Palmetto Banker Summer 2013 by SCBA

Palmetto Banker South Carolina Bankers Association

Summer Issue 2013 2013--3

Southern First Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Art Seaver Takes Over as SCBA Chairman

2009 Park Street, Post Office Box 1483 Columbia, S.C., 29202-1483 Phone: 803.779.0850; Fax: 803.779.0890 Web: www.scbankers.org

Contents

Chairman

Art Seaver, Jr. Southern First Bank, Greenville Chairman-Elect

H. Blake Gibbons, Jr. The Citizens Bank, Olanta First Vice Chairman

David M. Lominack TD Bank, N.A., Greenville Treasurer

Curtis A. Tyner, Sr. Heritage Community Bank, Hartsville

Buddin Honored by Peers

Knight Recognized by S.C. Legislature

Page 13

Page 29

Immediate Past Chairman

F. Richard “Rick” Redden, III Wells Fargo, Charleston

Past Chairman’s Message

SCBA Staff

Seaver, Southern First and Success

President and CEO

Fred L. Green, III Executive Vice President, CFO/BankPAC Treasurer

100 Years of Banking Experience Between Bamberg Duo 8

Donna S. Taylor

Supreme Court Ruling Good for S.C. Banks

Executive Vice President, Employee Benefit Trust/ South Carolina Bankers School

Treasury Recognizes State of South Carolina

Teresa D. Taylor

BDC-CDC Honors South Carolina Banks

E. Anne Gillespie

SCBA Awards Scholarships

Senior Vice President, Legislative & Regulatory

Neil Rashley, Jr.

A Look Back at the 2013 Annual Conference

Vice President, SCBA Services, Inc.

SCBA Legislative Trip a Grand Slam for S.C. Bankers

Meet Your Legislator—Sen. Nikki Setzler

Wrap-up of 2013 S.C. Legislative Session

Good Samaritans

Bonnie Nelson

Personal Transactions

Director, Marketing and Communications; Editor, Palmetto Banker

Bank News

R. Kevin Dietrich

New Associate Members

Calendar

Senior Vice President, Conventions/Conferences

Carolyn Laffitte Director, Government Relations

Amber Barnes Director, Advertising & IT

M. Caroline Sheorn Administrative Assistant

The Palmetto Banker is a publication of the South Carolina Bankers Association. The magazine exists to serve its members by communicating news of interest, education and SCBA activities. Items from members are welcome, however the editor reserves the right to refuse copy. With the exception of official announcements, the SCBA disclaims responsibility for opinions expressed and statements made in articles published in the Palmetto Banker.

Cover photo: Southern First Bank CEO Art Seaver with wife Sally and daughter Riley at the Annual Convention at Kiawah in June, shortly after accepting the chairman’s gavel. Not pictured, son Sam, who had to leave the convention early. Photograph by Kevin Dietrich.

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Past Chairman’s Message

Redden: Looking Back with Pride on the Past Year

f you’d asked me a year ago to describe the South Carolina Bankers Association, I would have said we were in a period of serious transition. I was taking the helm as chairman after Sharon Bryant’s successful term; Fred Green was stepping in as our first new president and CEO in 25 years; Fred and staff were analyzing ways to implement a new strategic plan and move the Association to a higher level of member service and advocacy; and, as an industry we were shaking off some of the most difficult days of the financial crisis and looking to the future. Now as I pass the gavel to Art Seaver, it is my pleasure to share with you some of the great progress and accomplishments from the past year. And I hope that you share my excitement as these are your accomplishments, and those of all the SCBA. Let’s start in the fall when the governor disclosed that financial information of millions of residents – including bank account numbers – had been compromised through a security breach at the South Carolina Department of Revenue. This shocking revelation detailed that not only our customers but our industry and member banks were exposed to great risk. In the face of the crisis, there were three courses open to us:   

We could put our heads in the sand and wait and see what happened; We could let others define the response and contribute as needed; or We could get out front and help our members and customers move forward.

As we’ve often done during 113 years of the Association, we chose to get out front and lead. Consider the response we mounted: The SCBA hosted meetings and seminars to educate members and enable our industry to come together around the challenges we faced. We developed “Bank Security Watch,” a proprietary system that allows institutions to share details of transactions potentially connected to the breach. We met with state leaders to explain the vulnerabilities and liabilities that could arise from criminal activity with this data. We’ve taken proactive and constructive steps to be part of the solution. In so doing, we’ve made clear to the community it’s our industry’s priority to look out for customers. There were many other positives over the past 12 months: Over the past year, the media profile of the association and that of South Carolina’s banking industry has increased dramatically. The SCBA has helped tell our story and enabled the

industry to shine in a more positive light, with the association being included in more than 50 news reports. That’s a significant increase from previous years and it comes as a result of a proactive shift in our communications strategy. The SCBA hosted a wide array of more than 20 important conferences, seminars and conventions this past year. Thanks to the increased engagement of our member institutions, we’ve seen a jump of approximately 50 percent in banker participation and associated revenues with these events. At a time of flat to declining bank membership, we’ve increased the roster of associate members by 15 percent. Our South Carolina Bankers School enjoyed its strongest attendance in several years. We also saw success at several high-profile events: 



Our annual Legislative Drop-In saw a record turn-out, with nearly 600 legislators and bankers coming to the start-of-session event; Our Washington trip was a great success. With 30 bankers and staff in attendance, we represented one of the largest state delegations at the national conference. We met with US Senators and Representatives and were able to enlist support in top priorities facing our industry in South Carolina; and In yet another positive sign of engagement and progress in the health of our industry, paid attendance at this year’s convention was up by nearly one-third over the past two years.

I stood before our members at the 2012 Annual Convention and said unequivocally that “I’m proud to be a banker – because bankers are the lifeblood of the community.” I feel that way more than ever as I share with you our impact and progress. It’s been such an honor to serve as chairman and see firsthand how our Association and you – our members – deliver on this promise day in and day out. I also want to reinforce that our achievements this past year are truly a testament to the hard work and wisdom of Fred Green, the SCBA staff, my fellow bankers who serve on the board and our associate members. While the economy and our industry continue to recover, I take great heart knowing that in South Carolina – regardless of institution or individual agenda – we’re committed to working together to make a difference for customers, communities and team members. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to represent this outstanding organization, and all its talented and dedicated members. (F. Richard “Rick” Redden III is the immediate-past chairman of the South Carolina Bankers Association and South Carolina president of Wells Fargo.)

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Feature

Seaver: We have to Earn the Right to Exist Every Day By Kevin Dietrich Palmetto Banker Editor

tions. In addition, its parent company earned nearly $2.8 million last year, three times that of REENVILLE – Ask Art 2011 and a major jump over Seaver – chief executive 2010, when it posted a loss. officer of Southern First Company stock is up more than Bank, chairman of the South 50 percent during the past year. Carolina Bankers Association “If you asked me back when and one of the state’s ablest we started, I would have told bankers – to describe his mindyou that I never thought that set when he threw open the we’d be the size we are today doors to his institution in early and that we’d have grown the 2000 and he’ll pull no punches. organization organically, one “I was naïve,” he says. “I was relationship at a time,” he said. naïve to think you could put toSeaver’s goals in January 2000, gether a great board of direcwhen Southern First officially tors; I was naïve to think you opened, were relatively modest. could raise $11 million and start They included growing his instia bank from scratch; and I was tution into a $100 million operanaïve to think we could make it tion within five years. By early all work,” he said recently. 2005, Southern First was more Yet, Seaver and his team have than three times that size. accomplished all that and more. The feat is even more remarkaSouthern First today has more ble given the competitive envithan $825 million in assets, makronment in which Seaver and his ing it one of South Carolina’s original team of 13 operated. largest state-based banks. The end of the 1990s and early Seaver leads a team of 135 em2000s was a golden period for ployees and on July 1 he began a bank startups in South Carolina one-year term as the chairman as nearly two dozen new instituof the South Carolina Bankers tions opened between 1996 and Southern First Bank CEO Art Seaver inside his office Association. 2004. By comparison, there hason Verdae Avenue in Greenville. One thing that hasn’t changed n’t been a de novo startup in the since 2000, when Seaver was a 36-year-old bank CEO, the Palmetto State during the past five years. youngest in S.C., is that he has the respect of his peers. However, many of those banks that began around that time “Art is both a great CEO and a great person,” said Justin are no longer around or have been acquired. Strickland, Southern First’s president. “He’s got vision and Of 23 banks started between 1996 and 2004, less than half great leadership skills, and he’s one of the best people I’ve are still independent. Six institutions have been acquired, ever seen on his feet when it comes to making presentations four were shuttered by regulators, and two were joined toabout the bank. He’s really remarkable.” gether to form a single institution. Seaver, 49, has been in charge of Southern First, which was Bucking the Trend from the Beginning originally called Greenville First when it was started, for nearEven 13-1/2 years ago, Seaver’s operation was unusual: ly half his banking career. But during that time he’s witnessed the worst financial  The bank was ready to open in late 1999, but regulators downtown in the nation’s history since the Great Depression, forced it to wait until after the start of the new year beseen the number of state-banks drop by 25 percent, and seen cause of concerns over Y2K, the fear that computers Southern First work through a consent order placed on it by would cease operating at midnight on Dec. 31, 1999; banking regulators.  The startup was situated in a mobile office on Heyward Still, today it ranks No. 8 in terms of deposits among stateRoad in Greenville, a structure the staff sometimes rebased banks, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance ferred to as a “fancy modular”; and Corp. Perhaps more impressive, all that growth has come  Seaver was just 36 years old, making him the youngest organically, by adding customers rather than through acquisibank CEO in the state at the time.

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Today, Southern First has four of the past 4-1/2 years, as regulaoffices in the Greenville area, ‘The bottom line is this: Banking tors have attempted to insure that three in Columbia and one in the financial meltdown that took is a simple business, but doing it place in 2007-10 doesn’t recur. Charleston. Expansion has come not as a matter of routine, but Some things remain unchanged in well is extremely difficult.’ opportunity. Seaver’s view, however. Among rules Seaver puts great “Banking is still a business based stock into is the one that says you -Art Seaver on relationships,” he said. CEO, Southern First Bank don’t move into a new market “Banking is not about taking oruntil you find the right person for ders from people who walk in off that market. Seaver was able to bring Len Howell over from the street. It’s about creating relationships that will last a NBSC last year to begin Southern First’s Lowcountry opera- long, long time. We have to earn the right to exist every sintions, just as he’d hired Strickland to head the bank in the gle day. Midlands. “The bottom line is this: Banking is a simple business, but “Art had approached me in 2001 about coming to work for doing it well is extremely difficult,” Seaver added. him, but things were going well for me at Carolina First,” Seaver’s enthusiasm for his company and his profession is Strickland said. “By the time 2006 rolled around, and the apparent, said Fred Green, president and CEO of the South bank crash was starting, I was beginning to regret my deciCarolina Bankers Association. sion so I dropped Art a note to see if the offer was still on “I’ve observed both how highly respected he is and how the table. Fortunately, it was.” much he respects his team members during the time I’ve Strickland, himself a former chairman of the Bankers Asso- visited his office,” Green said. ciation, moved from being Midlands market president for Green said one story he was told by a bank analyst one Greenville-based institution on its way down, Carolina summed up for him Seaver’s passion for Southern First. First, which would eventually be acquired by TD Bank, to “This gentleman had come in from out of town to meet being the company president for a Greenville-based bank on with Art and had gotten to the bank about 15 minutes earits way up in Southern First. ly,” Green said. “He was in his car waiting and he noticed a The relationship between Seaver and Strickland goes back man in a suit walking around the outside of the building, to the mid-1980s, when both began their careers with C&S picking up bits of trash here and there. After a short time, he Bank, Seaver in Greenville and Strickland in Columbia. realized it was Art. Their friendship began to blossom after they and their “Needless to say, this analyst went away very impressed wives spent time together at the SCBA’s Young Bankers Con- that the bank’s CEO was willing to roll up his sleeves, so to ference in 1989. speak, and get out there and do the most basic of jobs,” Seaver spent several years with C&S before moving on to Green added. Greenville National Bank in the early 1990s. He served as an executive vice president there until the institution was acquired by Alabama-based Regions Financial in the late ‘90s. It was after that that Seaver embarked upon starting what was originally called Greenville First. Seaver understands that banking today is different than it was in the late 1990s and early 2000s. “There were 94 banks headquartered in South Carolina when we started; today there are barely 70, and in five years that number will probably be in the 50s,” he said. “The fact is, it’s just so much more difficult to start a bank these days. The regulatory and capital requirements are so much more onerous. I don’t know that we would be able to do today what we did in Southern First Bank’s offices on Verdae Boulevard in Greenville still features Greenville 1999.” First signage. Southern First relocated its headquarters to Verdae Boulevard a few years Much of the change has come as a result ago after the bank outgrew its original Haywood Road location.

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Feature

One Hundred Years and Counting at Home Federal Kevin Dietrich Palmetto Banker Editor

founding. In Home Federal’s inauspicious boardroom sits a photograph taken shortly after the pair joined the board, around 1963. The duo is shown alongside some of Home FedAMBERG – It would have been excusable if manageeral’s founders, men who were then in their 70s and 80s. ment at Home Federal Savings and Loan Association While many financial institutions feature second-generation had trouble locating the employee handbook when directors on their board, very few are nearing the 100th annithey hired new staff this past December. versary of their founding, as Home Federal traces its roots After all, it had been more than a quarter century since the back to 1920. Bamberg thrift had experienced any employee turnover. The changes that have taken place, both at the thrift and Chief executive L.E. “Bo” Griffin joined the $40 million instiwithin the industry, since Hicks and Hiers came aboard five tution in 1986 and consumer loan officer Donna Moore came decades ago are staggering. on board the following year, but they’re newcomers, relativeIn 1963, Home Federal had about $900,000 in assets; today, ly speaking. This year, Chairman J. Virgil Hicks and Vice Chairthat figure is $40 million. Hicks and Hiers have been deman B. Monroe Hiers are celebrating 50 years of service as scribed as the driving force for the institution’s only acquisimembers of Home Federal’s board of directors. tion, the purchase of Edisto Savings and Loan, a rival Bamberg thrift, in the mid1960s. The pair have witnessed a mushrooming of regulations and procedures, forcing even the smallest of institutions to upgrade equipment, dole out dollars for training and watch as examiners have continued to up the ante in terms of what’s required compliance-wise. Still, despite the enhanced workload and costs associated with increased bureaucracy, Home Federal has remained a mutual thrift even as others around the region and nation converted to stock companies, often reaping substantial payouts for board members. That the board never took that route doesn’t surprise Hicks’ son, Jay, a lobbyist in Columbia who also serves on Home FederVirgil Hicks, left, and Monroe Hiers have been members of Bamberg-based Home al’s board. Federal Savings and Loan’s board of directors for the past 50 years. “They were never about enriching themselves; they were about enriching the community,” he said. Both were recognized by the South Carolina Bankers Associ- “They could have cashed out long ago, but they chose not to. ation last month; it is believed to be the first time two indiThey chose to do what’s best for the community, not what viduals from the same institution have been inducted into the would have been best for their own bottom line.” SCBA’s Half Century Club in the same year. Hicks and Hiers have spent nearly all their lives in public “Their approach has always been what’s good for Home service of one kind or another. Federal should also be good for Bamberg,” Griffin said. “They Hiers, after graduating from Wofford College, went on to understand that without this community, the Association serve three years in the U.S. Army during World War II with wouldn’t be here; they understand what’s good for our com- the 10th Mountain Division, battling Nazi forces in Italy in munity is good for our institution.” fierce fighting during the final year of the war. Upon returnHicks and Hiers joined Home Federal’s board in 1963, but ing from Europe, he enrolled in the University of South Carolitheir time in town stretches back much further. Hiers, now na School of Law and then returned to Bamberg, where he 89, and Hicks, 84, were both born in the 1920s. They’ve spent practiced law for more than 60 years. During much of that nearly their entire lives in Bamberg, with Hiers leaving only time, Hiers served as the city attorney. for college and to fight in World War II and Hicks for a short Hiers has devoted much of his spare time to the community time to work in New York around 1950. over the decades, as well. He served more than 50 years as Hicks and Hiers represent an unusual link to the thrift’s the Bamberg County Veterans Service Officer; is past presi-

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dent of the Bamberg Chamber of its bright young men and women Commerce; a past director of the leave for college never to return, “They could have cashed out Bamberg County Red Cross; and there’s little doubt that Bamberg’s past commander of American Lelong ago, but they chose not to. plight would have been much gion Post No. 39. He has been espeworse were it not for individuals They chose to do what’s best for such as Hicks and Hiers. cially devoted to the Lions Club over the years. He was recognized the community, not what would Small, rural areas may have a by the organization for 50 years of hard time competing economically have been best for their own with a Columbia or Charleston but perfect attendance, and was selected for the Lion of the Year Award in Hicks and Hiers recognized there bottom line.” 1973-74. was still a segment of the populaHicks, who for many years ran a tion willing to trade in an ever-Jay Hicks local family owned lumber compaincreasingly fast-track world for Virgil Hicks’ son ny then became a homebuilder slower-paced communities like after he sold the business, began Bamberg, Ehrhardt and Denmark. his public service in the waning years of the Jim Crow South. They recognized the niche that Home Federal had served He was elected mayor in 1963 at age 34, one of the youngest for decades and could continue to serve. mayors in South Carolina history when chosen by Bamberg Unfortunately, according to Jay Hicks, individuals the caliber voters. He would go on to serve for 26 years. of his father and Hiers are increasingly rare in small communiWith Hicks and Hiers playing leading roles, Bamberg was ties, which is often where they’re needed most. “People like that just don’t exist in small towns any more, really. My generation has for the most part left,” said Jay Hicks. Hicks and Hiers do their best to deflect credit for any success enjoyed by Home Federal. “We’ve got a good group of people here,” Hiers said. “The people associated with this institution are genuinely concerned about the community and we feel we can do the most good for the community and the people who live here by remaining independent.” Hicks said the staff’s knowledge of the community is crucial to the association’s success. “Somebody may come in here needing a loan and have been turned down by everyone else. “But Bo (Griffin) can take a look at their paperwork and say, ‘If you do this and this, we can make it work.’ That’s how you build loyal customers,” he added. With a combined century of board experience between them, one might think the pair would be Hicks and Hiers look over a photo taken approximately 50 years ago that shows ready to hang it up. Not so, according to Griffin. “As long as they’re able to come in and make the them with some of the thrift’s original board members. decisions that need to be made, they’ll continue on,” able to avoid a good bit of the racial unrest evident in many he said. “When the time is right to retire, they’ll let us know.” other Southern communities in the 1960s, including nearby It’s impossible to overestimate the role the pair has played Orangeburg, because city leaders sought to keep open the in the success of Home Federal and the community during lines of communication between blacks and whites. the past half century: Griffin said proof of the pair’s status In Bamberg, a bi-racial committee was devised and city was evident during the S&L Crisis a few years back. council meetings were held at locations throughout the com“I’d regularly get calls from people worried about their munity, including some at black churches, in an effort to rein- money,” he recalled “But when you had individuals like Mr. force the idea that leaders were serious about integrating Hicks and Mr. Hiers, both of whom were known and respectpeacefully, Virgil Hicks said. ed by everyone in the area, so closely associated with our While the town and county have suffered the economic institution, and that became known, it gave people confiravages of the declining textile industry and watched many of dence that things were going to be OK, at least here.”

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News

S.C. Supreme Court Decision a Positive for Banks The South Carolina Supreme Court unanimously ruled last month, in an opinion written by Chief Justice Jean Toal, that “modifying a loan without the participation of an attorney does not constitute the unauthorized practice of law.” The case, Warrington v. The Bank of South Carolina, which was heard by the Court exactly one year earlier, involved The Bank of South Carolina and its attempt to assist a borrower who was struggling to make payments on a large real estate loan. There was also a companion case, Crawford v. Central Mortgage Company, with similar issues. The South Carolina Bankers Association filed a companion brief in support of The Bank of South Carolina, arguing that legal representation was not necessary for modifications as they are a form of mortgage assistance that promotes the important public policy of financial stability and independence for borrowers. Petitioner Warrington was facing foreclosure in Charleston County. Prior to the foreclosure action, The Bank of South Carolina twice modified the loan favorably for Warrington upon his request. Warrington then failed to make timely payments under the modified loan terms, and sought to prevent foreclosure by arguing that the bank engaged in the unauthorized practice of law by modifying the loan without an attorney present.

Treasury Recognizes S.C. For Using Program Funds South Carolina is the first state in the nation to utilize all its Loan Participation Program allocation of $16.8 million from the State Small Business Credit Initiative, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced late last month. Also, the Treasury Department announced The Palmetto Bank ranked 12th in the nation for utilization of SSBCI program dollars as of March 31, 2013. "The U.S. Treasury recognizes South Carolina and the Business Development Corporation for being national leaders in utilizing the U.S. Treasury's State Small Business Credit Initiative,” said Cliff Kellogg, SSBCI Director, U.S. Treasury. “SSBCI funding is designed to help small businesses get the capital they need to invest, grow and create jobs. The BDC of South Carolina's performance demonstrates how both lenders and businesses can benefit from this program that puts decisionmaking in local hands." The program supports state-level, small-business lending programs. “By leveraging the SSBCI allocated funds, we expect it will generate more than $180 million of additional private lending over the life of this program,” said Edwin O. Lesley, CEO of BDC, which administers the program.

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Warrington asserted that loan modifications “change the ‘existing terms’ of the legal rights of the parties’” by altering interest rates and repayment terms, and that “because modification agreements have a ‘legal effect,’ the agreements must constitute the unauthorized practice of law.” He then requested that since this was the unauthorized practice of law that the mortgage obligation be voided. The Court disagreed, holding “that lenders do not engage in the unauthorized practice of law by preparing and mailing loan modifications to borrowers and recording the executed documents without participation of a licensed attorney.” “This is an important victory for the banking industry,” said Fleetwood Hassell, CEO of The Bank of South Carolina. “This is an issue that has been floating around out there for a long, long time and it turned out that the court ruled unanimously in the industry’s favor, so we’re very pleased.” Hassell added that he was grateful for the SCBA’s support. “We felt that this was exactly the sort of issue we needed to get involved with because in reality it had the potential to affect many more institutions than just The Bank of South Carolina,” said SCBA President and CEO Fred Green. “It was largely conducted under the radar, but it’s one of the many things the SCBA does on behalf of its members.”

News

BDC-CDC Honors Half a Dozen Banks Serving S.C. Six banks serving South Carolina were recognized during recent annual meetings of the Business Development Corporation and the Certified Development Corporation. The Palmetto Bank, headquartered in Greenville, was recognized with the following honors:  South Carolina CAP Top Participating Lender Award;  South Carolina SSBCI CAP Top Participating Lender Award; and  South Carolina SSBCI Loan Participating Program Top Participating Lender Award. Columbia-based First Citizens was honored with the Greatest Number of Loans Approved with BDC and the Greatest Number of Loans Approved with CDC. Congaree State Bank of Cayce and Park Sterling Bank of Charlotte were recognized with BDC Participating Member awards, while Lexington’s First Community Bank and national bank Wells Fargo received CDC Participating Lender awards. “By their participation in our small business lending programs, these progressive institutions are helping South Carolina’s economy continue to grow, providing thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of investment in the economic progress of the Palmetto State each year,” said Edwin O. Lesley, President and CEO of Business Development Corporation and Executive Vice President of Certified Development Corpora-

tion, which is managed by BDC. The annual meetings were held in May in Columbia. Both the CDC and BDC are associated non-bank commercial lending companies specializing By their participation these in partnering institutions are helping with South Carolina banks to South Carolina’s economy arrange small business financ- continue to grow, providing ing for entrethousands of jobs and preneurs, promillions of dollars of fessionals, manufacturers and investment each year. other qualifying small-Edwin O. Lesley businesses. “Through the CEO, Business Development Corp. utilization of SC CAP and SC SSBCI funding, The Palmetto Bank has extended credit to established, credit-worthy borrowers who would otherwise have difficulty obtaining necessary financing,” said Daniel Felder, vice president, credit administrator at The Palmetto Bank.

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Feature

Buddin Named SCBA’s Outstanding Young Banker

IAWAH ISLAND, S.C.—There may have been no one more experience, but you’re right.” more surprised about the choice for the 2013 SCBA When Hall retired in 2007 after 50 years at Blue Ridge, the Outstanding Young Banker than the winner: Glenn D. bank’s board agreed to bring Buddin on as interim CEO. The Buddin Jr., chief executive officer of Blue Ridge Bank. following year, he was given the title permanently, along with Buddin, 35, didn’t complete the form that was sent to his that of chief financial officer. bank earlier in the year. Instead, Today, he is one of the few Blue Ridge Bank President JoPalmetto State bankers to hold Ann Bryson, unbeknownst to both positions. Buddin, nominated him for the Since taking over as chief exechonor. As a result, Buddin was utive officer, Buddin has incaught off guard when he was creased Blue Ridge’s assets from announced last month at the $61 million to more than $100 annual convention as the recipimillion, despite the financial serent of the highest honor given vices industry undergoing one of in state banking circles. its worst downturns since the “It’s an extraordinary honor, Great Depression. and one I never expected to The past few years have been a happen,” Buddin said. “It’s an period of growth for Blue Ridge, exclusive club and I’m proud to Buddin said. be a part of it.” One of the most important The Outstanding Young Bankthings we’ve done is expand into er Award has been given to one the Seneca market,” he said. deserving banker each year “Seneca is the biggest city in since 1970. Past recipients have Oconee County and we knew gone on to become some of the that we needed to have a presGlenn D. Buddin Jr., center, CEO of Blue Ridge Bank, is state’s most prominent bankence here if we wanted to grow.” presented with the Outstanding Young Banker Award by SCBA ers, said SCBA President and But it went beyond just opening a Chairman Rick Redden, left, and previous winner J. Holt Chetwood during the SCBA’s Annual Convention June 10. CEO Fred Green, himself a prenew office, he added. vious recipient. “We not only expanded, but re“Glenn has done an outstanding job at Blue Ridge and he vamped the bank’s name and approach, and expanded our has proven a real asset not only to his bank, but to his comlineup of products, all during a down economy,” Buddin said. munity, his industry and to the SCBA,” Green added. “That really attracted a lot of people to us. We had the capiIn late 2000, as Buddin was finishing at Clemson, he was tal to grow when most everyone else wasn’t interested in eyeing a career in accounting. About this time he got a call growing.” from Bryson, who’d seen his resume on a Clemson website. Buddin, who lives in Seneca with wife Danette and their Blue Ridge was in need of a comptroller and wanted to hire two sons, is active in his community and industry. someone from the area, rather than conduct a statewide or He serves on the board of the South Carolina Young Bankregional search. When Buddin met with then-CEO Tim Hall Jr. ers Division and is also a member of the American Bankers the latter liked what he saw, Bryson said. Association’s Community Bankers Council, composed of CEOs “Glenn came in and met with Mr. Hall, who hired him right and top executives of community banks from across the U.S. there on the spot, that’s how impressed he was with him,” Among roles he’s taken on in the community are president she said. of the Walhalla Chamber of Commerce and president of the Given Blue Ridge Bank’s small size, Buddin, as comptroller, Walhalla Rotary Club. took care of many of the duties that a chief financial officer at Bryson, for one, can’t say enough positive things about a larger institution would handle. He quickly gained the noBuddin and his success at Blue Ridge Bank. tice of those he worked with, Bryson said. “I think I can speak for the entire board when I say that six “He just caught on to everything so quickly,” she said. “I years after we named him CEO, there are absolutely no reremember after he’d been here a few years, one time the grets,” she said. “He’s done a great job and brought us bank examiners were in and Glenn was in the meeting with through a very challenging period in good shape. them. Well, sure enough he ended up answering every one of “I don’t know where this bank would be today if we’d had the questions. Mr. Hall, the CEO, didn’t have to say anything. to bring in somebody from the outside, somebody who didn’t “Later, I said to Mr. Hall, you know, Glenn could run this know our market the way Glenn does,” Bryson added. “He’s bank,” she added. “He said, ‘I know he could. He needs a little just done an outstanding job.”

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SCBA Scholarships

SCBA Awards Scholarships to Bankers’ Children

wo dozen Palmetto State students are beneficiaries of the South Carolina Bankers Association’s scholarship program that disbursed a total of $28,000, pushing the SCBA’s education-assistance efforts to nearly $1 million over the past few decades. The SCBA recently expanded its scholarship program in an effort to reinforce its commitment to education and assist students with the ever-increasing cost of higher education. The Bankers Association this year began making college scholarship money available to the children of employees of SCBA-member institutions. Students from 10 different schools were awarded scholarships, ranging from the state’s biggest schools such as the University of South Carolina and Clemson University to smaller institutions such as Presbyterian College and Lander University.

Patterson Burch, front right, receives an SCBA scholarship check from Robert Hucks of Coastal Carolina National Bank, a member of the Young Bankers Division Board of Directors. Behind to the right are parents Dick and Cindy Burch, the former with South Atlantic Bank; and Scott Plyler, left, Wayne Wicker, also with South Atlantic Bank.

The decision to transform the program wasn’t a difficult one, according to SCBA President and Chief Executive Fred Green. “The Bankers Association wouldn’t be where it is today without our member institutions and their employees,” he said. “This is just one way we can show our gratitude for the support and encouragement we’ve received over the years, and we’re proud to be able to do a little something for South Carolina banking families.” Meredith Hamilton, a University of South Carolina student and the daughter of Don Hamilton of Sandhills Bank, said she “felt blessed and very fortunate” to be recognized by the Bankers Association. “I was thrilled when I found out that I was a recipient of an SCBA scholarship because this scholarship is not only an honor, but a reward to all of the hard work that I have put into my college career,” she said. Other scholarship recipients included: Lindsey L. Alexander of Pickens, a student at Anderson University and the daughter of Harold Alexander, who works for First Citizens in Liberty; Preston B. Bankson, Florence, Clemson, son of Wells Fargo

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employees John and Susan Bankson of Florence; Tyler W. Bishop, Johnsonville, USC, son of Beth C. Bishop of The Citizens Bank in Johnsonville; Jesse Z. Bradshaw, USC, daughter of Mary Zealy Jenkins of TD Bank in Columbia; Patterson Burch, Myrtle Beach, Clemson, daughter of Dick Burch of Myrtle Beach-based South Atlantic Bank; and Katelin D. Casas, Lexington, Clemson, daughter of Chrissie Casas of SCBT in Columbia. Also named were: Casey A. Cole, Simpsonville, USC, daughter of Geoff Cole of TD Bank in Greenville; Justine E. Crossin, Lexington, USC-Upstate, daughter of Trina Crossin of TD Bank in Lexington; Craig A. Dillard, Liberty, Clemson, son of Jean Dillard of Cornerstone National Bank in Easley; Philip W. Garner, Greenville, USC, son of Terry Garner of Southern First Bank in Greenville; Duane Q. “Quinton” Gray, Florence, Francis Marion University, son of Claudia Gray of First Citizens in Florence; Jeremy J. Griffin, Blythewood, Limestone College, son of Lisa Griffin of TD Bank in Lexington; Meredith C. Hamilton, Little River, USC, and Cearra N. Harris, Hopkins, USC-Sumter, daughter of Michelle Lucas of TD Bank in Lexington. Also honored were: Katherine A. “Katie” Jones, Anderson, Lander University, daughter of Brad Jones of The Commercial Bank in Honea Path; Vincent J. King, Greer, USC, son of Wade King of CertusBANK in Greenville; Morgan E. Moore, Summerville, Clemson, daughter of Rhonda Moore of First National Bank of South Carolina in Holly Hill; Patrick T. “Tyler” Ovington, Greenville, Clemson, son of J. Patrick Ovington of TD Bank in Greenville; Emily K. Rudman, Greer, Clemson, daughter of Chuck Rudman of TD Bank in Greenville; and Karla M. Sargent, Greenwood, Lander University, daughter of Beth Sargent of Countybank in Greenwood. Finally, scholarships were awarded to Andrew Bell, Greer, USC, son of David Bell; Quinton Dewitt of Coastal Carolina University, Hailey J. McGill of USC-Upstate and Matthew Palma of Presbyterian College. Palma, a rising senior at Presbyterian, said he didn’t know much about the financial services industry until he attended the SCBA’s Banking Careers 101 event earlier this year. “I think I might like to get into small-business lending,” he said. “I like the idea of being able to create a personal relationship with clients and small-business lending seems like an ideal venue to do that in.” Scholarship funds are raised through the South Carolina Bankers School and the Young Bankers Scholarship Golf Tournament. The former will take place in mid-July while the latter will be held Sept. 23, at The Members Club at Woodcreek, in Elgin. “As Young Bankers, we continue to look for ways to grow and expand our footprint across our industry and in our communities,” said Montague Laffitte, immediate-past chairman of the SCBA Young Bankers Division. “This year, we had the unique opportunity to enhance our scholarship program. With the support of the SCBA and through many hours of hard See Scholarships next page

Top, from left: Randy Carter and Beth Bishop, The Citizens Bank; scholarship recipient Tyler Bishop; CEO Blake Gibbons. Top right: Brad Jones, The Commercial Bank; recipient Katie Jones; Al Young, The Commercial Bank. Middle left: Chuck Perry, First Citizens; recipient Lindsey Alexander; Harold Alexander, First Citizens. Middle: Southern First Bank CEO Art Seaver; recipient Philip Garner; Terry Garner, Southern First Bank.

Above, left to right: Young Bankers Chairman and Wells Fargo’s Marvin Robinson; recipient Justine Crossin; Trina Crossin, TD Bank; recipient Cearra Harris; Michelle Lucas, TD Bank; recipient Jeremy Griffin; Lisa Griffin, TD Bank.

Second from top, left to right: Jennifer Champagne, Cornerstone National Bank; Rodger Anthony, CEO, Cornerstone; scholarship recipient Craig Dillard; Jean Dillard, Cornerstone. Second from bottom: Jack Goettee, SCBT; recipient Katelin Casas; Chrissie Casas, SCBT; and Montague Laffitte, SCBT and Young Bankers’ past chairman. Bottom: Ron Anderson, CEO, First National Bank of South Carolina; recipient Morgan Moore; Rhonda Moore; First National Bank of South Carolina.

Scholarships work, we were fortunate enough to award $28,000 to 24 deserving college students. “This is a small way we can give back to the employees who

drive our industry,” he added. “I fully expect that the program will continue to grow and this will be another way we can support the banking industry moving forward.”

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2013 Annual Convention

More than 425 Gather for 2013 Annual Convention

ne of the more memFormer Miami Dolphins orable annual constandout Glenn Blackwood, a ventions in South managing consultant with Carolina Bankers Association Equias Alliance, gave a movhistory took place June 9-12 ing talk during the Prayer at The Sanctuary at Kiawah Breakfast, touching on footIsland. ball, family and faith. The 113th SCBA Annual ConMany attendees were able vention featured beautiful to attend the special event, a scenery, outstanding weather picnic at the Firefly Distillery and one of the largest turnand Irvin House Vineyard. The outs in recent years, as more distillery is one of the very than 425 individuals attended few in the country that serves the meeting. as both a vineyard and a disChairman Rick Redden of tillery. Wells Fargo and wife Angela The SCBA BankPAC Silent hosted an impressive event Auction raised about $7,700. where attendees enjoyed topThe final evening’s dinner notch speakers such as Frank dance was enlivened by the Keating, the president and music of the Coconut Groove CEO of the American Bankers Band, which performed a Association. Other speakers wide array of music. included Mark W. Olson, a Among the other special Washington, D.C.-based execguests in attendance at the utive with Triliant Risk Advi2013 convention were past sors and former member of chairmen Jim Apple, Sharon the Board of Governors of the Bryant, Mike Crapps, Stan U.S. Federal Reserve, South Gibson, Teresa Knight, SterCarolina State Treasurer Curling Laffitte, Justin Strickland, tis Loftis and John Silvia, chief SCBA Chairman Rick Redden, left, passes the gavel to Chairman-Elect Tommy Suggs and Fred economist for Wells Fargo. Green, who was finishing his Art Seaver during the 2013 Annual Convention at The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island. For the second consecutive first full year as SCBA presiyear, concurrent breakout dent and CEO. sessions were held, focusing on such topics as preparing for On Monday, Glenn D. Buddin Jr. was honored as the Outbank examinations, how successful banks thrive in difficult standing Young Banker of the Year; while on Tuesday, Redden times, and a look at whether merger and acquisition activity officially passed his gavel to incoming Chairman Art Seaver of is expected to increase soon. Greenville-based Southern First Bank.

Next Convention Set for June 15-18, 2014, in Palm Beach The 114th South Carolina Bankers Association's Annual Convention will be held June 15-18, 2014 at The Breakers Resort in Palm Beach, Fla. The Breakers is a world-renown destination and an ideal venue for the SCBA’s lineup of speakers, vendors and enlightening business sessions. The Breakers features many luxurious amenities, including:  A tropical oceanfront with stunning vistas of the Atlantic Ocean;  A half mile of private beach, five oceanfront pools and four whirlpool spas. Remember to save the date for next year’s convention.

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