Highlights from GBA Visit to Washington, D.C.
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Last week, a group of Georgia bankers and association partners, led by GBA Chairman Philip Williams, The Claxton Bank, traveled to Washington, D.C., to advocate for key industry priorities in meetings with federal regulators, congressional offices, and the ABA.
The visit began Tuesday with a policy briefing at the ABA offices, where participants reviewed top legislative priorities. These included the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, which advanced out of the Senate Banking Committee during our group’s time in Washington, as well as ongoing efforts to modernize deposit insurance and the industry’s continued push to combat fraud through measures such as the SCAM Act.
GBA members met with several federal regulatory agencies, including Stephen Lybarger, senior deputy comptroller for chartering, organization and structure and acting senior deputy comptroller for community banks, and Sebastian Astrada, deputy comptroller for chartering, organization and structure from the OCC. We also met with Daniel Pische, director of the Office of Financial Assistance at the SBA, and FDIC Chairman
Travis Hill, who provided insight and heard member feedback on recent bank resolution actions. The group also heard from Department of the Treasury, with Deputy Assistant Secretary
John Crews.
On Wednesday and Thursday, GBA members met with Georgia’s congressional delegation in their offices to discuss a range of pressing issues, including stablecoin legislation and fraud prevention. We were able to educate them about some recent state level efforts to allow banks to place temporary holds on transactions they suspect to be fraudulent and putting more guardrails and oversight on VC kiosk operators. Lawmakers in both parties expressed strong support for advancing federal legislation to address the growing threat of fraud.
Throughout the visit, bankers emphasized the need for fair and balanced regulation, additional support to combat financial fraud, and continued recognition of the essential role banks play in maintaining the strength and stability of the U.S. financial system. They also urged policymakers to pursue reforms that reduce regulatory complexity for community and mid-sized banks.
We want to thank our friends at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, Balch & Bingham, CRS Data, Elliott Davis, and EBS for their generous support of meals and transportation during the trip.
For more information, please contact Elizabeth Chandler 404.372.7893, Bo Brannen 404.731.9886 or Tripp Cofield 617.909.9530.
See more photos here.
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U.S. House Advances Bipartisan Housing, Banking Bills
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The U.S. House Wednesday approved bipartisan legislation to boost housing supply and advance several banking measures aimed at easing de novo formation and brokered deposit regulations.
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21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644): Expands incentives for housing development, eases some regulatory barriers and strengthens community banks’ role in housing finance. Passed 396-13.
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American Access to Banking Act (H.R. 4544): Requires regulators to review and streamline the de novo bank and credit union application process. Passed 405-4.
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Keeping Deposits Local Act (H.R. 3234): Raises the cap on reciprocal deposits institutions may accept. Passed unanimously.
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Community Bank Deposit Access Act (H.R. 5317): Revises treatment of certain deposits so they are not classified as brokered deposits. Passed 393-16.
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Banking Department Issues Proposed Rules for Virtual Currency Kiosk Operators
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The Georgia Department of Banking & Finance recently issued proposed rules that include new regulations for virtual currency (VC) kiosk operators, aiming to strengthen consumer protections. The proposed rules issuance follows the passage of the department's annual housekeeping bill in the 2026 legislative session, HB 945, by Rep. Bruce Williamson (R-Monroe). Under the proposed Rule 80-3-1-.07, VC kiosk operators must now submit quarterly reports listing each kiosk's location, business name and ownership details. Operators are required to offer refunds in certain cases, with consumers able to choose how they are reimbursed. Additionally, operators must contract with a third-party blockchain analysis firm to proactively block high-risk or sanctioned crypto wallets and implement risk-based monitoring policies for customer transactions. The proposed rules also outline stiffer penalties for operators found to be in violation of the new regulations. In addition to virtual currency (VC) kiosk rules, the proposed rulemaking addresses:
- Updates to rules on acquiring control of large state-chartered banks.
- When and how service charges can be assessed on dormant accounts.
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Changes to executive approval, compliance and recordkeeping requirements for Merchant Acquirer Limited Purpose Banks.
- Rules for registration, renewal and reporting for litigation financiers.
Comments to the Department on the proposed rules must be received by the close of business on Friday, June 12.
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Federal regulators have proposed updating the CAMELS rating system that would put more emphasis on material financial risks and less on policies and documentation. That lines up with the approach and priorities they discussed with us during our meetings in Washington, D.C., last week. Under the proposal, ratings of 1 and 2 would continue to reflect strong financial performance with only minor or moderate risk management concerns. A 3 rating would apply to institutions with significant legal or compliance issues, while ratings of 4 and 5 would indicate deficient or critically deficient financial performance. Read more here.
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Georgia Farm Banks Post Strong Year in 2025
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Georgia’s 30 farm banks reported solid growth and strong financial performance in 2025, outperforming the national median in 14 of 17 key performance categories measured by the American Bankers Association. ABA defines a farm bank as a bank whose ratio of domestic farm loans to total domestic loans is greater than or equal to the industry average, which was 14.14% in 2025.
- Total farm loans increased 5.7% year over year to $1.64 billion.
- Farm real estate loans rose 10.48% to $1.28 billion.
- Median return on average assets and ROE were better than national median.
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Employment grew by 83 jobs in 2025, with farm banks employing 1,997 people statewide across 150 branches.
- Median noncurrent loan rates remained low at 0.41%, below the Southern regional median of 0.47%.
Read the full report here.
See below for a summary of our Rural Development and Lending Conference that was this week
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Executive Orders on Illicit Activity and Opening Nonbank Access to Fed
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There were two significant orders issued by President Trump this week we’re looking closely at for possible effects on members.
Exec. Order on Illicit Activity: This would “protect America’s financial system from illicit activity, strengthen customer identification requirements for financial institutions, and address the credit risks posed by extending financial services to non-work authorized illegal aliens,” according to a White House fact sheet. It could significantly re-shape customer identification requirements.
Exec. Order on Nonbank Regulations: This orders the Federal Reserve to review the regulatory and policy frameworks that govern access to Federal Reserve Bank payment accounts and payment services for uninsured depository institutions and nonbanks. The review also would require the Fed to report on steps it could take to expand that access to those institutions.
“We support the administration’s efforts to strengthen the financial system, address illicit activity and encourage innovation and competition,” said
Tripp Cofield, president and CEO of the Georgia Bankers Association. “As regulators move forward with these executive orders, we hope they focus on practical solutions and avoid imposing significant new costs or compliance burdens on banks that already meet extensive regulatory requirements. At the same time, any nonbank that gains broader access to Federal Reserve payment services should be subject to comparable oversight and consumer protection standards to maintain a fair competitive environment.”
Read more details here
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Foster Child Organization Tax Credit
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Good news for our state’s foster kids. Georgia taxpayers can redirect their 2026 state tax dollars to The Methodist Home for Children to benefit our older foster youth who are “aging out” of foster care and moving on in their educational journey. This dollar-for-dollar credit is available to businesses as well as individuals and will cost NO ADDITIONAL MONEY beyond what you will already pay in state income taxes. Limits apply until July 1, 2026, but after that date, the limits likely will once again be lifted, which makes it possible to apply for an amount equal to your entire estimated state tax liability. Applying is easy. Go to themethodisthome.org/tax-credit. More details here. Call Rev. Lynn Meadows-White at 706.464.6231 or email lynn.meadowswhite@themethodisthome.org.
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Rural Development and Lending Conference Roundup
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Members of the GBA Agriculture Committee welcomed a strong crowd of bankers and industry partners to this year’s Rural Development and Lending Conference, planned by the committee and chaired by Will Moore, WB&T Bankshares. Session highlights included:
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- Peanut Update — Marshall Lamb, National Peanut Research Laboratory, shared an outlook on the peanut industry, current market conditions and research into a variety of new uses for one of Georgia’s signature crops.
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Beef Cattle Industry Update — Will Secor, University of Georgia, discussed supply and demand trends, industry outlooks and factors influencing the beef cattle sector. High beef prices and low inventory are likely to extend into 2027-28.
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Timber Panel Discussion — Tripp Cofield, Georgia Bankers Association; Dru Preston, Georgia Forestry Commission; Tim Lowrimore, Georgia Forestry Association; and Stat Rep. James Burchett (R-Waycross) explored issues affecting Georgia’s timber industry and rural economies. While Georgia’s small-diameter timber sector is having a tough time, the saw timber sector remains strong.
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Crop Insurance and Challenges — Plenn Hunnicutt, South Georgia Crop Insurance Inc., reviewed crop insurance issues and a variety of crop pricing updates.
- Challenges for Family Farms — Chris Butts, Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association, discussed ongoing pressures facing family farms and the produce industry landscape.
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Regulatory Updates, Credit Trends, & Emerging Risks — Stewart Thigpen, Steve H. Powell & Co., examined evolving agricultural lending conditions, regulatory expectations and emerging credit risks. Overall credit quality and farm loan credit quality remains strong.
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H-2A Overview and Updates — Ellen Hendley, AGWORKS H2, provided updates on the H-2A program, including regulatory and procedural changes.
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GBA thanks the conference sponsors, exhibitors, speakers and attendees for helping make the event a success. Sponsors included CSRA Business Lending and Point to Point Environmental.
Exhibitors were CSRA Business Lending, Farmer Mac, Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Point to Point Environmental and Small Business Assistance Corporation.
See more photos here.
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Spotlight on New GBA Associate Members
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Over the next few weeks, we want to give a warm welcome to several new GBA Associate Members that we onboarded last quarter. They all offer diverse solutions for your bank and provide invaluable support to GBA programs through sponsorships, exhibits and shared expertise. Be sure to get to know these folks and thank them for supporting GBA. You can get information about any of GBA's Associate Members by using the Associate Member search function on our website. This week, we want to highlight the following:
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| R&T Deposit Solutions
Mr. Ward Rice, wrice@rnt.com
New York, NY
www.rnt.com
R&T Deposit Solutions is a financial services company that provides innovative products and services to banks, trust companies, broker-dealers and other financial institutions. Their offerings include cash sweep, deposit funding, and balance sheet management solutions.
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| The Financial Literacy Coach
Eric Smith, eksgroup@gmail.com
Newnan, GA
www.thefinancialliteracycoach.com
The firm is a comprehensive financial literacy solutions provider trusted by banks to drive ROI since 2015. It delivers engaging, meaningful financial education that improves lives while strengthening the bottom line. Through professional presentations, the firm helps banks drive revenue and increase demand for products and services.
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Leadership Conference Slate Featuring Two AI-Focused Sessions
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We’ve got a great crowd building for our Leadership Conference July 13-15 at the Omni Amelia Island. Check out some of these agenda highlights.
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Georgia Banking Environment: 2026 Mid-Year Wellness Check — Cal Evans, Synovus
- How Your Bank Can Get in the AI Game — Philip Williams, The Claxton Bank; Jaye Eubanks, United Bank; Ben Nichols, Upstate AI; Ajay John, CSI
- Tokenized Money: What’s Real, What’s Next — Kaye Lynch-Sparks, American Bankers Association
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The Leadership Imperative: Best Practices in Professional Development for Current and Future Bank Leaders — Mike Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald MIS Peak Performance Consulting; Lori Tucker, United Bank; Brannen Smith, Morris Bank
- Leading Through Pressure: Building Trust, Accountability, and Results — Mike Oster, professional speaker, trainer and bestselling author
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A big thank you to these confirmed event sponsors:
- Presenting Sponsors: CSRA Business Lending, First Stop Health, Point to Point Environmental
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Platinum Sponsors: Anthem, CRS Data, Steve H. Powell & Co.
- Gold Sponsors: FHLBank Atlanta, ServisFirst Bank
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Silver Sponsors: Baker Tilly; McNair, McLemore, Middlebrooks & Co.; Troutman Pepper Locke; The First National Bankers Bank; and Wipfli.
Sponsorships are still available. Click here for information or contact Kathy Friestad to discuss. Exhibit space is also available; click here for that info.
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Registration Now Open for Fan-Favorite Lending Seminars in Macon
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Personal Cash Flow - Oct. 7, MGSU, Macon
Join Shannon Fortson, executive vice president and chief credit officer at Vallant Bank, for an in-depth, comprehensive understanding on how to analyze personal cash flow and personal tax returns. Learn how to calculate sources and uses of personal cash flow to support a borrower’s loan request to ensure a strong and healthy loan portfolio. Get all the details and register here.
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Loan Structuring and Documentation for Loss Prevention Seminar - Oct. 8, MGSU, Macon
Fortson returns for this loan structuring and documentation seminar. Prevention of loan losses is crucial and begins with proper loan structuring and documentation techniques. Connect with peers and walk away with all the best tips and tools. Commercial loan officers, commercial loan personnel, loan assistants and closing specialists will benefit from this program. Get all the details and register here.
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Save the Dates for These Conferences
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2026 Financial Risk Management Conference
- Where: Courtyard Atlanta Decatur Downtown/Emory
- Date: Thursday, Nov. 5, through Friday, Nov. 6
Shout out to these early sponsors:
Sponsorships are still available! Contact Alison Moreau with questions about this or the conference.
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2026 Credit Conference
- Where: The DeSoto, Savannah
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Date: Thursday, Dec. 3, through Friday, Dec. 4
Grateful for the Associate Members who are already registered to sponsor or exhibit.
Sponsorships and exhibitor space are still available! Contact Alison Moreau.
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| More Events and Training Opportunities Coming up
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- 2026 Annual Meeting - June 7-9, The Cloister, Sea Island
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Information Security Officer 101 Seminar - June 23, Middle Georgia State University, Macon
- Understanding Bank Performance Webinar Series - July 9-31, Zoom
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Leadership Conference - July 13-15, The Omni Amelia Island, FL
- BSA Peer Group Meeting - July 22, Middle Georgia State University, Macon
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Fraud Academy - Aug. 18-20, Hyatt Regency, Lexington, KY, or Virtual
- Understanding Bank Performance Webinar Series - Oct. 1-23, Zoom
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President/CEO, Bank Accountant & Bank Counsel Conferences - Oct. 4-6, The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee
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ONLINE LEARNING – GREAT FOR FUNDAMENTALS TRAINING
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Motivating Your Team, Call Report, Opening New Accounts 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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SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS MAY 22
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Get in on 2026 GBA Compensation Survey
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A high-quality, independent salary survey, like the 2026 GBA Compensation Survey, is an essential tool for staying competitive. It provides reliable market data to help benchmark compensation, identify trends and make informed pay decisions. With the market constantly evolving, access to current data is critical.
If your bank needs information for participation, please contact Rhonda Snyder at rhonda.snyder@pearlmeyer.com. She will ensure you have everything needed to get started. The submission deadline is May 22, and survey reports will be published the week of Aug. 10.
Participation guarantees access to timely, industry-specific insights and a significant discount on the survey report ($650 vs. $1,495).
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Abrigo Adds Real-Time ACH Fraud Detection to its Financial Crimes Suite
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GBA Strategic Partner Abrigo is proud to introduce its real-time ACH fraud detection solution, now part of the Abrigo Fraud Detection Suite. As ACH is a growing area of payment fraud, this enhancement supports customer compliance with the Nacha risk management framework for ACH fraud, and extends protection for banks beyond check and wire transactions. Key features include:
- Unified ACH data for greater visibility
- Advanced real-time detection engine
- Self-service rules creation and configuration
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Complete view of each transaction
Also, be sure to check out these upcoming free webinars from Abrigo.
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Alpharetta - First City Bank
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Congratulations to CEO Bob Koncerak, and the organizers, directors, officer and staff of the bank, which officially opened recently in downtown Alpharetta
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Chatsworth - First National Community Bank
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Wendy Huckaby has been promoted to Senior Vice President and Compliance Officer, succeeding Vicki Knight, who retires this month after 21 years of dedicated service to the bank. Ian Tankersley, a 25-year veteran of the organization, has been promoted to Vice President and Loan Operations Manager.
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Cordele – Planters First Bank
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The bank announced Tyler Monroe Davidson as the first recipient of the Sam A. Way Memorial Scholarship, recognizing the Houston County High School senior for his academic excellence, leadership and community involvement as he prepares to attend Georgia Tech this fall.
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Savannah – Queensboro National Bank & Trust
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The bank is pleased to welcome Michael Kearney to the Queensborough Mortgage team.
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| Dublin – Citizens Bank of Laurens County
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The bank was one of the hosts for the Dublin Laurens County Chamber Business After Hours in May.
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| Millen - Durden Banking Company
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The bank recently awarded a $1,000 scholarship to a senior in each of the five high schools in its market areas. Shown in the picture is Millen City President, Kirk Rocker, presenting the scholarship to the winner from Jenkins County High School.
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| Thomasville – Renasant Bank
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Jamie Lawrence, market president, spoke May 16 at a community event hosted by Thomasville Community Development Corporation in partnership with Thomasville Landmarks. Lawrence shared information about qualifying for homeownership and steps community members can take to make home buying a reality.
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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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