The staff at the Georgia Emergency Management Agency / Homeland Security office have spent the past few months putting together a strategy to permit access of essential response personnel into restricted areas during a disaster in Georgia. In releasing the Re-entry Standard Operating Guide in late 2018, they stated it was their goal to clarify the roles, responsibilities and protocol to be followed during a disaster response to ensure that essential response personnel are given timely and efficient access to areas impacted by a disaster. A permitting process has been put in place to control access so that those responding to life-threatening hazards, repairing critical infrastructure and restoring essential commerce can perform those necessary tasks prior to public re-entry. The guide outlines a 5-part phased in process with various entities and organizations allowed entry based on their role in disaster response and recovery. Our thanks to Director Homer Bryson and his key staff for meeting with GBA’s Joe Brannen and Elizabeth Chandler and Banking Commissioner Kevin Hagler and Deputy Commissioner Bo Fears this week to discuss the guide. "Having this new guide and permitting process is helpful. Director Bryson and his staff were open to our request to be sure financial institutions were included with other essential community resources like hospitals, drug stores and retailers so our members may have early access to assess damage and bring in resources in preparation for reopening," said Brannen. Click here to read the guide…

As a high school senior, Southern Bank and Trust’s Will Wade got introduced to banking by serving on his local bank’s junior advisory board. That eventually led to him getting a job with the bank as a teller and working his way up to local market president. That’s why he’s a firm believer of the industry recruiting young talent and its ability to "grow our own" through various leadership development programs at banks and GBA. Read more about how Wade, a member of GBA’s Public Affairs Committee, got into banking, some of his mentors, and his hopes and concerns for the industry in this week’s GBA member profile…

In 1991, a young exchange student from Yugoslavia landed in Stockton, California, with $500 to her name. Alone in a new country, one of her first orders of business was to open a checking account. Now, 28-years later, Jelena McWilliams is Chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. We’re excited that McWilliams will be with us at our Legislative/Economic Forum next Wednesday, Jan. 16. For some insight about her approach to leading the FDIC and her personal background, check out the story in this months’ ABA Banking Journal. Read more here…

GBA’s advocacy for banking to media outlets was on display this week as the Georgia CEO online business publications turned to us for an update on industry issues heading into the new year. GBA’s David Oliver was featured in a video clip noting GBA’s eagerness to work with the state’s new elected leadership, our intent to keep Georgia the #1 state in which to bank and the association’s advocacy on behalf of farm customers and banks that serve them related to relief funds for Hurricane Michael. View the clip here…

Erika Mitton, who was convicted in November of spoofing GBA President and CEO Joe Brannen’s email address to commit wire fraud, has been sentenced to 90 days in jail as a condition of 5 years’ probation. She has also been ordered to pay full restitution to GBA and the insurance company, she must seek full-time employment upon release from jail, forfeit any tax refund money to the restitution amount and not be employed in an occupation in which she takes money. We appreciate the hard work and diligence by the prosecutor on this case, Seth Solomon, assistant state attorney for the Florida State Attorney’s Office. Detective O’Neal with the Lakeland police department also doggedly pursued the Mitton, assembling a helpful case for the prosecution.

The 2018 BankPAC Campaign was a success by any measure thanks to all who took the responsibility to make it so. Contributions to the FedPAC were 114 percent of the goal, and contributions to the StatePAC were 108 percent of goal. We owe thanks to our latest contributors for participating last year in the StatePAC: First Bank, Dalton, Larry Roye, president and CEO, and First State Bank of Randolph County, Cuthbert, Scott Curry, president and CEO. See how your GBA group fared this year as well as this important statewide effort. Many thanks go to all who participated in our success. With questions, please call GBA’s Elizabeth Chandler at 404.420.2027.

Start making plans now for travel this summer to GBA’s 2019 Annual Meeting in Banff Springs, Alberta, Canada. To be held June 23-26 at the historic Fairmont Banff Springs, this year’s annual meeting will bring you the professional education, timely updates, and sense of community and connection that you expect, in a spectacular locale. We hope you’ll join GBA Chairman John Hall, American Pride Bank, and his wife, Stephanie, as they welcome you to gorgeous Banff Springs. We’ve put together an early checklist so that you can start making plans. Read more here.

GBA’s Operations and Technology Committee is excited to welcome Trent Fleming, Trent Fleming Consulting, back as a speaker at this year’s Operations and Technology Conference. Fleming has served as a trusted adviser to financial institutions for more than three decades on matters of technology, strategy and management. Trent’s presentations consistently get the highest marks from his audiences. Operations and Technology Conference attendees will get a double dose of Trent’s expertise again this year, with two pre-conference sessions on profit productivity and technology for lenders. If you are your bank’s technology officer, IT manager, ISO, or are involved in deposit operations, business development or even compliance, don’t miss this conference March 25-27 at The King and Prince Hotel, St. Simons Island. Get more information and register here. 

Thanks to last year’s regulatory relief bill (S.2155), most reciprocal deposits are no longer classified as brokered deposits. We have heard recently that quite a number of Georgia banks joined the network in 2018, but have yet to place any funds. If you are still on the fence, please plan to join experts from Promontory soon for one of their upcoming, free webinars that will cover the most current details about how banks can use its ICS and CDARS programs to capitalize on this valuable opportunity and make a positive impact on your bank’s balance sheet. Promontory’s presenters will discuss the ways the services can attract high-value relationships and lock-in more low-cost funding for loans. These webinars have been planned for community banks that use collateralized deposits and/or listing services, and you can choose any date and time that works for you. Please click the orange button to see days/times and register.

What we’ve learned in a short time about Dart is that its singular focus on appraisal management solutions during the past 25 years, has resulted in an expert, national appraiser panel that consistently delivers helpful results to wherever they are called. Dart also understand that appraisal management is not one-size-fits-all. And, Dart is committed to meeting every one of their client’s specific needs. Dart can customize solutions and it’s dedicated teams are continually looking for ways to improve their customer service every step of the way. Those are just a couple of the reasons why we believe they’re a great choice for your bank's appraisal management. Download a helpful brochure about Dart here or click the button below to connect with one of Dart’s appraisal management experts.

The consumer check program offered by GBA Strategic Partner Deluxe is one of the very best ways to anchor, engage and protect customers’ transactions while earning more revenue. It includes fraud protection measures, backed by Deluxe, and allows each customer to choose from a large selection of popular classic and contemporary check designs. A wide range of additional product enhancements are also available. Here are some of the other things we hear folks like about Deluxe’s program. Click here for a quick video from Deluxe highlighting the continuing value of checks in banking relationships today. For more information about Deluxe’s check program, please contact Kevin Jefferson, 336.676.0321.

Fill a Job, Find a Job with the GBA Job Bank
The GBA Job Bank is among the most popular and valuable benefits we provide to member banks and bankers. The Positions Available and Bankers Available sections on our website consistently are among the most visited pages. Best of all, the service costs nothing for member banks and bankers. If you have any questions, please contact GBA's Katina Prokos at 404.420.2021.