2 minute read
It is all about Member Value
John McNair
President & CEO Community Bankers Association of Georgia
Being a part of an association, club or a society helps you to gain knowledge, skills and experience in leadership, communication, problem-solving, group development and management, finance, and public speaking. You also make networking connections with people in various lines of work and industries that may be of benefit to you and your organization at some point in the future. These are some of the key reasons why individuals join an organization and become members. Fulfillment of one or more areas of interest provides the desired “member value” an individual or company seeks from the affiliation. At CBA, three broad areas encompass the key areas of member value for Georgia’s community banks and CBA partner firms. They are: Advocacy, Professional Development, and Programs/ Services.
ADVOCACY: In less than a year, CBA’s recent legislative victory – SB157 (reciprocal deposit placement for municipalities) has generated over $200 million in unencumbered deposits for the 70 plus Georgia community banks that are now using a third-party provider. Community banks can now compete fairly for these deposits with the large/out of state banks that pushed back on this legislation for years. CBA’s Lori Godfrey was deservedly recognized as one of the state’s top lobbyists and CBA as one of the most powerful association’s in the state. To further expand on CBA’s advocacy efforts, the association has recently announced the hiring of Mr. Tyler Eck as a Legislative and Regulatory Associate. Tyler is a proud UGA graduate and most recently served on Congressman Drew Ferguson’s team helping community banks navigate the PPP loan process.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: At the direction of CBA’s Board and Education committee, and Kristi Greer, CBA began to develop plans to offer programming via live streaming so all of CBA’s member banks could participate in desired programs regardless of ability to travel. The plan was to phase in throughout 2020; however, the lockdowns due to COVD-19 accelerated our timeline. For 2021, almost all of CBA’s core programming will have a live streaming component for those who do not participate in person. Additionally, CBA expanded its Professional Development team by adding Becky Soto and Nardone Consulting Group. Becky brings 20 years of community banking experience to CBA and the Nardone partnership will further improve CBA’s live events. PROGRAMS/SERVICES: CBA, in partnership with CS&O Captives and CBIZ, has launched a new option for health insurance which will provide both a protective funding layer and much needed program flexibility. To attract and retain talent, community banks must offer a competitive benefits package and it all starts with employee health insurance. Finding the right balance between cost and benefits is critically important and many of the solutions available today are either too costly or inflexible. CBA Wellness Solutions has been designed with that in mind. Under the direction of Lindsay Greene, this exclusive CBA member benefit will continue to roll for the remainder of the year and accelerate in 2021.
On behalf of the CBA Board, LEAD Division, and all CBA committees, we thank you for your membership support and actively seek your input as to how to maximize your membership value of the association.
