for big savings for First Year Students. You can save $100 if you register by February 27. Deadline for all registrants is May 1.

Reasons to Enroll in 2012 ✱ No Tuition Increase ✱ Register and Pay Online ✱ More Bang for Your Buck

visit www.scbankers.org to apply 24 Palmetto Banker


People On The Move by Marilynn Joyner

Anderson Brothers Bank Austin Beard joined as bank loan officer at the Georgetown branch. Debbie Cook was promoted to branch manager of the Home Mortgage Center. Susan Grant was promoted to deposit products and compliance offices.

BNC Bank David Smith joined BNC Bank as vice president, mortgage loan officer in Myrtle Beach.

Capital Bank Greg Dickinson joined as senior vice president and commercial banking team leader. He will serve the Charleston Commercial Banking Division.

Allison Gregory joined the bank’s Capital Management Group as vice president and wealth relationship manager. Jarvis Lane joined as relationship manager at the Parkway office in Greer. Julie Weber joined as relationship manager at the Cherrydale office in Greenville. Brenda Wheeler joined the bank’s Capital Management Group as senior vice president and wealth advisor.

First Reliance Bank

Chris Schwendimann joined Carolina Alliance as vice president and private banking officer.

Community FirstBank

Horry County State Bank

Bruce Toler was promoted to branch manager at the bank’s downtown Charleston location.

Amy Cannon celebrated 15 years of service in the third quarter of 2011. Wanda Maguire graduated from The South Carolina Bankers School Class of 2011. Mary Jane Martin, Savannah Rabon, and Susi Miller are celebrating five years of service with the bank. Becky H. Russell was promoted to vice president/internal auditor, CCBIA. Creighton Yates graduated from The South Carolina Bankers School Class of 2011.

Congaree State Bank Jeff Hendrix was promoted to vice president, commercial loan officer. Pam Poole was promoted to assistant vice president, branch manager at the West Columbia branch.

Countybank Gene Carter was promoted to assistant trust officer. Kenneth M. Harper joined as executive vice president and commercial banking manager for the Upstate. Tremayne D. Lee was promoted to vice president and financial controller. Dayle Mumford was promoted to vice president. Lynn Young joined as vice president and commercial banking relationship manager.

First Citizens Kevin Cliff joined as vice president and security manager.

Tammy Gleaton was promoted to vice president/special asset manager. Tripp Martin joined Peoples Bancorporation as credit analyst. Jason Turner was promoted to assistant vice president/credit analyst. Dorothy Whitney joined as senior vice president/compliance officer. Robin Williams joined the bank as quality control administrator.

SCBT, N.A. Brenda Wheeler

B. Frank James joined the bank as senior vice president, business development. Leslie Royston joined First Reliance as branch manager for both Mount Pleasant and Charleston locations.

Carolina Alliance Bank

Peoples Bancorporation, Inc.

NBSC, a division of Synovus Bank NBSC announced the addition of John Fitzhugh “Fitz” King and Staci Hymson Lovelace to its private banking division. Caleb J. McGowan was promoted to assistant vice president. Mansle “Mark” E. Raines was promoted to assistant vice president.

Jo Etta Floyd was promoted to vice president. Whitney E. Wolfman was promoted to vice president for the bank’s special assets division. Rebecca “Becky” Schauer Robertson was promoted to senior vice president for the bank’s Regulatory Risk Management division. Becky Schauer Robertson

South Atlantic Bank Nancy C. Pinner joined as teller in the Murrells Inlet office. W. David Rhodes joined as senior vice president and South Strand regional manager. Mary Jo Rogers was promoted to senior commercial lender. Allen Timmons joined the bank as mortgage loan specialist for the South Strand at the Murrells Inlet office. Carol Vaci joined as teller in the Murrells Inlet office.

TD Bank H. Malcolm Davis was promoted to assistant vice president, store manager of the Forest Drive, Columbia store. James Trussell, Jr. joined TD Bank as store manager in Florence.

The Palmetto Bank Patricia Riddle joined The Palmetto Bank as vice president, branch manager in Easley. Bryce Solomon joined as senior vice president, indirect lending manager.

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Bank News BNC Bank Bank of North Carolina, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BNC Bancorp (NASDAQ: BNCN), announced September 8 that it has entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with Regent Bancorp, Inc., a Florida corporation, to purchase all of the outstanding capital stock of Regent Bank, a federal savings association in Greenville, South Carolina and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Regent-FL. Additionally, BNC Bank announced October 14 that it has entered into a Purchase and Assumption Agreement with loss share arrangements with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to purchase substantially all of the assets and to assume substantially all of the deposits and other liabilities of Blue Ridge Savings Bank, Inc. The North Carolina offices will conduct business as Bank of North Carolina, while the South Carolina office in Greer will operate as BNC Bank.

Congaree State Bank Congaree State Bank celebrated its fifth anniversary on Friday, October 21, 2011. The bank marked this grand occasion by hosting a Customer Appreciation Day for clients including refreshments, prizes and a free shred event.

CresCom Bank Representatives from Carolina Financial Corporation announced in July that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (FDIC) approved their request to consolidate the corporation’s two bank charters, Charleston-based Community FirstBank and Myrtle Beachbased Crescent Bank. With the approval of the FDIC, Carolina Financial Corporation now moves forward with the consolidation of the two charters to one, with completion expected to be finalized by the fourth quarter of 2011. When complete, the two banks will share a new name, CresCom Bank, and will continue to use the marketing tagline “Have a nice bank.” The Corporation’s board of directors and management team, after analyzing the most effective way to manage and position the banks, determined the logical evolution to take advantage of new opportunities would be to consolidate. The analysis included reviewing the size, operating efficiency and, most importantly, the utilization and deployment of human capital across both banks and the corporation. The end result was a decision to consolidate the two banking charters into one in order to provide the optimal option for future growth and success.

September 19, 2011 and is published in the September edition of Employee Benefit News, a leading source of information for benefits decision makers. The Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces are selected after an analysis of company adoption benefits compiled through a Dave Thomas Foundation survey of approximately 500 U.S. employers. The two determining factors are the provision of financial reimbursement and paid leave to employees who adopt.

South Atlantic Bank South Atlantic Bank today announced that it has earned a 5-Star Superior rating from BauerFinancial, Inc., a leading independent bankrating firm, for the second quarter 2011. The 5-Star rating is the highest rating a bank can receive. South Atlantic Bank was the only bank in the Grand Strand market to receive a 5-Star rating. BauerFinancial, based in Coral Gables, Florida, compiles its ratings after an independent review of data that financial institutions report to the federal government, including capital ratios, profitability/ loss trends, the level of delinquent loans, charge-offs and repossessed assets, market versus book value of the investment portfolio, regulatory supervisory agreements, the community reinvestment rating (CRA), and historical data and liquidity. Banks can achieve rankings of zero through 5 stars, with 5 being the strongest. BauerFinancial has been analyzing and reporting on the financial condition of the banking industry since 1983.

TD Bank TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, is South Carolina’s top U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) bank lender by dollar volume for the second consecutive year. TD Bank topped a long list of South Carolina SBA lenders during the SBA’s 2011 fiscal year (ending on September 30), making 29 SBA loans totaling $32 million to South Carolina small businesses in 2011.

First Reliance Bank First Reliance was named to South Carolina’s “Best Places to Work” list for 2011. This is the sixth consecutive year the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce (SCCC) has named First Reliance to its annual ranking of the state’s best places to work. SCCC honored the bank at a recognition reception Tuesday, October 4, 2011, at the Embassy Suites in Columbia, South Carolina. “An important goal of First Reliance Bank is to give associates an incredible work experience,” said Rick Saunders, president and CEO of First Reliance Bank. Additionally, First Reliance was ranked as one of the Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces in the United States for four consecutive years. The 2011 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces list was announced by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption on 26 Palmetto Banker

REMINDER

If your company is a member of our association, SO ARE YOU! Let’s stay in touch! Go to www.scbankers.org. Sign in using your company e-mail address, select your company name, then review all member benefits. Please take a moment to make sure ALL personal information is updated in our MEMBERS ONLY section.

Questions? Contact Caroline Sheorn: CSheorn@scbankers.org


Calendar

Calendar of Events January 2012 10

SCBA Legislative Reception, The Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia

24-25 SCBA 2012 BSA/ALM Conference, The Clarion Town House Hotel, Columbia

27

March 2012

Banking Careers 101, Seawells, Columbia

15

SCBA Bank Operations Conference, Courtyard Marriott, Columbia

16

SCBA Credit Conference, The Clarion Town House Hotel, Columbia

April 2012 24

Teach Children to Save Day

May 2012 1

Final Deadline to Register for SC Bankers School

6

Community Bankers Spring Peer Group, Columbia

8

SCBA Compliance Conference, State Law Issues and Hot Topics, The Clarion Town House Hotel, Columbia

June 2012

Young Bankers Division Annual Conference, The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, Asheville, NC

July 2012

February 2012 1

Early Bird Deadline to Register for SC Bankers School

9-11

14

Economic Developers Conference, Midlands Technical College - NE Campus, Columbia

10-13 2012 SCBA Annual Convention and Trade Show, The Cloister, Sea Island, GA

8-13

South Carolina Bankers School, Lander University, Greenwood

Save the Date 2012 SCBA Annual Convention and Trade Show The Cloister, Sea Island, Georgia June 10-13, 2012 Convention Fees: $495 Members or Associates $395 Guest/Spouses

About The Cloister: For more than 80 years, The Cloister has been defined by legendary elegance, acclaimed worldwide as a secluded retreat. Experience the personal service, spectacular amenities, signature events, and children’s programs that make The Cloister an icon and inspire generations of guests to return again and again. Surrender to the lure of 175 world-class Georgia hotel rooms and suites … showcasing a unique coastal setting and exclusive access to five miles of private beach. Guests are only a short walk to the Tennis Center, Spa, and Beach Club. Guests are encouraged to do everything – or nothing at all. A special gala in honor of our retiring president & CEO, Lloyd I. Hendricks, will take place at this year’s convention. Hotel rates: $395 per night in The Cloister or The Lodge; $425 per night for Beach Club rooms. Registration information will be mailed in late January. Or visit www.scbankers.org.

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Good Deeds Heritage Community Bank

Wells Fargo A $100,000 gift from Wells Fargo has established a new scholarship to advance accessibility and affordability for first generation college students at Converse College. Six deserving SC natives were selected as the first Wells Fargo Scholars, and they each share the goal of being the first in their immediate family to graduate from college. The 2011 recipients are: Brittney Bouchillion of Simpsonville, SC; Caitlyn Pilot of Aiken, SC, Cymone Eldridge of Darlington, SC; Jessica Carman of Elgin, SC; Amber Ford of Piedmont, SC, and Jackey Banks of Charleston, SC.

Index of Advertisers Heritage Community Bank held an Alabama Tornado Relief Fundraiser June 10th, 2011. Employees of Heritage Community Bank located in Hartsville, South Carolina, washed customer’s windshields for donations while they visited their drive thru. The money they raised will go toward helping the victims of April’s tragic natural disasters.

South Atlantic Bank

American Bankers Association BDC

6

Community Bankers Bank

18

Credit Risk Management

32

Dixon Hughes Goodman

5

Flex-Pay Graduate School of Banking

South Atlantic Bank has announced that it raised $1,656 for the Grand Strand Miracle League during its fall fundraiser. From August 19 through September 23, South Atlantic Bank accepted monetary donations at its offices in Myrtle Beach and Murrells Inlet. The bank matched the contributions up to $500 and presented a check on behalf of its customers and the community to the Grand Strand Miracle League at their Fall Opener on September 25. South Atlantic Bank was also a sponsor of the Fall Opener.

30

31 7

Howe Construction

21

InfoTech Alliance

15

KeenanSuggs

30

Risk Management Group

19

SCBA Services, Inc.

29

SCBT Wholesale Mortgage

11

Vantiv

2

How Can I Get Myy Bank News Published? How Can I Get My Bank pennycothran@scbankers.org News Published? It’s simple! Just e-mail your press releases and photos to:

Deadlines are available at 28 Palmetto Banker

www.scbankers.org

Click on About Us, then News and Publications.


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PLANNING AHEAD: SCBA’S ANNUAL SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

THERE AR E SO MANY WAYS TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT!

✔ SCBA Annual Convention Sponsorships

✔ Community Bankers Forum Sponsorship

✔ Young Bankers Conference Sponsorships

✔ Credit Conference Sponsorship

✔ Young Bankers Scholarship Golf Tournament Sponsorships

✔ BSA and AML School Sponsorships

✔ Young Bankers Division PEP Rally Sponsorships ✔ Asset Liability Conference Sponsorship ✔ Economic Developers Conference Sponsorship

✔ Bank Operations Sponsorship ✔ Banking Careers 101 Sponsorships ✔ Bank Secrecy Sponsorship ✔ Trust Conference Sponsorship ✔ Fall HR Conference Sponsorship

Information will be mailed throughout the year. Please e-mail info@scbankers.org for more information on levels and availability.

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South Carolina Bankers Association (2009 Park Street) Post Office Box 1483 Columbia, South Carolina 29202-1483

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Prsrt Std US Postage

PAID Columbia, SC Permit 706


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