FDIC Reports Banks Have Strong First Quarter
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FDIC released its Quarterly Banking Profile reporting the banking industry’s performance and condition through March 31, 2026. The news was good about banks nationwide, and particularly good about the 128 banks headquartered in Georgia. Nationally, the industry reported higher earnings, deposits and loan growth quarter over quarter, as asset quality metrics remained favorable. Georgia-headquartered banks continued to outperform their peers nationally with higher returns on equity and assets, lower cost of funds, higher net interest margins and fewer non-performing loans. “The FDIC report also showed Georgia banks had higher capital levels and more reserves supporting their loan portfolios than their peers. Our members’ performance, backed by strong capital allows them to be a source of strength as they continue serving the financial needs of individuals, families, businesses and communities around the state,” said GBA President and CEO Tripp Cofield.
Click here for a chart of selected results.
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FDIC Proposes BSA, Sanctions Rule for Stablecoin Issuers
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The FDIC this week proposed a new rule to establish Bank Secrecy Act and sanctions compliance standards for regulated stablecoin issuers, continuing its implementation of the Genius Act. The proposal would require issuers to comply with applicable AML/CFT and economic sanctions requirements, including rules administered by FinCEN and OFAC. It also outlines expectations for supervision and enforcement of AML/CFT programs, aligned with existing FinCEN standards. This follows earlier FDIC proposals addressing the application process for bank subsidiaries to become stablecoin issuers, as well as capital, liquidity and risk management requirements. Comments on the proposed rule will be accepted for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.
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GBA Joins National Advocacy on Lending Preemption and Interchange
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This week, GBA joined two national efforts supporting federal preemption in interstate lending as well as the payments system. GBA signed onto an amicus brief with ABA, the Bank Policy Institute and the Consumer Bankers Association in litigation involving the Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 1980 (DIDMCA), after the 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals agreed to rehear a case on whether the state of Colorado can opt out of federal interest rate preemption. The case has broad implications for the dual banking system, as state-chartered, FDIC-insured banks rely on DIDMCA to make compliant interstate loans.
Separately, GBA joined an ABA State Alliance letter supporting the OCC affirming national banks’ authority to charge interchange fees and preempting the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act. The group emphasized the need for a uniform national payments system and warned against a patchwork of state laws. With similar interchange-restricting legislation emerging in other states, such as Colorado, we believe the issue will resurface in Georgia. Under Georgia’s “wild card” statute, any federal preemption granted to national banks would also apply to state-chartered institutions.
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Graduate School of Banking at LSU Completing 2026 Session
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A large crowd of Georgia bankers has been on the Louisiana State University campus in Baton Rouge for the past two weeks attending the 76th session of the Graduate School of Banking. GBA is among the 15 state bankers’ associations sponsoring the school. Seniors graduating from three-year, two-week resident sessions will have completed 10 home-study projects and spent much of their final year participating in a bank-simulation program. GSBLSU president-elect Ryan Earnest, First National Community Bank, and Tripp Cofield represented GBA at the school-sponsored reception earlier this week for all the students. We’ll have more details about the Georgia students who completed the program in next week’s bulletin.
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Asset Liability Committee Convenes to Begin Conference Planning
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GBA’s volunteer committee of bank CFOs met last week in Macon to discuss market conditions and begin planning the 2026 Financial Risk Management Conference, set for Nov. 5–6 in Decatur at the Courtyard Atlanta/Emory. Led by incoming Chair Chad Hargrove, Classic City Bank, the group tackled key issues, including core and card network conversions, tightening liquidity in some markets, deposit growth strategies, rising competition from internet banks and concerns about stablecoin-related deposit flight. Watch for conference program details and registration information coming soon. Thanks to outgoing Chair Matt Donaldson, Durden Banking Company, for his leadership during the 2025–2026 program year. For more information, contact Alison Moreau at 404.420.2034.
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Compensation Survey Due Date Extended to 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. We are pleased to announce that 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; Pearl Meyer can assist your bank with data entry.
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Dates to Remember:
- Survey Effective Date: April 1, 2026
- Extended Submission Due Date: June 19, 2026
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Results Published: Week of Aug. 10, 2026
Pricing:
- Participants: $650
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Non-Participants: $1,495
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Peer Panel, Industry Wellness Checkup and Lots of Practical Tips in Store at Leadership Conference
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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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Step Into the ISO Spotlight - June 23, Macon
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Stay ahead of today’s fast-changing cybersecurity and regulatory landscape with this practical seminar for Information Security Officers and bank leaders. Learn how the ISO role is evolving, what regulators expect, and how to strengthen your institution’s security and risk management strategy. Led by Navanta's Paige Hembree, this seminar delivers practical, real-world insight drawn from more than 15 years in financial services and hands-on experience as a virtual ISO lead. Learning will include:
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- FFIEC expectations and the evolving ISO role
- Cybersecurity, incident response and crisis management
- Business continuity and third-party risk guidance
- Defining responsibilities between ISO and IT management
- Communicating effectively with boards, auditors and regulators.
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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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Call Report Common Issues, 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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Free Webinar June 16 at 2 p.m. - AI’s Expanding Role In AML & Fraud
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AI is rapidly transforming how banks detect, investigate and respond to financial crime. It’s also giving fraudsters new tools to exploit. Join the team from GBA Strategic Partner Abrigo on June 16 at 2:00 p.m. to explore how AI is accelerating fraud detection and AML monitoring, while also fueling emerging threats like deepfakes, synthetic identities and sophisticated payment scams. You’ll gain practical insight into:
- How leading institutions are using AI to enhance detection and investigations
- Strategies to break down silos between fraud and AML teams
- Governance and risk considerations for deploying AI responsibly
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What’s next in the rapidly evolving, AI-driven financial crime landscape
Whether you’re just beginning your AI journey or looking to refine your strategy, this webinar will provide a forward-looking, practical roadmap for staying ahead.
Register here.
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Why Choose GBA-Owned Compliance Alliance?
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Compliance Hub Features:
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Comprehensive Compliance Tools – Access 1,800+ downloadable, editable tools covering regulations across all bank functions.
- Expert Guidance on Demand – Document reviews plus a live compliance hotline via chat, email or phone.
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Training & Education – 70+ new training videos annually, live webinars with reference manuals and role-specific resources. Webinars can be used annually to meet CRCM continuing education requirements for all employees.
- Always Up to Date – Daily regulatory news, weekly newsletters, FAQs, easy-to-read summaries and a monthly magazine.
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Built-In Convenience – Regulatory calendar, compliance minutes and segmented tools to streamline oversight and exams.
- Bank-Wide Coverage – Support for every department, from tellers to executive leadership and the boardroom.
Learn more here.
Sign up for a free demo and 48-hour trial:
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Lee Taylor has joined the bank as market president in Douglas.
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Phillip Anderson recently joined the bank as senior vice president, market president in Savannah.
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| Watkinsville – Oconee State Bank
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Joe Godfrey, SVP and community president for Gwinnett, recently graduated from Leadership Gwinnett. Dustin Vernon, SVP and community president for Statesboro, recently graduated from Leadership Bulloch.
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| Atlanta – Coastal States Bank
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A team of bank volunteers recently spent a day at the JA Discovery Center in Atlanta, delivering lessons on financial literacy, career readiness and entrepreneurship.
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A team from the bank, the “Builtwell Bandits,” recently participated in the Voluntary Action Center’s Strike Out Hunger event, helping to raise $35,646 for Gordon County.
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| Cleveland – Apex Banking Company of Georgia
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Several representatives from the bank recently partnered with Catalyst Christian Learning Center to educate White County High School seniors on important financial topics, including taxes, budgeting, 401(k)s and more.
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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 Bo Brannen.
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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 Cam Sapp, 404.420.2020, with questions or needs.
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