Sept. 4, 2025

INDUSTRY NEWS

FDIC Removes Disparate Impact from Exams

The FDIC has eliminated references to disparate impact from its Consumer Compliance Examination Manual, saying examiners will now review potential discrimination only for evidence of disparate treatment under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and Fair Housing Act. The move, following similar action by the OCC, narrows how fair lending reviews will be applied to banks. Read the FDIC’s letter here.

Related: See details below about a free fair lending webinar from GBA Strategic Partner NContracts.

Southeast Bank Loan Growth Holds Steady as Economic Activity Slows Slightly

Banking contacts across the Southeast reported modest loan growth in recent weeks, even as overall economic activity declined slightly, according to the latest Beige Book from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

While demand softened in sectors such as manufacturing, transportation and consumer spending, banks noted stable activity supported by tighter credit standards and careful business planning. Labor conditions remained steady, with many employers maintaining headcounts and noting ample applicants for open roles.

Price pressures remained moderate overall, though smaller businesses struggled to pass on rising costs. Energy activity grew modestly.

New Infographic Warns Consumers About Deepfake Scams

A new infographic about deepfake scams, which use AI-generated images, video and audio to impersonate trusted individuals, was recently released by the FBI in partnership with the American Bankers Association Foundation. Since 2020, more than 4.2 million fraud reports have been filed, leading to $50.5 billion in losses, with a growing share linked to deepfakes.

Officials warn these scams are becoming harder to detect and urge consumers to learn the red flags and share information with family and friends. The infographic is part of a broader set of consumer education tools, including the upcoming #BanksNeverAskThat and #PracticeSafeChecks campaigns and the Safe Banking for Seniors program.

ATTENTION ATTORNEYS!

Status of Important Cases for September 2025

The latest ABA Newsbytes Banking Docket is now available. Read about the status of important cases here. Each article contains a “Read more” link with access to additional details on the issues, case summaries and links to related documents.

MEMBER NEWS

Long-Serving First National Community Bank Director Recognized

There’s a nice article this week in American Banker about the founding of First Chatsworth Bankshares and First National Community Bank told from the perspective of cofounder and longtime director Roland Harbin. The holding company and bank are celebrating their 50 years of service to the community. Harbin, a pharmacist in Chatsworth, shares how he was approached to help found the bank. "They knocked on my door a little after supper," Harbin said about two of the founders coming to see him. "As soon as I spotted them, the thought hit me that, uh-oh, they're going to organize a bank. On my own I would never have thought of organizing [a] bank, but I sure did hope someone would.” He also shares why being part of the bank has been important to him. "My whole life has been taking care of people," Harbin said. "Just as I wanted to keep people healthy at the pharmacy, I wanted to keep people financially healthy at the bank." Harbin, who is 86, continues to serve on the holding company board. Read the article here (subscription required).

GBA NEWS

Time to Review Your 401(k) Plan Design for 2026

Now is a great time to start thinking about your company's 401(k) plan design and whether you need to make any changes for 2026. If your company has a safe harbor plan, many types of changes that affect features such as matching levels, automatic enrollment and vesting can be updated only at the beginning of a plan year. If you are in the GBA 401(k) Master Trust and are considering changes for 2026, please reach out to us as soon as possible to allow time for amendment preparation and safe harbor notices that are required to be distributed to plan participants by the end of November.

If your company does not have a safe harbor plan, does 401(k) testing limit what your bank officers can contribute? Plans that guarantee a 100% match up to 4% of compensation or a 3% non-elective contribution (similar to a profit-sharing contribution) can be exempt from ADP/ACP discrimination testing and even exempt from top-heavy testing depending on different factors. Employees must become immediately 100% vested in all safe harbor contributions. In addition, there is another safe harbor design that ends up with a 3.5% maximum annual match for participants but has automatic enrollment features built in and allows for a two-year vesting schedule. The Master 401(k) plan offered under GBA Retirement Services, Inc. is already set up to accommodate traditional and automatic enrollment safe harbor plans. Anyone electing safe harbor options for 2026 must decide by early October. Now is a great time to make final decisions about your plan design for 2026.

Benefits of the 401(k) plans offered through GBA Retirement Services include:

Competitive fees due to size of Master Trust
Customized service from GBA staff
Personalized managed account solution available for all participants
Flexibility and performance of investments
Added oversight by having American Trust Company as a Discretionary Trustee of each plan in the Trust.

Let us help you review your current plan and compare it to what GBA Retirement Services can do for you. Please contact Mandy Richards at 404.420.2025 for more information on plan design options or for assistance in a periodic review and comparison of your retirement plan.

ADVOCACY

2025 Georgia BankPAC Update

As the next election cycle is heating up, the 2025 BankPAC campaign to raise funds for the GBA StatePAC and GBA FedPAC is going strong, and we hope you will consider contributing.

Contribution forms along with all BankPAC information may be accessed on the advocacy page of gabankers.com with instructions and 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 recently are:

Great Oaks Bank, Richmond Hill, Brad Brookshire, CEO
Morris Bank, Dublin, Spence Mullis, chairman & CEO.

And, contributing recently to the GBA FedPAC are those eligible employees, officers and directors of Morris Bank, Dublin, Spence Mullis, chairman & CEO

PARTNERS, PRODUCTS & ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

Now Available: 7th Edition Bank Record Retention Quick Notes

GBA, in partnership with the Massachusetts Bankers Association, is pleased to announce the availability of the 7th Edition Bank Record Retention Quick Notes, authored by Carl Pry. This edition is designed to be a fast and easy-to-use digital reference on the most common types of record questions that bankers encounter.

Highlights of the 7th Edition:

This streamlined reference covers six key areas—General; Deposits & Operations; Loans; Securities; Human Resources; and Tax—and incorporates the latest guidance from FinCEN, CFPB, OCC, NACHA, IRS, SEC, FDIC, FRB and more.

The 7th Edition contains numerous changes to retention requirements, and other notable rule revisions include:

New records added to better protect banks over appropriate time periods in case of potential regulatory enforcement and/or litigation
Updates to retention-related federal laws and regulations since the last edition, particularly in light of the dynamic regulatory environment over the past few years
Numerous best practice suggestions are now included in the guide.

How can we order?

Visit this page.

Log in, or register on the platform if you have not done so already.
Select the number of licenses you wish to purchase ($165 each). For orders of five or more licenses, please contact Bo Brannen, bbrannen@gabankers.com, before placing your order.
Go to ‘Your Cart’ and check out using a credit card.
Access credentials will be sent to the email address associated with the order within 3 business days of processing. If multiple licenses are purchased, the credentials will allow for simultaneous logins equal to the number of licenses.

Note: Banks that purchased the 6th Edition in 2025 will automatically receive free access to the 7th Edition.

STRATEGIC PARTNER NCONTRACTS

Does Fair Lending Still Matter? Free Webinar Oct. 9 at 11 a.m.

The simple answer: yes. With the shifts in control in Washington and within federal agency leadership, this is a common question. From disparate impact to redlining, fair lending has undergone a wave of scrutiny. Join experts with GBA Strategic Partner NContracts to learn more about why fair lending remains a top priority. They will cover recent regulatory shifts, examples of technical violations and the importance of a strong compliance management system. They will also address how being prepared can protect your bank when future examinations include longer-than-expected lookback periods.

REGISTER HERE

STRATEGIC PARTNER ABA INSURANCE

Safe Alert: Rising Akira Ransomware Threat - Key Steps and Protections

Akira ransomware attacks are on the rise, with banks increasingly targeted, according to GBA Strategic Partner ABA Insurance. These sophisticated attacks use a double-extortion approach—freezing systems and threatening to release stolen data. The attack typically follows four steps:

Gain network access via stolen credentials through exposed remote access services like VPNs or RDP
Escalate privileges to move undetected through networks
Exfiltrate sensitive data for added leverage
Deploy encryption to disrupt operations.

To protect against these attacks, banks should implement strong patch management, enforce robust authentication, and monitor for anomalies. Read the full ABA Insurance Safe A!ert for detailed prevention strategies.

TRAINING & EVENTS

Enrollment is Now Open! 2026 Georgia Banking School

Online enrollment is now open for the next session of the Georgia Banking School, set for April 26 - May 1, 2026, on the UGA campus in Athens.

For more than 60 years, the school has developed generations of Georgia bank leaders who shape the industry in our state. It offers everything you want and expect from an investment in banker education, specifically preparing the next generation of bank leaders, building the pool of management-level talent in your bank and connecting students to the most knowledgeable industry experts and a community of fellow bankers.

The Georgia Banking School Board, led by Peter Faser of The Profitability Coach, has been hard at work reviewing the curriculum and planning next year’s session.

ENROLL HERE

Spots Still Available for BankPAC Golf Classic Teams and Hole Sponsorships

A great crowd is building for our upcoming Bank PAC Golf Classic, Oct. 15 at the River Forest Golf Club in Forsyth. There’s still room for you to sign up a two-person team and/or reserve your hole sponsorship. It’s all for a great cause, with all proceeds going to the GBA state PAC*, which contributes to candidates running for state-level offices.

You don’t have to be a GBA member to play, so invite your friends, legislators, and bank directors to join you for a fun afternoon of golf and informal networking. If you do not have your second golfer yet, that’s okay! Go ahead and register and let us know that information closer to event time.

REGISTER HERE

Thank you to the following banks and Associate Members who are supporting the event through sponsorship:

Bank of Monticello
Burke Stelling Group
Cash Transactions
Colony Bank
CRS Data
CSRA Business Lending
CT Solutions
Genesys Technology Group
Great Oaks Bank

Lee & Mason Financial Services
Pinnacle Bank
Planters and Citizens Bank
Point to Point Environmental
Steve H. Powell & Co.
STS Group
The Citizens Bank of Swainsboro
West Central Georgia Bank.

* The GBA StatePAC contributes only to candidates running for state-level office such as the Georgia General Assembly, the Governor’s office and the Lieutenant Governor’s office. Contributions can be made from an individual, from bank funds if you are a state chartered bank or from a national bank holding company if the contribution is made from funds other than those resulting from the operations of the national bank.

Sharpen Your Skills at the New Account Documentation & Compliance Bootcamp

Proper account opening is critical to protecting your bank from regulatory and reputational risk. Join us Oct. 8-9 at Middle Georgia State University in Macon for GBA’s New Account Documentation & Compliance Bootcamp, led by Matthew Dickinson, president and CEO of JM Consultants.

With nearly 20 years of banking experience and a reputation for practical, state-law-customized training, Matthew will guide participants through essential documentation practices, complex account structures, FDIC coverage and common compliance pitfalls. Each attendee will receive a 200+ page manual packed with checklists, examples, and answers to real-world account-opening challenges.

Day 1: Consumer & Business Accounts
Day 2: Trusts & Fiduciary Accounts

Whether you attend one or both days, you’ll return as a more confident and knowledgeable resource for your institution.

REGISTER HERE

Last Chance to Register!

Operations and Technology Peer Group
Sept. 10
UGA, Athens

More Events and Training Opportunities Coming up

President/CEO, Bank Accountant & Bank Counsel Conferences - Sept. 28-30 at the JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District
South Georgia Community Bank Symposium - Oct. 8, Valdosta State University
Compliance Conference - Oct. 20-22, The Westin Jekyll Island
Succession Planning Online Workshop Series - Nov. 3 & 17, Virtual
BSA Peer Group Meeting - Nov. 4, Virtual
Financial Risk Management Conference - Nov. 6-7, The DeSoto, Savannah
Credit Conference - Dec. 4-5, UGA, Athens
Marketing Peer Group Meeting - Dec. 9, Methodist Home for Children & Youth, Macon
GBA Compliance School - April 26 - May 1, 2026, UGA, Athens

WEBINARS – GREAT FOR FUNDAMENTALS TRAINING

Cyber Security 101, 2025 Head Teller Training, Welcome to Banking and More

Here’s a sampling of upcoming webinars.

Loan Documentation 101 Part 1: The Basics – Sept. 11
Cyber Security 101 – Sept. 18
Do We Have a Generation Gap: A Sales Workshop – Sept. 24
Accounting Basics/Refresher for Financial Professionals – Sept. 29
Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity – Oct. 1
2025 Head Teller Training: All-Day Streaming – Oct. 2
Small Business Lending Training Program – Oct. 7
Strategic Planning for Your Institution: It’s All About Your Strategy! – Oct. 9
What To Do When Your Vendor Gets Hacked – Oct. 15
Welcome to Banking - Sept. 16

Want to see the full webinar schedule?

WEBINAR CALENDAR

COMPLIANCE CORNER

Compliance Alliance Question of the Week

Question: Would our bank be required to obtain a Certificate of Beneficial Ownership on a guarantor to a loan?

Answer: Like so many BSA-related principles, this ultimately tends to be a risk-based determination that is reliant upon the bank's CIP, CDD, and other relevant BSA / AML policies, procedures and past practices. Click here to read more.

NEWSMAKERS

Chatsworth - First National Community Bank

The bank was named “Best Bank” in the 2025 Dalton Daily Citizen Reader’s Choice Awards, and team member Jennifer Everett was recognized as “Best Teller.” Read more.

Johns Creek - Loyal Trust Bank

Era Kohli has joined the bank as its new senior vice president, business growth leader.

Louisville - Queensborough National Bank & Trust

Augusta Mortgage Lender Mary Ann Ethridge has been promoted to senior vice president. Read more.

The bank was also recognized in the Best of Pooler 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards presented by Pooler Magazine.

Milledgeville - Century Bank and Trust

Johanna Lacey has joined the bank team as a personal banker.

Milledgeville - Exchange Bank

Donna Wall has been promoted to vice president - loan administration. Read more.

Moultrie - First National Bank

Marybell Hernandez was voted Best Mortgage Originator in the Best of Moultrie 2025.

Perry - SunMark Community Bank

Kaitlin Rambo has joined the bank team as a teller at the bank’s Houston Lake Branch.

Washington - F&M Bank

Lindsey Minyard has been promoted to vice president, AML/CFT and deposit compliance.

Waycross - WB&T Bankshares, Inc.

Christa McDonald has been promoted to senior vice president of operations. Read more. Rachel Cantella has been promoted to core system manager / AVP.

Atlanta - Mauldin & Jenkins

The accounting and advisory firm has promoted the following Georgia professionals to partner, effective Sept. 1:

Kevin Dodge, CPA, in the firm’s Savannah office
Ryan Jones, CPA, in the firm’s Atlanta office
Joe Kingma, who serves as the firm's general counsel and chief risk officer
Ben Peterson, CPA, in the firm’s Atlanta office
Chris Thorpe, CPA, in the firm’s North Fulton office.