Moss Installed as Chairman; Perry and Earnest Elected as GBA Officers; New Board Members Elected
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At the 134th GBA Annual Meeting June 9, Susan Moss, president and CEO, Planters & Citizens Bank, Camilla, was installed as the 138th GBA Chairman.
GBA members also elected two other officers for 2026-27. Tim Perry, president and CEO, The Citizens Bank of Georgia, Cumming, is our new Chairman-Elect. Ryan Earnest, president and CEO, First National Community Bank, Rome, is the new Vice Chairman.
In addition, eight new board members were installed for their terms beginning July 1:
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North Group: Matt Robbins, president and CEO, River City Bank, Rome
- Central Group: Andrew Ainslie, president and CEO, Bank of Madison
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South Group: Ryan Warren, president and CEO, Commercial Banking Company, Valdosta. Warren will also serve as the Community Bankers Committee representative, as he’s chairing the committee for 2026-27.
- At-Large (three-year term): Bill Hogan, CEO, Northeast Georgia Bank, Lavonia
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At-Large (one-year term): Lesa Downey, chief risk officer, Millennium Bank, Calhoun, serving the remaining time in this position vacated by Ryan Earnest’s election to Vice Chairman.
- Associate Member: Stewart Thigpen, CEO, Steve H. Powell & Company, Statesboro
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GBA Services, Inc. Chair: Ed Pope, president and CEO, F&M Bank, Washington
- Leadership GBA Chair: Zach Giddens, EVP and senior lender, SunMark Community Bank, Warner Robins.
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Outgoing Board Leadership Thanked for GBA Service
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During the annual GBA Board Dinner, Chairman Philip Williams thanked the following board members for their service, as their terms are wrapping up this month.
- Sam Beall, Bank of Dudley, Central Group
- Jay Torbert, Southeastern Bank, South Group, and chair of GBA Services, Inc.
- Michael Lee, Ameris Bank, At-Large
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Robert Duvall, Bank of Madison, Leadership GBA Board chair
- Marjorie Huckabee Carter, McNair, McLemore, Middlebrooks & Co., Associate Member Representative.
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Williams Emphasizes Relationships Remain the Foundation of GBA’s Success
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In his State of the Association address, GBA 2025-2026 Chairman Philip Williams highlighted a strong year for Georgia banks and the association while underscoring the relationships that make GBA unique. “The real strength of GBA is not found in financial statements, legislative victories or attendance numbers. It is found in relationships,” Williams said. Key highlights from Williams’ remarks included:
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- Georgia banks continued to post strong results, with loans, deposits and assets increasing while outperforming national peers in several categories.
- GBA secured several advocacy victories during the 2026 legislative session, including passage of House Bill 945, which gives banks new tools to help protect vulnerable customers from fraud.
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The association hosted more than 75 educational programs during the past year, serving more than 3,000 bankers statewide.
- GBA announced plans to launch a new Commercial Lending School in January 2027 to help develop the next generation of lending professionals.
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CHAIRMAN'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS
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Moss Calls on Georgia Bankers to Lead Through Stewardship and Advocacy
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Newly installed GBA Chairman Susan Moss, president and CEO of Planters & Citizens Bank, Camilla, used her inaugural address at the 2026 GBA Annual Meeting to encourage bankers to embrace stewardship, invest in education and strengthen advocacy for the industry.
Moss, GBA’s 138th chairman, reflected on her lifelong connection to banking and credited her father, past GBA Chairman Jud Vann (2000-2001), for helping shape her career.
“Banking, more than anything else, is stewardship,” Moss said, noting bankers’ responsibility to care for their customers, employees and communities.
She also praised GBA’s roundtables, conferences and training programs as essential resources in a fast-changing industry, urging bankers to “never stop learning.”
Looking ahead, Moss said her focus for the year will be “advocacy, advocacy, advocacy,” calling on members to engage with lawmakers and support GBA’s government relations efforts.
Moss closed by thanking her family, GBA staff and members, and announcing that the 2027 GBA Annual Meeting will be at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California.
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GBA Insurance Trust Elects Directors
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The GBA Insurance Trust (GBAIT) held its annual business meeting June 8 and elected four directors. The following banking professionals were elected by their peers to serve a three-year term, expiring in 2029:
- Brad Barber, First National Bank, Bainbridge
- Philip Williams, The Claxton Bank
- Mike Odom, Great Oaks Bank, Eastman
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Glenn Willis, South Georgia Banking Company, Tifton.
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Each year at the GBA Annual Meeting, we recognize and thank bankers who have dedicated 50 years or more to the banking industry. At this year’s 134th Annual Meeting, nine distinguished professionals were honored for their decades of service:
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Ken Barber, The Peoples Bank, Eatonton
- Jimmy Bohannon, The Citizens Bank of Cochran
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Mike Harbin, First National Community Bank, Rome
- Mike Hodges, Ameris Bank & Georgia State Senate, Brunswick
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Vicki Knight, First National Community Bank, Rome
- Kathy Mayers, Pineland Bank, Alma
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Brad Sanner, Loyal Trust Bank, Johns Creek
- Beverly Sines, BankSouth, Greensboro
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Haynes Standard, First State Bank, Wrens
We’re grateful for the remarkable service, leadership and dedication these professionals have shown throughout their careers.
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Annual Meeting Program Highlights
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Here’s a summary of the 2026 Georgia Bankers Association Annual Meeting educational sessions, which focused on innovation, leadership, economic insight and the policy environment shaping the banking industry.
Innovation and the Future of Banking
Ryan Jackson, vice president of innovation strategy at the American Bankers Association, opened the general sessions with “From Radar to Reality: Scaling Innovation in Banking.” He walked through the technologies gaining traction across the industry and what it takes to move from simply tracking trends to actually putting them into practice. His remarks centered on tokenization, artificial intelligence and open data, and how each could influence bank operations and customer relationships in the years ahead.
Peer Perspectives: CEO Panel
A CEO panel moderated by Ed Pope, F&M Bank, featured Wade Johnson, Durden Banking Company; Bill Hogan, Northeast Georgia Bank; and Parrish Clark, Guardian Bank. The group shared candid perspectives on leading their institutions, from managing growth and navigating challenges to staying focused on customers and communities. The conversation offered practical insights grounded in day-to-day experience.
National Leadership Conversation
A discussion between Kenneth Kelly, chair of the American Bankers Association, and Jim Edwards, CEO of United Bank, provided a broader look at the industry. Their chat touched on national advocacy priorities, the role of banks in today’s economy and how institutions can stay engaged and responsive in a changing environment.
Economic, Policy and Political Outlook
Joan Woodward, executive vice president of public policy at Travelers and president of the Travelers Institute, presented “Woodward on Washington: An Economic, Policy and Political Outlook.” She offered a clear, data-driven look at the factors influencing the economy, including energy prices, geopolitical events, interest rates, inflation and labor trends, along with what the 2026 midterm elections could mean for the policy landscape. Her session helped connect the dots between Washington and what bankers are seeing on the ground.
Closing Session
The final general session featured Bryan Stern, founder and chairman of Grey Bull Rescue, in conversation with GBA Chair Philip Williams. Stern and his company specialize in bringing Americans home from war-torn areas as well as delivering rapid aid to areas affected by natural disasters. He shared lessons from his work leading complex missions around the world, focusing on decision-making, accountability and staying grounded in purpose.
New This Year: Spark Sessions
New to the program, Spark Sessions offered short presentations designed to share good ideas from banks across the state.
- In “The Technology Gap Your Core Can’t Close,” Perry Revell, CEO of AB&T, discussed why relying solely on core systems is no longer enough and what banks should be thinking about next.
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Melissa Deal, SRO of The Claxton Bank, led “Leading Operations Teams for Energy and Effectiveness,” focusing on ways to build stronger, more engaged teams.
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Bryce McCuin, director of marketing at BankSouth, presented “Stop. Think. Call.” and walked through how the bank created a more coordinated approach to fraud response by aligning teams and simplifying communication.
This year’s program reflected the strength of Georgia’s banking community, with thoughtful conversations around leadership, innovation and the issues shaping the industry’s future.
Click here for more photos from the 2026 GBA Annual Meeting.
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Vote June 16 in Georgia Primary Runoff Elections
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Following last month’s primary elections in Georgia, there are several runoffs happening soon. Election day is Tuesday, June 16. Please encourage your team members to vote. The Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page is a good resource for viewing a sample ballot and polling locations. With runoffs in the races for U.S. Senate, Governor and Lt. Governor, among others, this is a critical year to be heard on behalf of your community and the banking industry as a whole.
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2026 Georgia BankPAC Campaign is Underway
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During GBA’s Annual Meeting this week, BankPAC Board Chair Brad Barber, president and CEO of First National Bank, Bainbridge, announced the kickoff of the 2026 campaign for the GBA StatePAC and GBA FedPAC. Bank CEOs should have received the campaign materials outlining steps to make your bank’s contribution to the StatePAC and eligible individuals' participation in the FedPAC. These contribution forms and all BankPAC information may be accessed on the advocacy page of gabankers.com with easy-to-follow options for making these contributions. As a reminder, state-chartered banks or national bank holding companies may contribute to the StatePAC, while eligible individuals may do so to the FedPAC. If you have questions, contact Elizabeth Chandler at 404.372.7893 or Bo Brannen at 404.731.9886.
Contributing to the GBA StatePAC already are the following banks:
- Northeast Georgia Bank, Lavonia, Bill Hogan, CEO
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The Claxton Bank, Philip Williams, EVP, Georgia Banking President
- U.S. Bank, Atlanta, Tom Ruebel, VP, State Government Relations
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United Bankshares, Peachtree Corners, Monty Watson, Regional President
Recent contributions to the GBA FedPAC have come from eligible employees, officers and directors of:
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GBA, Atlanta, Tripp Cofield, President & CEO
- The Claxton Bank, Philip Williams, EVP, Georgia Banking President
- United Bankshares, Peachtree Corners, Monty Watson, Regional President
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House Committee Advances Bill to Expand 1071 Relief
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We’re encouraged that the House Financial Services Committee this week voted 26-22 to advance the Small LENDER Act (H.R. 941). The bill would exempt certain community banks from small-business lending data reporting requirements under Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act. The bill would raise exemption thresholds, including for banks under $10 billion in assets and those with lower small-business loan volumes, while narrowing the definition of a small business.
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CFPB Removes Disparate Impact from ECOA enforcement
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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau this week finalized a rule removing disparate-impact liability from Equal Credit Opportunity Act enforcement, while clarifying standards around discouragement of applicants and marketing practices. The rule also imposes new restrictions on special-purpose credit programs, including prohibiting for-profit lenders from using protected characteristics like race or sex in eligibility criteria.
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CBLR Rule Expanded for Community Banks
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Federal regulators announced late Thursday they have finalized updates to the Community Bank Leverage Ratio framework, lowering the leverage ratio from 9% to 8% and extending the grace period from two to four quarters in order to provide additional time for community banks to either satisfy the definition of a qualifying organization or to achieve compliance with risk-based capital requirements. The changes aim to bring more community banks into the framework while preserving strong capital standards, regulators said. Banks with less than $10 billion in assets that aren’t considered advanced-approach banks may elect to use the CBLR framework. This would apply to nearly all Georgia-based banks.
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Atlanta Fed Data Shows Business Cost Expectations Rising, Pressures Persist
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We like to keep an eye on business inflation to monitor what that might mean for members and their customers. The Atlanta Fed does a good job tracking that, and its latest Business Inflation Expectations survey shows firms’ year-ahead unit cost expectations rising to 2.3%, remaining above the pre-pandemic average of 2.0%. The report points to continued pressure from input costs, particularly those tied to energy, with about two-thirds of firms reporting higher costs from recent oil price increases and many expecting further increases if prices remain elevated. For Georgia, those dynamics suggest a still-uneven cost environment, meaning banks may see ongoing pressure on business customers even as overall inflation trends stabilize.
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ASSOCIATE MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
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Welcome GBA's Newest Associate Members
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GBA Associate Membership is offered to individuals and organizations that want to do more business with banks as clients. These members also provide invaluable support to GBA's activities and programs throughout the year through attendance, sponsorships, exhibits and shared expertise. Be sure to get to know them and thank them for supporting the GBA.
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| CheckAlt
Ms. Theresa Freas, theresa.freas@checkalt.com
New York, NY
www.checkalt.com
CheckAlt helps banks and their commercial clients simplify inbound payments and receivables. Its integrated receivables solution allows teams to access and manage lockbox, electronic lockbox, online payments and remote deposit capture through a single portal, reducing manual posting and reconciliation, improving visibility into payment activity and streamlining exception handling without disrupting existing operations.
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| CoinProof Technologies
Mr. Daniel Escobar, daniel@coinproof.com
Richmond Hill, GA
www.coinproof.com
CoinProof is focused on digital asset incident response. As financial fraud and digital asset theft continue to impact consumers and businesses, banks are often one of the first places customers turn for help. Yet these situations can be difficult to assess, document and route through the appropriate channels. CoinProof closes that gap. The company provides a structured response process for digital asset incidents, helping customers and institutions collect the right information, organize incident details, prepare clear documentation and quickly report the right information to law enforcement. The goal is to make these incidents easier to intake, manage escalate, and support without placing additional burden on bank teams.
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| Georgia Small Business Capital
Mr. Brian Joiner, b.joiner@fbdc.net
Alpharetta, GA
www.ga504.com
Since 1989, Georgia Small Business Capital (GSBC) has been dedicated to supporting the success of Georgia’s small businesses. As the most active SBA 504 lender in the Southeast, GSBC specializes in helping healthy, growing companies secure long-term, below-market, fixed-rate financing for the acquisition and development of fixed assets. The organization also provides refinancing solutions for existing debt related to fixed assets.
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Register Now for the BankPAC Pickleball Paddle Battle
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GBA is teaming up once again with Rhythm & Rally Sports & Events in Macon for the second-annual GBA BankPAC Pickleball Paddle Battle on Aug. 27, benefiting the GBA StatePAC*. Held at the world’s largest indoor pickleball facility, this event offers an afternoon of networking, friendly competition and fun. Players of all skill levels are welcome. Enjoy lunch, giveaways and plenty of action.
Registration is $100 per player and includes tournament play, paddle and balls, water/snacks and lunch. The tournament will feature doubles competition (same-gender or mixed) in a round-robin format. Individual registrants are welcome and will be paired with another player.
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Get involved beyond the court!
Sponsorship Opportunities are available, with prices ranging from $250 - $650. Click here for details or contact GBA’s Kathy Friestad with questions.
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* The GBA StatePAC contributes only to candidates running for state-level offices such as the Georgia General Assembly, the Governor’s office and the Lieutenant Governor’s office. Contributions may be made by an individual, from bank funds if you are a state-chartered bank, or from a national bank holding company using funds not derived from national bank operations.
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Reminder: RSVP for Next BSA Peer Group Meeting
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Join your peers for a full day of in-person learning and collaboration at the upcoming BSA Peer Group Meeting July 22 at Middle Georgia State University’s Macon campus. Led by Kristen Stogniew, shareholder and leader of Saltmarsh’s Financial Institution Consulting practice, this interactive session will explore current industry hot topics and best practices to strengthen your bank’s BSA/AML/CFT and OFAC programs.
Conveniently located at the Robert F. Hatcher, Sr. Conference Center on the Middle Georgia State University – Macon Campus, this centrally located venue offers easy access for members across the state.
Attendees are encouraged to submit discussion topics during registration to ensure meaningful and relevant peer conversations. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain expert insights, exchange ideas, and expand your professional network.
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Understanding Bank Performance Program Teaches Fundamentals
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Join peers from more than 30 state bankers associations around the country in a unique Understanding Bank Performance program, a virtual five-session course designed to enhance your ability to interpret bank financials and key performance metrics. GBA partners with the Washington Bankers Association to make the program available to our members.
Who Should Attend?
This program is perfect for new bankers looking to build a solid foundation, as well as experienced bankers seeking to deepen their financial analysis skills.
Flexible & Convenient:
Attend virtually, with sessions running Thursdays and Fridays in July and October.
Learn more and sign up using the following links:
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More Events and Training Opportunities Coming up
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ONLINE LEARNING – GREAT FOR FUNDAMENTALS TRAINING
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Using AI as Your Writing Assistant, Opening Business Accounts, Stablecoin 101 and More
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Take a look at online training opportunities available to GBA members from OnCourse Learning and the American Bankers Association.
Upcoming hot topic webinars:
Self-paced courses, certificates and reference guides:
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PARTNERS, PRODUCTS & ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
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Compensation Survey Due Date is June 19
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Are you ready to elevate your HR strategy and stay ahead in managing your employee compensation programs? The GBA Compensation Survey is here to provide you with the support you need. The submission deadline has been extended to June 19, giving you more time to participate. To receive access to the survey materials, contact Rhonda Snyder at rhonda.snyder@pearlmeyer.com. Also, if bandwidth is an issue, email Rhonda, as Pearl Meyer can help your bank with data entry.
Dates to Remember:
- Survey Effective Date: April 1, 2026
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Extended Submission Due Date: June 19, 2026
- Results Published: Week of Aug. 10, 2026
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Participants: $650
- Non-Participants: $1,495
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STRATEGIC PARTNER ABA INSURANCE SERVICES
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Georgia Banks Receive $93,306 in Distributions from American Bankers Mutual Insurance, Ltd
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American Bankers Mutual Insurance, Ltd., the reinsurer for the GBA-endorsed P&C, D&O, bond, and cyber insurance program, has announced its annual distribution for eligible Georgia banks insured through ABA Insurance Services (ABAIS). This marks the 36th consecutive year of distributions. ABA member banks with coverage through the program qualify. Georgia banks can easily access the program through their normal insurance agent. For more information, contact Patricia Williams at pwilliams@abais.com or 410.960.6878.
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Albany - Flint Community Bank
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Michelle Adiano has joined the bank as a Commercial Banking Assistant.
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Our sympathies to the family and friends of John Kline, who died recently. Kline was a former Deputy Commissioner for the Georgia Department of Banking & Finance.
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| Perry - Georgia House of Representatives
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Our sympathies to the family and friends of former Georgia House Majority Leader Larry Walker Jr., who died this week. Walker served 32 years in the House, from 1973 to 2005, including 16 years as Majority Leader.
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Rome - First National Community Bank
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Kayla McEntire was recently promoted to Banking Officer/Branch Manager in the downtown office. Read more here.
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| Cairo - First National Bank
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First National Bank is proud to sponsor the Roddenbery Memorial Library’s 2026 Summer Reading Program, "Unearth a Story!"
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| Jonesboro - Georgia Banking Company
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A team from the bank’s mortgage department recently spent the day volunteering with Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity.
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Moultrie - South Georgia Banking Company
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The bank’s Moultrie team recently served as the cooks for the Moultrie Chamber Golf Tournament.
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| Thomasville - Thomasville National Bank
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The bank recently provided a generous contribution to Lawson Neel MedBank, a local non-profit dedicated to ensuring vulnerable residents have access to life-saving medications.
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| Warner Robins - Sunmark Community Bank
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The bank recently held its Financial Literacy Summer Series with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Georgia.
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Read All About It: Send Us Your News
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We want to share your news with your colleagues across the state. Please forward your announcements and photos to GBA's David Oliver and Katina Weiss.
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Recruit, Retain and Develop the Best Bankers with GBA's Job Bank
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GBA will post open positions, free of charge, for GBA members. See the open positions in Georgia here. We will also post professional summaries for bank-job seekers on our Bankers Available page. Contact Katina Weiss, 404.420.2021, with questions or needs.
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