Nov_Dec GCFM 2021 by Community Bankers Association of Georgia

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CONTENTS

F E AT U R E S

November/December 2021 C B A S TA F F John McNair President & CEO john@cbaofga.com Lori Godfrey Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff, Government and Regulatory Relations lori@cbaofga.com Kristi Greer Senior Vice President Professional Development kristi@cbaofga.com

Smiles across the state at CBA Professional Development programs. 2

Change is the only constant in life.

The Importance of Continuing Education

t h e l at e s t

professional development

23 Education Buzz 24

Executive Channel

Fintech Forum

Marketing Roadmap

Lisa McNair Director of Finance lisa@cbaofga.com

Gov. Kemp Addresses Georgia Community Bankers

Town Hall Talks

BSA/AML

Fall Clay Shoot Winners

Leadership Academy Graduates

ALLL & CECL

s pot l i g h ts

11 Ladies of Learning 13 CBA Education Committee 15 What Our Bankers Are Saying 18 2021 Highlights: Professional Development by the Numbers 21 What’s Coming in 2022

s tay connected

@CBAofGeorgia

member services

35 2021 Preferred Service Providers

trends

Fed Taper Tactics

Human Capital: Preparing for the Turnover Tsunami

@CBAGeorgia

Lindsay Greene Senior Vice President Member Services, Marketing lindsay@cbaofga.com

Cassie Cornell Assistant Vice President Digital Strategy and Professional Development Marketing cassie@cbaofga.com Becky Soto Assistant Vice President Professional Development and LEAD Board becky@cbaofga.com Connie Shepard Assistant Vice President Professional Development and Member Engagement connie@cbaofga.com

@company/ cbaofgeorgia

Community Bankers Association of Georgia 1640 Powers Ferry Road SE, Building 28, Suite 100, Marietta, GA 30067-1425 (770) 541-4490 or (800) 648-8215 • Fax (770) 541-4496 | www.cbaofga.com • cba@cbaofga.com N ove m b e r / D e ce m b e r 2 0 2 1 | G e or g i a C om m un i ti es F i rs t | 1

VANTAGE POINT John McNair President & CEO Community Bankers Association of Georgia

“Change is the only constant in life.”

— Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher

I am sure over time all have heard various versions of this quote. While the past several months have given new meaning to this quote, even in “normal” times, the core concept applies. Regardless of professional field, industry, organization type, or even just as individuals, it is important to constantly adapt with the circumstances and change. To succeed in an ever-changing environment, ongoing education is the key- and CBA is here to help! CBA has long been regarded as the southeast’s leader in banking education. While designed to serve the needs of Georgia’s community bankers, the high quality and broad curriculum attracts community bankers from South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, and Florida. With most all the association’s classes offering a virtual option, community bankers throughout the country are beginning to register for CBA classes as well. Under the leadership CBA’s SVP of Professional Development, Ms. Kristi Greer, and with the guiding hand of CBA’s Education Committee, CBA’s educational programming has been totally overhauled to adapt to the changing

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needs of community bankers. Staple programs in the areas of compliance and lending have been restructured to address new challenges and opportunities while new programing around the important topics of cyber security and fintech have been created. As we move into the New Year, new challenges and opportunities will present themselves. To be properly prepared for both, I strongly encourage all to invest explore the cutting-edge educational programming available from CBA. Change is not only constant in the financial services industry- it is happening at warp speed. YOUR association- The Community Bankers Association of Georgia- is prepared and stands ready to serve the needs of your firm, institution, and team. On behalf of all of us at CBA, please accept our heartfelt wishes for a blessed and enjoyable Holiday Season! Respectfully,

FROM THE TOP

Debra Weil Executive Vice President Community Banking Co. of Fitzgerald 2021-2022 CBA Chairwoman

The Importance of Continuing Education Community Bankers Association of Georgia (CBA) has been recognized on a national level for its invaluable educational programs. Whether you are new to banking or a seasoned banker, CBA offers a wide variety of options for the numerous positions. Having benefitted myself from CBA programs over the course of my career, I can tell you first-hand that learning never ends. Our industry is constantly evolving and it’s more important than ever before to stay on top of trends, regulatory changes, compliance updates and requirements, improved processes, and more. And talk about convenience! CBA makes it easy for you to participate by offering programs in key locations across the state. Can’t attend in person? No problem – many programs are offered in a hybrid format, allowing you to participate virtually. Many bankers are looking to earn CPE credits, and these are available upon request. Since member banks receive discounted pricing on all educational programs, member savings on educational programs can quickly pay for the bank’s annual membership dues!

To visit the program offerings, visit www.cbaofga.com, choose Professional Development and then the Calendar of Events Page. Choose a program and click to learn the details and register. Add to your Outlook calendar and you’re all set! In a difficult economy where entrylevel jobs are scarce, continuing education demonstrates to potential employers that you are a driven professional who cares about staying up to date in their filed. For mid-career banking professionals, banking education courses can open doors and expose bankers to new opportunities that you may not have considered before. If you are a bank manager, you need to motivate team members and manage risk as regulations change. CBA’s Professional Development team strives to offer firstrate programs for any position from customer facing, back office and C-suite positions. Please let them know what they can do to better serve you. Contact CBA to discuss your goals, needs and suggestions and they are delighted to enhance your learning experience.

Whatever your learning style, CBA has a wide range of formats – from round tables, one-day workshops, classes, schools, to conferences and webinars.

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Corner GENERAL COUNSEL

legal news and updates for cba members

Have a topic you would like to see covered in “General Counsel Corner?” Email us at generalcounselcorner @ jamesbatesllp.com

cbahotline

@ jamesbatesllp.com

November/December 2021

NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT: REASSESS YOUR DATA BREACH INCIDENT RESPONSE PLAN AND CYBER SECURITY NEEDS By: G. Grant Greenwood, JD, CIPP/US

October was National Cybersecurity Awareness Month – an annual reminder that companies should be acutely aware of the myriad of complex cyber threats they face and basic security measures that they can deploy to meet those ever-changing threats. The adage of “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is certainly applicable when it comes to cybersecurity. Just as we have regular physicals for our bodies, information technology systems require the same level of care to ensure that they are evolving with the threats posed by threat actors seeking access to and exfiltration of personally identifiable information (PII) from corporate victims. Recently, there has been a significant increase of cyberattacks, many of which were directed at smaller to middle-sized companies. While there is certainly a tangible cost associated with such attacks, breaches also have corresponding indirect costs including damage to business relationships/reputation or operational damages when contract obligations cannot be filled. Small to mid-market companies face significant, if not catastrophic, risks associated with increasingly more sophisticated cyberattacks. Not surprisingly, financial institutions remain one of the most targeted industries for cyberattacks. Financial institutions are also among the most regulated industries, both at the federal and state level and the data that financial institutions possess are important and highly valuable. Guidance surrounding information technology security has been issued by federal regulators for several years and the guidance continues to change as the threats evolve. What is apparent from regulator guidance is that a culture of compliance and security should permeate all areas, departments, and phases from collection of information to destruction. Organizations should also routinely evaluate and test their information security and data incident response and recovery protocols as part of this culture, which was highlighted in recent guidance from the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC). Any such risk assessment should always be conducted at the direction of an attorney (to preserve attorney/client privilege) and should be followed by a risk management plan.

G. Grant Greenwood, JD, CIPP/US Attorney (478) 749-9935

ggreenwood@jamesbatesllp.com

Below are some basic considerations to implement or budget for that will help any organization move the ball on data security. • Assess what data is collected and why. If data is not needed for operations, it should not be collected or maintained. Data owners and processers must know what they have, where and how it is maintained, and what security is in place for each data set. A strong data map complies with many laws and makes a big difference

when addressing a security incident. • Dust off the incident response plan and test it with a tabletop simulation. Evaluate the effectiveness of the plan by identifying and correcting holes. If you don’t have an incident response plan, develop one that includes the processes and procedures for engaging a breach response attorney and vendors under attorney/ client privilege. Pre-engage outside breach counsel and forensic vendors to ensure quick response in the event of an incident. • Review third-party vendor agreements to ensure that the vendors are complying with industry standards for information security – particularly if they service your IT systems or receive and process any PII. • Review your security controls. Breaches often result from a lack of basic controls like not implementing routine patches or multi-factor authentication. If you have remote workers, evaluate the security risks associated with remote work and develop a mitigation plan. • Implement end point monitoring from a reputable software vendor and 24/7 monitoring of IT systems. • Train employees to identify and respond to threats to customer information. Community banks are wellpositioned to know their customers. Employees should be empowered to ask questions when irregular requests, activity, or inquiries occur on a customer account. Clear processes to verify and confirm wire transfers must be in place for both the bank and the customer. • Educate customers about password and authentication risks and security considerations – particularly if you have digital banking services. • Train employees to be aware of cyber threats from various sources, including phishing scams, business email compromise, and social engineering. Software training programs are available to test employees and retrain in the event of habitual scam email clicking. • Reassess your cyber insurance policy and make sure you understand what is and is not covered, as well as the new and enhanced underwriting requirement to obtain in the future. Know where your policy is stored, and do not save it on your server with wide-spread access. An organization implementing these protections (1) ensures that its information security program evolves with the cyberthreats; (2) demonstrates its commitment to securing employee and customer PII; and (3) reduces the risk and mitigates potential damage posed by cyber incidents. Is it past time for your organization’s information security program physical? Don’t wait until it’s too late.

PRESENTED BY GEORGIA’S LAW FIRM: OFFICES MACON + ATLANTA + ATHENS

“General Counsel Corner,” a recurring column featuring legal news and information of interest to CBA members, is brought to you by James-Bates-Brannan-Groover-LLP. Visit us at GeorgiasLawFirm.com

THE LATEST

Governor Kemp Addresses Georgia Community Bankers at CBA's Bourbon & Wine PAC Fundraiser The first-ever CBA Bourbon and Wine Tasting PAC fundraising event was held Monday night at Atlanta’s Buckhead Club. The event was a smashing success, with nearly 100 community bankers and CBA partner firms in attendance. Governor Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp joined us for the evening and spent ample time visiting with every attendee. The Governor offered some remarks citing Georgia’s low unemployment numbers and strong economic turnaround post the Covid shutdown. CBA’s President and CEO John McNair spoke as well. John thanked all for their great support of the CBA PAC, noted amazing efforts made by Georgia’s community banks to distribute PPP funding, and asked all attendees to be actively engaged in the advocacy process over the next 12 months. Contributions to CBA’s PAC fund can still be made by accessing CBA PAC/PR Fund and to Kemp for Governor via Community Bankers for Kemp.

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THE LATEST

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THE LATEST

Bankers, legislators, and associate members came together for CBA’s Town Hall Talks. CBA partnered with The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) to host the two programs. The Town Hall Talks provided community bankers the opportunity to engage their legislators in a Q&A session and hear perspectives on legislative issues that may impact community banks in Georgia. In addition to networking with legislators, attendees heard from hear from CBA’s Lori Godfrey, Executive Vice President, Government and Regulatory Relations, regarding association updates and insights on the upcoming legislative session. Special thank you to the bankers, legislators, associate members and sponsors who made the programs a success.

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THE LATEST

Bankers and associate members, along with friends and family of Chuck Harwell and Charlie Curry came together for the popular 2021 Fall Clay Shoots benefitting CBA’s PAC/PR Fund. Participants enjoyed a fun day of friendly competition and fellowship. Special thanks for our numerous sponsors for their ongoing support.

Meet the Wynfield Plantation Winners!

Morning Flight: First Place Team Ashley Atkins, Jeff Baxley, Sam Coleman, John McNair (CBA) & Perry White; Community Bank of Georgia, Baxley

Afternoon Flight: First Place Team John McNair (CBA); Jonathon Guthrie, The Peoples Bank, Willacoochee; Landon Woodall, GEC, Inc; Not pictured: Blake Jones, JBC Construction; Cam Kirbo, Kirbo and Kirbo

Morning Flight: Second Place Team David Tucker, Kathleen Lang-Tucker, Citizens Bank of Americus; Chad Cofield and Chan Mack, STS Group & John McNair (CBA) Not pictured: Trey Moore, United Bankers’ Bank

Afternoon Flight: Second Place Team John McNair (CBA); Rick Little, Frank Griffin & Taylor Jenkins, Flint Community Bank; Not pictured: Chad Little

Meet the sponsors for both clay shoots. Thank you for your support! 8 | ww w. cbao fga.com | Novemb er/ Dec ember 2021

THE LATEST

Meet the Burge Plantation Winners!

Morning Flight: First Place Team Lee Clark, Haynes Standard, Jerry Dowdy & Brian Whitaker; First State Bank

Afternoon Flight: First Place Team Sam Beall, Hunter Beall, Eric Haskins, & Erwin Orr; Bank of Dudley

Morning Flight: Second Place Team Robert Harper, Chris Hodges, Cole Hodges, & Michael Harrison; Bank of Wrightsville

Afternoon Flight: Second Place Team Chris Giella, Ashley Smith, Scott Harpe, & Nick Tanner; Newton Federal Bank

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SPOTLIGHT

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SPOTLIGHT

Executing professional development programming to nearly 2,000 community bankers and vendor partners in multiple locations and multiple delivery channels, is no small feat. CBA’s “Ladies of Learning” deliver firstrate educational programs with a smile. What’s their secret? A love for learning, a love for community bankers, and knowing students come away from a CBA program with information to help them succeed in their job. Learn more about this high-energy, organized and customer-oriented team.

Kristi Greer

SVP – Director of Professional Development

“What do you value? Several of my personal values include family, collaboration, learning, honesty, and community. I am energized by getting to listen and create educational opportunities. I get excited when I see individuals and teams challenge their skills by choosing to learn, apply and transfer new knowledge to job success and life.”

“CBA’s programming is an outstanding resource with peer connections, problem solving, and tools for perpetual success. The CBA family believes in the power of our programming so much, we often participate ourselves. During our Leadership Academy, I learned when leading others, we must first lead Cassie Cornell ourselves. The lessons AVP - Digital Strategy learned have been so & Professional Development Marketing invaluable both personally and professionally, I often find myself going back to revisit the incredible class toolkit. I believe we propel ourselves forward by conquering each new challenge with an open mind and curiosity. I invite you to attend our programs and witness first-hand how many doors our combined curiosity can open for you.”

“A lifelong learner is a selfmotivated individual who actively and continually pursues knowledge for both personal and professional growth. Knowledge gained is important for employability, but also for social inclusion, citizenship, and your own personal development. As a CBA team member, I am proud to see others continue Becky Soto to benefit. The skills gained AVP – Professional and the connections Development made through the CBA Professional Development program are raising the bar of employer expectations by Community Banks across the state! I encourage you to take advantage of the programs offered that will improve your functional skill sets as well as your leadership skills. There is no time like today to choose to be a life-long learner.”

Connie Shepard

AVP - Professional Development & Member Engagement

“My goal is to bring CBA to our Bankers. We are your association and CBA wants to get to know our bankers, support our members, and ensure they are connected to the right resources. I could not work for better people. Each day I have the honor to talk to our bankers, provide service they expect while making them aware of our excellent programming. ”

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SPOTLIGHT CBA’s Education Committee Offers Expert Guidance The purpose of the Education/Professional Development Committee is to advise and consult with CBA staff as to the professional development needs of member institutions and other industry stakeholders. “CBA’s Education committee meets at least quarterly through-out the year. In October, we had the chance to meet in person with lots of conversation around what our community bankers need for 2022, “ said Kristi Greer, SVP, Professional Development at CBA. Ms. Greer goes on to say, “As CBA’s Adult Education Practitioner, I am passionate about using the full education model to ensure we hear our bankers and deliver effective, timely and relevant training. As well, our team strives to provide growth opportunities to apply knowledge and skills to your career.”

(L-R): Abdul Mohdnor, Metro City Bank; Kristi Greer, CBA of GA; Rhonda Norris, TJS Deemer; Dana Joy Corley, Persons Banking Co.; Aimee Corcoran, Legacy State Bank; Kristy Harrell, First Port City Bank; Linda Smith, Embassy National Bank; Becky Soto, CBA of GA Not pictured: Alice Chung, Promise One Bank; Brian Bazemore, Community Bank of Dublin; Doroteya Wozniak, James, Bates, Brannan, Groover, LLP; Heather Stanford, SouthCrest Bank; Jamie Arnold, BankSouth, Synclair Copeland, Community Bank of Georgia; Kyle Ray, First Bank; Kasey Blackfurn, Family Bank

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SPOTLIGHT

What Our Bankers Are Saying. ABOUT CBA’S PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Kevin Carden

Training Manager WB&T Bankshares, Inc.

“I am a HUGE fan of the CBA and try to get our banks to participate in its offerings as often as I can. Every CBA event that I have had the pleasure of attending, whether in-person or virtually, has been extremely informative, engaging, of exceptional quality. The experiences that I personally have had with the CBA’s workshops, schools, and webinars makes CBA events easy to recommend and to get excited about when sharing them with our employees.”

Why is training important to the success of community banking industry? Since banking is such a highly regulated industry, and one that is constantly changing, it is important that we stay on top of things. Examiners are asking more and more of us each year and training plays a huge part in keeping our employees educated so that we can ensure we stay compliant and are able do our jobs the way we are expected

“I love my job. I love banking and I love Human Resources. I am proud to be involved with several HR groups, from SHRM Middle Georgia to SHRM Georgia. While I learn a lot from these groups, sometimes I need something Julia B. Shadwick a little more specific and this MBA, PHR, is where I need help from SHRM-CP VP, my fellow HR bankers. Being Director of Human a part of CBA’s HR & Talent Resources Development League, I have Pineland Bank, Alma connections to fellow HR bankers throughout Georgia where we share things like job descriptions, policies, and sometimes we just run ideas by each other. This group has been invaluable to me in my HR role at Pineland Bank and I am glad to be a part of CBA’s HR & Touchdown League!” HR & Talent Development League

to. Staying continuously educated in our specific job roles allows us to be the best we can be so that we are always able to provide a wonderful banking experience for our customers. In addition, the CBA does a fantastic job offering workshops, schools, and webinars that also play a large role in enhancing our employees’ professional growth. What programs does your bank support and why? Our holding company and bank employees have participated in CBA events such as their Consumer and Commercial Lending Schools and Cyber Risk Summit (I have personally attended these myself.), various BSA and Compliance related schools and workshops, the Branch Leadership Series workshops, the CBA Human Resources Professionals Conference among others, as well as participated in its webinar offerings. All of these CBA events provide our employees with outstanding opportunities for professional growth by providing great information, along with opportunities to be active participants in the learning process by encouraging engaging discussions with not only the speakers, but with other bank professionals as well. I cannot say enough about the quality educational opportunities that the CBA provides for our state’s community banks. “Choose Community Bankers Association (CBA) as your number one development solution. I have been a CBA member for many years during my banking career and each year the professionals there feel more and more like family. They care about providing materials and Linda Smith experiences that can be SVP BSA/AML used in the workplace. Compliance Officer Embassy National Bank They provide courses, webinars, conventions, banking schools, HR development, executive channels, regulatory forums, and a team filled with compassion, intellect, and interest need by community bankers and associates. You can depend on CBA to provide the necessary training and or development for each department in your financial institution. Check out the event calendar under the professional development tab at www. cbaofga.com. I promise you will be glad you did.” N ove m b e r / D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 1 | G e or g i a C om m un i ti es F i rs t | 15

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SPOTLIGHT

Transferrable Knowledge

Kristy Harrell

Senior Vice President, Chief Operations Officer First Port City Bank

“I feel that it’s important to support the professional development of our employees. Ongoing education helps our staff to not only continue to be knowledgeable in their area of expertise, but to excel in it. Pursuing professional development guarantees that information and skills stay relevant. It also allows our employees to be aware of changing Regulations and advancements within the banking industry. I trust CBA to provide the professional development needs of our team.”

WINSPIRE Highlight– “What a great event yesterday! You and your team did a fabulous job with the Winspire event and the celebration of women in banking. It was so uplifting to be a part of this esteemed group. Thank you again for all your hard work and diligent efforts to make this event such a success.”

Kay Ford

Drew Kessler Vice President of Sales Genesys Technology Group, LLC

“The Fintech Compliance Bootcamp was eye-opening. As a vendor, you are in an intimate setting with a handful of bankers, but more importantly, the information being taught is something that banks need to keep an eye on. With the new Fintechs coming into the market, it is important to vet them, and this class was packed with best practices. Being able to hear what banks have to stay on top of has helped our operations tremendously.”

Retired Chief Banking Officer, BankSouth

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2021 Highlights

SPOTLIGHT

Professional Development by the Numbers Nearly 2,000 Students Participate in 2021 CBA Programs

Over the past 18 months, we’ve all embraced the word “Pivot,” and pivot we did! Designing programs and adapting to new ways of teaching has been a rewarding challenge. Our bankers have learned new ways to engage and interact whether in person or virtually via STREAM. “The safety of our attendees, respect for participants’ schedules and of course, quality content and presentation, are all top priorities at CBA,” explained John McNair, CBA President/ CEO. “Kudos to SVP and Professional Development Director Kristi Greer and her team for their efforts in making CBA’s program offerings among the best in the country.”

• • • • • • • • • •

1200

CBA Professional Development

1000 800 600 400 200

2020

In-Person

2021

STREAM

2021 Program Offerings

PPP Updates TRID: The Basics & Advanced TRID Compliance Professionals Package – 4 Quarterly Programs Consumer Lending School Commercial Lending School Banker Regulatory Forums Quarterly Compliance Essentials for Community Bankers Branch Leadership Series Retail Banking Forums Executive Channel

• • • • • • • • • • • •

IRA Fundamentals FinTech Compliance HR/Talent Development League Credit Analyst E-Sign Annual Convention Bank Security Cyber Risk Summit BSA/AML Fundamentals Advanced BSA/AML Officer School WINSPIRE Fintech Forum – Coming in December

“Everything went well. Dianne Barton, this lady has the WOW package. As our instructor, she keeps us on our toes. I will use the take a-ways in my role and this program always encourages peer group conversations.”

“I was very skeptical about this program being ‘another boring class’ but our group was very engaged and we were able to express our struggles, talk through them and learn from them. This is not another boring class, you get many take aways, the challenge is then on you to do the work and use the tools provided. This class teaches you self-awareness and then how to handle situations all leaders encounter. This program is valuable to my career.”

Advanced BSA/AML Officer School Lisa Courson, BSA/AML Officer, Pineland Bank

CBLA – Maigan Wall, Loan Department Manager, Persons Banking Company

“This was a very good conference. I received valuable and useful information from every speaker/session.” Cyber Risk Summit Dawn Bridges, CTO, FNBCC

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SPOTLIGHT

What’s Coming in 2022?

Your Community Bankers Association will continue to provide relevant, timely, effective education JANUARY TRID Basics (2 days) Credit Analyst Level 1 (2 days) Flood, Appraisals, Applications

APRIL

FEBRUARY

MARCH

Branch Leadership Retail Banking Forum Credit Analyst Level 2 Executive Channel

Compliance Officer Bootcamp Commercial Lending Bootcamp HR RAP Q1: Compliance GA Deposit Doc CBLA 1

Commercial Lending Bootcamp BSA Fundamentals Branch Leadership Retail Banking Forum Mortgage School

MAY

HR Conference + RAP TRID Advanced Q2: Compliance Executive Channel Commercial Lending Bootcamp CBLA 2

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

TBD

Branch Leadership HR RAP

Bank Security Cyber Risk Summit Adv BSA/AML School CBLA 3 Executive Channel

Convention Sept 13-18 Q3: Compliance Retail Banking Forum

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

HR RAP Advanced Deposits: Compliance and Audits (2 days) Branch Leadership CBLA 4

Executive Channel

Q4: Compliance HR RAP Retail Banking Forum

Innovation for Community Bankers We can’t wait to roll out a brand new program to support community bank innovation best practices! N ove m b e r / D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 1 | G e or g i a C om m un i ti es F i rs t | 21

Streamline Commercial Account Opening at your Financial Institution

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Education Buzz: As I look back over my career in community banking and adult education, I remember when the bank’s Chief Lending Officer asked me to train the lending team. What an honor it was that he saw my abilities to communicate and teach. He believed in me and gave me opportunities to learn and share knowledge. I have strived to continue that leadership example by giving my fellow team members opportunities to learn, grow and excel for individual job satisfaction. As leaders in the industry, I want to encourage you to develop

a culture of ongoing learning in your banks. Create a culture of curiosity, nurture learning and pass on knowledge while avoiding information hoarding. So many teams fail because its leader puts their selfish ambition ahead of their team. In order to develop the next generation of bankers, teachers, community members, we must commit the time to mentor and pass knowledge forward. I believe with carefully planned, targeted training initiatives, you can bring out the best in your employees.”

Kristi Greer

Senior Vice President Director of Professional Development Community Bankers Association of Georgia

N ove m b e r / D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 1 | G e or g i a C om m un i ti es F i rs t | 23

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Invite your board of directors to join you for these high-level and C-suite topics! Session IV: December 7, 2021 Register now for high-level in-person peer connections exclusively offered in CBA’s Executive Channel. The Executive Channel provides a direct connection for Executive Bankers from across the state! CBA has gathered for you a group of industry leaders to share information and guide discussions. Facilitator: Corrie Hall James-BatesBrannan-Groover

Tommy Warren Vining Sparks

Jim Reber ICBA Securities

Topics include: • Interest Rate Risk Management • Round Table Discussion with Facilitator on topics and questions from attendees • Current Challenges Facing Community Banks • Examination Pulse Points & Criticisms • And other topics as deemed by the participants Interest Rate Risk Management Tools, Tommy Warren , Vining Sparks Despite a yield curve that has steepened from unusually flat levels, low nominal interest rates and the potential for continued Fed involvement have the potential to pressure net interest margins further in 2021. Balance sheet managers understand the implications of interest rate volatility all too well, as optionality on balance sheets led to a flurry of unexpected cash flows throughout 2020. We will provide an overview of effective management of IRR to help bankers prepare for examinations and we will present strategies designed to assist your financial institution maintain a reasonable profitability level. Strategies and Implications for Higher Rates, Jim Reber, ICBA Securities Persistently high inflation is causing the Federal Reserve to adjust its monetary policy to a soonerthan-later proposition. Community banks are generally built for rising rates, but there is also a playbook for investing in bonds that will perform well if the market begins to price in rate hikes. We will discuss popular securities that would fit these criteria and suggest strategies for altering a bank’s interest rate risk profile.

2 4 | ww w. cbao fga.com | Nov ember/ Dec emb er 2021

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

CBA’s Innovation Committee invites you to participate in the Fintech Forum. One of Georgia’s most important and fastest-growing industries is financial technology or FinTech. More than 70% of all credit card swipes, debit card payments, and gift card purchases go through Georgia-based companies, earning our region the nickname Transaction Alley. Hear from Charles Potts, Senior VP and Chief Innovation Officer for the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) as he outlines the importance of fintech for the community banking industry. In addition to the presentations, network with fintech company exhibitors and learn about the four major fintech organizations that offer a multitude of resources for bankers. MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2021 Arrivals Networking Reception from 5:30-7:30 pm Exhibitor tabletops Dinner on your own

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021, PROGRAM: 8:00: Check-ins & Registration 8:30 – 3:30 Program • Keynote: “The strategic importance of Fintech and why it should be resourced.” Charles Potts, ICBA • BAAS: Banking as a Service • Regulatory policy view of Crypto by Brian Lavender, ICBA • Panel: GA-Based Fintech Resources TAG, Fintech ATL, ATDC, Fintech Academy, moderated by Scott Mills, William Mills Agency • Exhibitors & Networking lunch included

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS (as of publication date November 4, 2021)

PREMIER SPONSOR

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SEED MONEY LEVEL N ove m b e r / D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 1 | G e or g i a C om m un i ti es F i rs t | 25

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

CBA's 54th Annual Convention & Mini-Trade Show is now CONNECT! September 13-17, 2022 Ritz Carlton | Amelia Island, FL Reserve Your Room Today! For guests that prefer to call in to make their reservation via phone, we have a dedicated group desk available to accommodate them at 866-763-2960 please reference the group name Community Bankers Association of Georgia when making reservations.

Our coverages run the gamut. At Travelers, we understand that flexible insurance options are important to your future. That’s why we’re committed to solutions that can evolve with the times. From traditional property and casualty coverages to innovative cyber protection packages, Travelers has the ability to adapt to the changing needs of your financial institution. Today – and tomorrow.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

This interactive workshop will engage you in a Strategic Marketing Planning process that meets you where you bank is today while looking toward tomorrow. This will be very useful for bank marketers looking to expand their scope (i.e. new methods of digital advertising, etc.) while engaging their management teams in trying new platforms and strategies.

Instructor: Chris Bates Agora Eversole Marketing Agency

You will learn successful best practices strategies to apply as you plan for 2022 and beyond, and the session will include a work packet that each participant can complete for themselves and utilize for their own teams. Who Should Attend: Marketing officers, marketing assistants, business development officers, sales managers, retail banking managers.

Build for the Future with FNBB FNBB is more than a correspondent service provider, we are your trusted partner. As an FNBB partner, you gain the access to a financially stable provider and the assurance that we will never be your competition. We are committed to building lasting relationships that help you grow and move towards a brighter future!

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

BSA/AML

Choose the 3-day Bootcamp or 1-day Update Both in Macon or Live Virtual STREAM

Dianne Barton Performance Solutions, Inc. Day I Topics: • The Role of FinCEN • BSA 101 • The Tools of BSA • Money Laundering Methods in Today’s Environment • Review of the BSA Building Blocks and 5 Pillars • CIP, CDD, and EDD • Bank Secrecy Act: Legal Update & Enforcement Trends Day II Topics Presented by Dianne Barton: • BSA Compliance Management Program • Risk Assessments and Risk Rating of Customers • BSA Reporting and Record Keeping • Currency Transaction Reporting (CTR) & Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) • Monetary Instrument Logs (MIL) • Wire Transfers • High-Risk Products and Services • Case Studies • Everything you wanted to ask a Banker and Auditor about BSA • Tools Available for Today’s BSA Team Day III Topics Presented by Dianne Barton: • Suspicious Activity Report – From Decision Making to Writing the SAR • BSA and OFAC Training • Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) Compliance • Record Retention • Action Planning Special Thanks to our BSA/AML Bootcamp Sponsors

Year End Wrap Up Register for this timely, one-day AML/ BSA program which provides current trends and tools for today’s BSA Officers and BSA team members. The program assists banks in meeting the annual training requirements by the BSA regulations. The financial industry is required to take an increased leading role in the prevention of money laundering and potential terrorist funding. Compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) continues to be a top priority with the regulators. The focus of this program is to provide an end-of-the-year update to the BSA/AML emerging trends and hot topics. The program will help you enhance your BSA Compliance Program and to help you prepare for your next BSA examination and audit. • Update on Cannabis-Related Businesses – From Hemp to Marijuana • Brief Recap of Key BSA/TF Trends • Update of the NDAA - BSA Reform • Best Practices for Mitigating: • Current Scams • Elder Financial Exploitation • Human Trafficking • Banking High Risk Products and Services • Gaming • Privately-Owned ATMs • Virtual Currency • Common BSA/AML Audit Findings • Planning for 2022 - ML/TF “Musts” Target Audience: This program is designed for BSA/AML compliance and fraud team members and support staffs, audit team members, and Individuals with accountability and responsibility for BSA Compliance. Booking your room is simple, click here. Special Thanks to our BSA Update Sponsors

2 8 | ww w. cbao fga.com | Nov ember/ Dec emb er 2021

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Bankers Graduate from CBA’s Community Bank Leadership Academy What is the difference between leadership and management? Leaders influence! Our four-session leadership academy allows participants to measure plus grow their individual skills through-out all interactive sessions. John C. Maxwell’s Leadership Laws remind us that we must know and develop our own skills in order to lead and influence our teams. The CBLA program is designed to develop leaders of influence that positively support community bank strategies.

2022 CBLA Dates: March 8-9 | May 17-18 | Aug 9-10 | Oct 4-5

Helping your bank fight elder financial abuse in your community Georgia’s seniors need your help! Make a meaningful impact by sponsoring the protection of vulnerable senior housing residents in your community. Contact us to learn about partnership opportunities within your bank’s footprint.

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SPOTLIGHT

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The specific topics to be covered in this seminar include: • How CECL Addresses Major Concerns with the Current (“ALLL”) Methodology and why it is Proven to be Ineffective in Recognizing Losses on a Timely Basis • Effective Dates of CECL Implementation based upon the Type and Size of Financial Institutions and the Impact of COVID-19 on the Implementation Schedule for Banks • How Should an Institution Apply the New Accounting Standard Upon Initial Adoption of CECL in Light of the Aftermath of COVID-19 • Acceptable Methods for Estimating Allowance Levels Under CECL? • What Can Financial Institutions Do Now to Prepare for the Adoption of CECL • Reinforce Concepts with a CECL Case Study

Instructor: Jeffery Johnson Bankers Insight Group

After completing this course, the participant will have an enhanced understanding of the importance of creating and maintaining an adequate Allowance that is legally defensible and insures the bank is operating in a safe and sound environment under the CECL Methodology.

Squeezing is for lemons. Not for community banks. As you focus on serving your customers, we focus on our mission to make your day easier, not costlier. Our fintech solutions are ripe for 2021 issues. And save you from multiple vendors draining money and time out of your bank. Sweet.

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2022 ADVERTISING OVERVIEW Reserve Your Ad Space Today! If you want to target top decision makers in Georgia’s community banking industry, you will find the CBA offers numerous ways to help you accomplish your goals and stretch your marketing dollars. Show your support for CBA and promote your business at the same time. If you have questions, please contact Lindsay Greene at lindsay@cbaofga.com or (770) 541-0376.

Georgia Communities First Magazine

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CBA’s website, www.cbaofga. com, is the source of information on educational programs, events, industry articles, legislative updates, convention information and much more. Ad space is available on a monthly basis and can link to your home page or the destination of your choice.

Published annually, the 2022 Georgia Financial Directory is your complete resource within the Georgia financial industry and contains information on banks, holding companies, banking products and services, and more. The 2021 version is digital only and located in the Members Only section of CBA’s website. All CBA members can access the pdf and online which means exposure to a greater number of positions within the bank.

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Join the 2022 Human Resources & Talent Development League! Ask about Early Bird Pricing. Benefits for your HR Professional: Ongoing education, networking, online discussion group, round tables Benefits for your financial institution: Legal HR Hotline, resources sharing

4 RAP Sessions: March 18, 2021 | July 22, 2021 October 21, 2021 | December 9, 2021

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SAVE THE DATE: HR/TD Conference | May 9-11 on Jekyll Island

ANNOUNCING: GEORGIA FINTECH QUARTERLY MAGAZINE

Reserve Your Ad Space Today!

One of Georgia's most important and fastest-growing industries is financial technology or FinTech. Georgia’s community banks are embracing financial technology faster than ever before. In addition to engaging with the four major fintech organizations, CBA’s Innovation Committee members are constantly researching solutions for efficiency, improving the customer experience and generating revenue. Distributed to CEOs, LEAD Reps, Fintech professionals, IT, Operations and CFOs, the new Georgia Fintech Quarterly Magazine offers the opportunity to showcase your business to this targeted audience. This new publication offers the option to submit a 600 word informational article as well as advertising opportunities. Space is limited, secure your ad space today. Contact Lindsay Greene at lindsay@cbaofga.com or (770) 541-0376 for more information.

Ad & Payment Deadlines Issue

Materials Deadline

Publication Date

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January 15, 2022 May 15, 2022 July 15, 2022 November 1, 2022

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N ove m b e r / D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 1 | G e or g i a C om m un i ti es F i rs t | 33

Closing SBA loans keeps doors open. Small businesses count on your expertise. You can count on ours. Your customers have never needed capital more than they do right now. Plus you need to offset narrowing margins by increasing noninterest fee income. SBA/USDA lending is the perfect answer. And ICBA recommends just one provider to make the process hassle-free: Holtmeyer & Monson. Give customers exactly what they need, at no net cost to your bank.

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CBA’S 2021 PREFERRED SERVICE PROVIDERS DIAMOND LEVEL

Harland Clarke Christine Ahlgren | christine.ahlgren@harlandclarke.com | (678) 500-5330

ICBA Securities Jim Reber | jreber@icbasecurities.com | (901) 762-5884 Independent Community Bankers of America Scott Brown | scott.brown@icba.org | (334) 328-5731

James Bates Brannan Groover LLP Dan Brannan | dbrannan@jamesbatesllp.com | (404) 997-6023 SHAZAM Alex Jernigan | jjernig@Shazam.net | (229) 220-0064 PLATINUM LEVEL

Warren Averett Lisa Berry | lisa.berry@warrenaverett.com | (205) 769-3388 Wipfli Mary Boortz | mboortz@wipfli.com | (715) 858- 6677 GOLD LEVEL

ATM Response Tony Webb | twebb@atmresponse.com | (770) 855-2989 Bankers Healthcare Group Brian Mullett | bmullett@bhg-inc.com | (315) 663-1121

Holtmeyer & Monson Arne Monson | amonson@holtandmon.com | (800) 340-7304

IntraFi Network Danny Capitel | dcapitel@promnetwork.com | (770) 630-6796

Point to Point Environmental Mark Faas | mfaas@p2penvironmental.com | (678) 565-4435 Ext 151 STS Group Chris Nelson | cnelson@stsgrp.com | (205) 567-3613

Travelers Diana Baker | dcbaker@travelers.com | (678) 317-7882 Interested in becoming a Preferred Service Provider?

The Preferred Service Provider packages offers Associate Members the option of upgrading to package of your choice. A few benefits include early access to advertising, exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities, simplified budgeting and of course – increased exposure! All packages are reviewed by CBA’s Member Services Committee. To learn more, please contact Lindsay Greene at 770-541-0376.

SILVER LEVEL

ACG Phil Winn | Phil.Winn@acgworld.com | (678) 458-9899

BCC-USA John Gianacaci | JGianacaci@BCC-USA.com | (609) 915-9168 CBIZ Kris St. Martin | kstmartin@cbiz.com | (763) 549-2267

CRA Partners Shea Gabrielleschi | shea@shcpfoundation.org | (901) 529-4773

Eclipse Brand Builders Michael Smith | msmith@eclipsebrandbuilders.com | (678) 890-1140

Newcleus Bank Advisors JR Llewellyn | jr.llewellyn@newcleus.com | (678) 427-1015

QwickRate Melissa Wallace | melissa.wallace@qwickrate.com | (678) 797-4062 BRONZE LEVEL

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Bahr Consultants, Inc. Hank Bahr | hank@bahrconsultantsinc.com | (865) 694-6098 N ove m b e r / D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 1 | G e or g i a C om m un i ti es F i rs t | 35

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TRENDS

Fed Taper Tactics

Jim Reber

President & CEO ICBA Securities

A review of past QE wind-down strategies.

Perhaps the U.S. economy has improved to the point where further quantitative easing isn’t as critical to the Federal Reserve’s policy of “accommodation.” It certainly looks like the Fed has some more work to do on the portion of its mandate that relates to price stability, given the overshoot of its inflation goals. Fed Chairman Jay Powell said as much as early as August, when he commented that “substantial further progress” has been achieved. A month later, he stated “moderation in the pace of asset purchases may soon be warranted.” Such unvarnished comments are not just welcomed by bond investors, they also have a specific purpose: to give clear indications of “forward guidance” so as to not throw the financial markets into the kind of chaos they experienced the last time we entered this phase of monetary policy. Remember the Great Taper Tantrum of 2013? Then-chairman Ben Bernanke surprised the market in a May 2013 speech in which he mentioned the winding down of bond purchases. He didn’t give any timelines. The longer end of the treasury market was spooked to the point that 10-year yields rose by more than 100 basis points (1%) that year. To put this into perspective, the price of the 10-year note that was auctioned in May 2013 fell by more than 10 full points (10%) by the end of the year. More color What made the sell-off harder to explain is that the Fed actually continued to be a net buyer of bonds all the way until October 2014, when it began a policy of replacement investing. Its balance sheet basically ran in place at about $4.5 trillion until late 2017, at which point it began to let some maturities of both treasuries and mortgage-backed securities (MBS) roll off. The reason it’s worthwhile revisiting some of these events should be obvious: This time around, the Fed is sitting on double the amount of bonds it owned in 2017. The numbers can boggle the mind. Even with the mountain of debt that Treasury has issued over the past five years, the Fed still owns more than 20% of it. The upshot of this is that various Federal Reserve members, from the chairman to the governors to the regional presidents, will likely choose their words very carefully and exhibit transparency and consistency, when discussing the great unwind—whenever that begins. Been there, done that While the pay-down looks like a daunting task at the present, there is some positive historical data that likely gives some support to current bond prices. Lost in the big build-up of

inventory in the past 20 months is that the Fed had been very successful in shrinking its balance sheet between 2017 and 2019. There were really three separate—but related—stages to the removal of policy accommodation during this fiveyear period. First, the Fed gradually got out of the bond buying business (the “taper”). Secondly, beginning in 2017 it stopped replacing some of its maturing investments, following a well-documented schedule of roll-offs. Thirdly, it raised Fed Funds nine times from 2015 through 2019. When all was said and done, the interest rate curve from “2s to 10s” flattened by 125 basis points (1.25%), and the Fed chased off $750 billion in assets, or about 17% of its balance sheet. Perhaps most impressively, long-term rates actually fell during this tightening-and-paydown phase. This speaks to the Fed’s success in its forward guidance campaign, and also that it let portions of its balance sheet disappear slowly enough so as to not disrupt the bond market. Fasten your seat belts The stakes may be higher this time, as this winding down is going to start at a much higher baseline than in 2019. But there’s this: more than 30% of the Fed’s balance sheet will mature in the next four years, so there will be plenty available to let run off. And there isn’t any mandated timetable to get to a normalized balance sheet level, so assuming that inflation stays within tolerable bands, the Fed can be relatively patient in its pace of unwinding its positions. Still, it will be critical to the stability of the bond market for the Fed to be clear in its words and actions in the coming months and quarters. This forward guidance may replace “transitory” as the Fedwatch buzzword for 2022. The market values of a lot of fixed-income securities residing on community bank balance sheets will depend on it. Jim Reber (jreber@icbasecurities.com) is President and CEO of ICBA Securities, ICBA’s institutional, fixed-income brokerdealer for community banks.

N ove m b e r / D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 1 | G e or g i a C om m un i ti es F i rs t | 37

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TRENDS

Human Capital: Preparing for the Turnover Tsunami Surveys show that between 25% and 50% of employees plan to look for a job this year and will do so as soon as the effects of the pandemic subside. Employers were experiencing high employee churn prior to the pandemic last spring, but since then, voluntary turnover reached their lowest level in nine years as employees hunkered down among high economic uncertainty. We now predict voluntary job-leaving will increase significantly into 2022 as employees resume the job searches, after the new year. The once-in-a-generation pandemic has created unprecedented circumstances that will amplify the movement of employees looking for a change, enough to call it the “turnover tsunami”. The three waves that fuel the turnover tsunami Executives will soon have to live with the legacy of how they managed the pandemic. For many, it will mean less than good news: 46% of employees now feel less connected with their company, and 42% say company culture has diminished since the start of the pandemic (just 21% said they are very engaged at work). Executives who neglected to keep their employee’s morale up will soon see many of them walk through the door. The other two drivers of turnover are more familiar, but have also been amplified by the pandemic: better compensation and benefits (35%) and better work/life balance (25%) are the top two reasons why employees would leave their current job (this data comes from research conducted by Toronto-based Achievers Workforce Institute). “Through the pandemic, some companies have lost mainstays of employee engagement such as focusing on work/life balance, enacting change following employee feedback, driving recognition and fostering company culture,” said Natalie Baumgartner, chief workforce scientist at Achievers. “As remote work becomes a more permanent fixture of our lives even beyond the pandemic, it’s important that employers are addressing these areas of concern in an effort to increase engagement and reduce turnover.

The pandemic crisis showed employees what good crisis leadership and a supportive culture looked like, and they will expect the same going forward even when the pandemic dissipates. So how will you retain your talent and ensure it drives your execution? Answer the questions below to assess if your human capital is powering or hindering your ability to execute. 1. Are your managers fully aware of the motivational needs of their team members? 2. Is your organization fully able to attract and retain your top talent? 3. Are your development, learning, and training programs fully aligned with your business strategy? 4. Is knowledge widely shared across the organization? If you answered “No” at least once, your talent is disrupting your execution and the success of your business strategy is at risk. Retention is an Executive-level responsibility There may have been a time when executives could delegate retention and hiring to HR, but this is not the case in 2021: more than ever, Bank CxO’s must hold themselves accountable for their talent strategy. Preventing the turnover tsunami in their organizations should be among their top 3 priorities this year. Bank leaders must be intentional with their human capital all the more as they are actually not very good at it: data collected by Line-of-Sight shows that CEO’s themselves rate their ability to manage Human Capital lowest among the top 5 success factors that determine execution excellence, with a score of 63 out of 100 for Human Capital vs. 69 on average for all success factors combined (and 75 for Strategic Understanding, for example).

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TRENDS

Human Capital - Continued This is what being intentional with Human Capital means for Banking CxO’s: 1. Rapidly re-engage employees. Use the “platinum rule” and go the extra mile in leading employees the way they want to be led. Make sure managers and the executive team are self-aware enough to meet employees’ higher expectations for leadership. 2. Listen to employees. Most people have had a tough time through the pandemic and suffered exceptional wear and tear. The pandemic has re-ordered employees’ priorities: self-fulfillment and personal development are becoming more critical, so encourage open-door exchanges, and provide career counseling and mentorship opportunities to create a supportive environment. 3. Pay attention to how much jobs have changed. In sales, customer support, product development, supply chain, the world is now very different from what it used to be. Reassess job requirements for skills and behaviors, and coach, train or re-assign employees to let them operate in their strike zone, rather than backfilling for the same roles.

4. Keep top performers engaged. High performers are the most susceptible to burnout and therefore voluntary turnover. To help A players feel valued and excited about staying, companies should focus on their career growth, offer stretch exposure and exclusive training, and be more transparent about career progression and compensation. 5. Recognize employees. The Achievers report found that 74 percent of employees want more recognition for their work. Training managers on effective recognition and holding them accountable for recognizing their teams regularly is critical to keeping employees engaged. expectations for leadership.

Brandon Kinsey

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N ove m b e r / D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 1 | G e or g i a C om m un i ti es F i rs t | 41

Looking to maximize your company’s exposure to Georgia’s community bankers in 2022?

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4 2 | ww w. cbao fga.com | Nov ember/ Dec emb er 2021

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4 3 | ww w. cbao fga.com | Nov ember/ Dec emb er 2021