Palmetto Banker Summer 2013

Palmetto Banker South Carolina Bankers Association

Summer Issue 2013 2013--3

Southern First Bank’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

5

SCBA Staff

Seaver, Southern First and Success

6

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

10

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

Treasury Recognizes State of South Carolina

10

Teresa D. Taylor

BDC-CDC Honors South Carolina Banks

11

E. Anne Gillespie

SCBA Awards Scholarships

14

Senior Vice President, Legislative & Regulatory

Neil Rashley, Jr.

A Look Back at the 2013 Annual Conference

16

Vice President, SCBA Services, Inc.

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

26

Meet Your Legislator—Sen. Nikki Setzler

27

Wrap-up of 2013 S.C. Legislative Session

27

Good Samaritans

30

Bonnie Nelson

Personal Transactions

32

Director, Marketing and Communications; Editor, Palmetto Banker

Bank News

35

R. Kevin Dietrich

New Associate Members

37

Calendar

38

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

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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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8 Palmetto Banker

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.

10 Palmetto Banker

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

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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

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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

O

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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Looking Back at the 113th SCBA Annual Convention

17 Palmetto Banker

2013 Annual Convention

Looking Back at the 113th SCBA Annual Convention

18 Palmetto Banker

Looking Back at the 113th SCBA Annual Convention

19 Palmetto Banker

2013 Annual Convention

Looking Back at the 113th SCBA Annual Convention

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Looking Back at the 113th SCBA Annual Convention

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2013 Annual Convention

Let’s Play 18: Golfing at the Osprey Point Golf Course

Right, winners in the 2013 SCBA Annual Convention Golf Tournament. From left: 1st place team of Tommy Suggs, KennanSuggs; James Bennett, First Citizens; and Wallace Edge, Dixon, Hughes Goodman. Not pictured: Stan Gibson of Wells Fargo. Middle, from left: 2nd place team of Nate Spurrier, IDentity Theft 911; Chris Wright, CenterState Bank; Frank Stone, Woodruff Federal Savings & Loan. Not pictured: Peter Faser, SunTrust.

Right, from left: Closest-to-the-Pin Glenn Blackwood, Equias Alliance LLC; and Ben Seabrook, Southcoast Community Bank.

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35-Year Club Inductees Each year the SCBA congratulates those who have served 35 years in the banking industry Betty J. Anderson, Branch Manager I, NBSC, Anderson David Anderson, Commercial Relationship Manager, First Citizens, Columbia J. Neal Anderson, Executive Vice President, Anderson Brothers Bank, Hemingway Catherine B. Baxley, Retail Sales Manager, First Citizens, South of the Border David Beard, Commercial Credit Executive, CertusBANK, N.A., Greenville Rick L. Beasley, President and CEO, Carolina Bank and Trust Co., Darlington G. David Benton, Financial Center Manager, First Federal, Pawleys Island Allen M. Bilton, Director, First National Bank of South Carolina, Holly Hill Angela W. Brown, Teller, First Citizens, Walhalla Joe Burns, Senior Executive Vice President/Chief Risk Officer, SCBT, Columbia Hobson Busby, EVP/Senior Credit Officer, SCBT, Columbia Carol Cogburn, Funds Administrator, Countybank, Greenwood

Susan O. Cuttino, Computer Operator, First National Bank of South Carolina, Holly Hill R. W. (Bubba) DeMaurice, III, Executive Vice President, Carolina Bank and Trust Company, Darlington W. Kenneth Edwards, Vice President, Branch Manager, The Palmetto Bank, Gaffney

Christy Jeffcoat, Senior Teller, BB&T, Columbia Dr. David C. Lewis, Chairman, Abbeville Savings and Loan, Abbeville Mary E. Lewis, Senior Vice President, Pickens Savings and Loan, Pickens

Richard H. Flake, CFO, Provident Community Bank, Union

D. Pruitt Martin, Executive Vice President, Group Manager, The Palmetto Bank, Anderson

Sue H. Gaines, Vice PresidentMortgage, Greer State Bank, Greer

Sandy Mason, Vice PresidentOperations, Greer State Bank, Greer

Melissa W. Gordon, Loan Support Specialist, Countybank, Greenwood

Brenda Maw, Vice President and Compliance Officer, Cornerstone National Bank, Easley

Meredith B. Gooding, Vice President/Credit Administration Officer, First Community Bank, Lexington Sheila W. Grant, Vice President, Mutual Savings Bank, Hartsville Julia Hendricks, Loan Operations Analyst, First Citizens, Columbia Jean W. Hooper, Teller, First Citizens, Anderson Edith Hunnicutt, Senior Financial Sales Representative, SCBT, Columbia

Jeanette Cook, Personal Banker, First Citizens, Nichols

Penzular J. Jaudon, Premier Banker, First Federal, Charleston

Mary Beth Crump, Customer Service, First National Bank of South Carolina, Holly Hill

Stephen S. Jacobs, Retail Market Executive, First Citizens, Dillon

Russell A. McCoy, Commercial Relationship Manager, First Citizens, Columbia

Carol Pooser, Human Resources Assistant III, First Federal, North Charleston Judy R. Powers, Branch Manager I, NBSC, Columbia Glamor M. Pringle, Operations Specialist, NBSC, Sumter Sheila D. Rauch, Personal Banker, First Citizens, Columbia B. Craig Robinson, Market President, CertusBANK, N.A., Greenville Rosanna R. Shirer, Teller II, NBSC, Manning Brenda S. Smith, Banking Officer, Mortgage Operations Supervisor, First Community Bank, Newberry Nancy W. Smith, Bank Operations Manager, Countybank, Greenwood

Linda McKellar, Retail Client Support Specialist, First Citizens, Dillon

Jenny Stone, Area Operations Officer II, BB&T, Columbia

Rick Medlock, Executive Vice President, Greer State Bank, Greer

Gwen Thompson, President and CEO, Clover Community Bank, Clover

Dorothy Mitchell, Financial Sales Representative, SCBT, Orangeburg

Cassandra B. Wallace, Loan Service Assistant III, First Federal, North Charleston

Jonnie Mullikin, Senior Teller, BB&T, Greenville September J. Ponder, Loan Document System Administrator, First Federal, North Charleston

Michelle Willis, Vice President, Credit Operations Manager, Bank of Travelers Rest, Travelers Rest Robin B. Wright, Items Exceptions Administrator, Countybank, Greenwood

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2013 Annual Convention

Half-Century Club Each Year the SCBA Congratulates those who have Served 50 Years in the Banking Industry Margie R. Gaskins, Personal Banker, First Citizens, Chesterfield Faye B. Hall, Assistant VP/Branch Manager, Bank of Travelers Rest, Travelers Rest J. Virgil Hicks, Director-Chairman, Home Federal Savings and Loan, Bamberg B. Monroe Hiers, Director-Vice Chairman, Home Federal Savings and Loan, Bamberg George A. Singletary, Board of Directors, First National Bank of South Carolina, Holly Hill W. C. Singleton, Director, Pickens Savings & Loan, Pickens Barbara H. Strickland, Personal Banker, NBSC, Loris Louise M. Ware, Teller Leader, First Citizens, Anderson

J. Virgil Hicks, second from the left, was honored as a member of the SCBA Half-Century Club during the 2013 Annual Convention June 11 at The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island. Hicks has served on the board of Home Federal Savings and Loan in Bamberg for 50 years. With him were his son Jay, left, grandson James Grayson Hicks, and great-grandson, James Gabriel Hicks.

In Memoriam Each Year at the Annual Convention the SCBA Remembers Those Who are No Longer with Us February, 2012 Aileen S. Meetze Senior Vice President, The Bank of South Carolina, Mt. Pleasant March, 2012 Catherine Jo-Anne Jones Assistant Vice President/Human Resource, First National Bank of South Carolina, Holly Hill August, 2012 Laurie J. Guercio Records Assistant, First Federal, North Charleston September, 2012 George P. Knight Chairman of the Board, First National Bank of South Carolina, Holly Hill November, 2012 Bert Neal Anderson Chairman, Anderson Brothers Bank, Hemingway

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Elease T. Wells Department Manager, Loan Operations, NBSC, Columbia December, 2012 Richard L. Beasley Chairman, Carolina Bank and Trust Company, Darlington Janice M. Flynn Senior Vice President/Credit Department, The Bank of South Carolina, Charleston Robert “Don” Johnson Courier, NBSC, Sumter January, 2013 Robert D. Horton Courier, NBSC, Columbia Linda Lawhon Head Bookkeeper, The Citizens Bank, Olanta February, 2013 Broadus Thompson Director Emeritus, Retired, First Community Bank, Lexington

March, 2013 Robert B. Frantz, Jr. Director of Corporate Real Estate, First Citizens, Columbia Michael B. “Mikey” Moore Sales Finance Specialist, First Citizens, Columbia April, 2013 Marion Mahorsky Part Time Teller, Provident Community Bank, Union May, 2013 Richard M. Lane Vice President/City Executive, Retired, Horry County State Bank, Conway William F. ‘Bill’ Dickey Past Chairman, S.C. Savings and Loan League; CEO, Retired, Cooper River Federal Savings & Loan

BankPAC Silent Auction Contributions to SCBA State BankPAC Silent Auction Helped Raise Nearly $8,000 A special “Thank You” to the following banks and associate members who made donations to the SCBA State BankPAC Silent Auction, held June 12, 2013, during the 113th SCBA Annual Convention.

A total of $7,700 was raised to kick off the 2013 BankPAC Campaign.

Everyone’s support is greatly appreciated.

Decision Dynamics Inc., Lexington Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, Atlanta First Citizens, Columbia First Community Bank, Lexington Heritage Community Bank, Hartsville Home Federal Savings and Loan, Bamberg Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC, Atlanta NBSC, Columbia Oconee Federal Savings Contributions were received from and Loan, Seneca the following: Palmetto State Bank, Estill Abbeville Savings & Loan, Abbeville Sandhills Bank, North Myrtle Beach AloStar Bank of Commerce, Atlanta SCBT, Columbia Bank of Clarendon, Manning South Atlantic Bank, Myrtle Beach Blue Ridge Bank, Walhalla Southern Bank & Trust, Aiken Some of the many items donated for the SCBA BNC Bank, Myrtle Beach Southern First Bank, Greenville State BankPAC Auction.

Bryan Cave LLP, Atlanta Strategic Risk Associates, Greenville CBC National Bank, Beaufort TD Bank, Greenville Citizens Building & Loan, Greer The Citizens Bank, Olanta Clover Community Bank, Clover The Palmetto Bank, Greenville Coastal Carolina National Bank, Myrtle Beach Vantiv, Clarence Center, N.Y. Community Bankers' Bank, Midlothian, Va. Wells Fargo, Charleston Countybank, Greenwood Woodruff Federal Savings & Loan, Woodruff CresCom Bank, Charleston Yadkin Bank, Gaffney

Convention Exhibitors Thank You to the Exhibitors Listed Below for Making the Annual Convention Trade Show a Success BlueCross/BlueShield of SC Calyx Software CICCAR Computer Services, Inc. Comptroller of the Currency ESD Architecture & Interior Design Flex-Pay Payroll Services IDentity Theft 911 Jack Henry Banking Ken Smith Inc. Promontory Interfinancial Rogers Realty & Auction Co. SCBA Services, Inc. SC State Housing Finance & Development Authority SI-Solutions SourceLink Stifel Time Warner Cable Business Class Travelers Insurance Tyson Sign Company

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Feature

Legislative Trip a Grand Slam for State Bankers

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ore than two dozen South Carolina bankers along “Out of all of the bank seminars, conferences and convenwith representatives from the South Carolina tions I have been to, the Washington Summit ranks at the Bankers Association traveled to the nation's capi- top,” said Glenn D. Buddin, chief executive officer of Blue tal for the SCBA Washington Trip/ABA Government Relations Ridge Bank. “For me as a community bank CEO, this event Summit in mid-April. was important not only because I was able to gather actionaThe group met with U.S. Senators Tim Scott and Lindsey ble information from the speakers, I was also able to interact Graham, and U.S. Representatives Jim Clyburn, Jeff Duncan, with most of the delegation from South Carolina. That interMick Mulvaney, Tom Rice and Joe Wilson, and staff members action gave me the ability to voice the many challenges comfor Trey Gowdy. munity banks face from the never ending deluge of current “We had productive meetings with the members of South and new regulations.

Carolina's Congressional delegation and our bankers were able to discuss issues they believe are crucial not only to the financial services industry, but to the state as a whole,” said Amber Barnes, the SCBA’s director of government relations.

In all, there were 32 attendees from South Carolina for the three-day event, held at the Renaissance Washington, D.C. Hotel: 28 bankers and two government relations representatives from banks, along Members of the South Carolina Bankers Association delegation during the Washington Trip/ABA with members of Government Relations Summit in mid-April. the SCBA staff.

The group heard from regulators and political leaders, including FDIC Chairman “In short, I learned valuable information and believe it Martin Gruenberg and Senior Deputy Comptroller for Midsize made a difference for the future of community banking,” and Community Bank Supervision at the OCC, Jennifer Kelly, Buddin added. along with Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), Chairman of the Bank executives, directors and employees must ensure their House Financial Services Committee, (R-TX); Senate minority voices are heard on Capitol Hill because Capitol Hill is crucial leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and Sen. John Tester (D-MT), to the everyday workings of banks, said Curtis Tyner, presia Senate Banking Committee member. dent and chief executive officer of Heritage Community Bank.

Attendees also received a legislative update from Larry Sey“The legislation they pass directly affects our shareholders, fried, the American Bankers Association’s senior vice presiemployees and customers,” he said. “It is essential that we dent for Congressional Relations, along with an economic establish relationships with our congressmen and senators update from Dr. Keith Leggett, the ABA’s vice president and well in advance of asking for their time and a favorable vote. senior economist.

See Washington, Page 29

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Meet Your Legislator

Ability, Experience Enable Setzler to Lead in Senate When Nikki Setzler was first elected to the South Carolina Senate in 1977, the upper body of the state Legislature featured a staggering 40-seat Democratic majority. Today, by comparison, Republicans outnumber Democrats, 28-17.

Part of that sea change is the result of elected officials over the years jumping to the GOP out of political expediency as their districts trended Republican.

Setzler, though, chose to hold his ground. Despite representing some of the most Republican regions of South Carolina, including Lexington and Aiken counties, he’s kept a “D” by his name through seven elections.

“The people I represent know who I am,” he said. “They see me and my family every day. They know what I’m about and they know what I stand for.”

When asked what’s most important to Setzler himself, he answered without pause.

“Family is the most important thing in the world to me,” he said. “I‘ve been tremendously blessed by God with a beautiful wife, four incredible daughters, four great sons-in-law and six wonderful grandchildren, and I give thanks for all of them every day. “ Setzler graduated from the University of South Carolina and USC School of Law. He practices family law in the West Co-

lumbia firm Setzler & Scott P.A. Setzler, the Senate minority leader, serves on the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee. He’s drawn upon his time on two different bank advisory boards to get a better grasp on financial issues. Setzler currently serves on the advisory board of Security Federal Bank. Also, he was on the board of Lexington State Bank before its purchase by BB&T. “Being on a bank advisory board teaches you so much about financial matters,” he said. “You learn about the issues that involve the banking industry, you learn how people are impacted by what goes on in the economy and you have a much better understanding when financial issues come up in the General Assembly.”

As the Senate minority leader, Setzler has influence over which Democrats are named to the conference committees that craft legislation before it is sent on to the governor.

Setzler has gained a reputation over the years for bipartisanship, for being willing to work with Legislators on both sides of the aisle, according to John Courson, R-Richland and Senate president pro tempore.

“My job is to make the Senate work and having an individual like Nikki Setzler as the minority leader makes that task a whole lot easier,” Courson said. “The citizens of Lexington are very fortunate to have Nikki Setzler representing them in the Senate, and the state of South Carolina is very fortunate to have Nikki Setzler as one of its 46 state senators.”

SCBA Reaches Midpoint of Productive Legislative Session

By Neil Rashley Senior Vice President/Counsel, SCBA

in the State Treasurer’s office that would compensate victims of the hacking for their actual fraud losses.

However, while the Senate passed the bill, the House decidThe S.C. General Assembly adjourned sine die on June 6, ed to discuss the proposals further next year due to their 2013, signaling the halfway point of the 2013-14 session. depth and complexity. Nonetheless, both chambers did proThe legislature did return briefly in late June to handle limvide some similar temporary cybersecurity measures in the ited issues such as the state budget, but most banking issues state budget. At the time of this publication, the House and were resolved for the year with the end of the regular sesSenate were still debating what of these measures could be sion. Any remaining issues will be brought back up in January included in the budget for the next year.

2014 for the last year of the session.  Identity Theft Below are the top issues affecting banking that were disLike cybersecurity, identity theft was an issue arising from cussed this year: the DOR hacking and the General Assembly worked to  State Cybersecurity strengthen South Carolina’s Identity Theft laws.

Due to the 2012 Department of Revenue database hacking One bill, H3248, was passed and signed by the governor, incident, both the House and Senate appointed special subrevising definitions in the Financial Transaction Fraud Act of committees to review the facts of the incident and the state’s “personal identifying information” and “financial resources” overall Information Technology cybersecurity plan. to include pension plans, retirement plans, annuities and From those meetings, the Senate introduced S334, a bill lines of credit. that would establish a statewide IT security plan; create an The bill also clarified that a criminal prosecution for ID theft Identity Theft unit in Consumer Affairs; and allow taxpayers or financial transaction fraud could be prosecuted in the tax credits for the cost of purchasing ID Theft protection due county where the victim resided – a concern in the DOR to the DOR hacking. matter so that South Carolina victims would not have to Later, the Senate amended the bill to create a special fund See Session, page 28

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Session

travel to other states or countries to prosecute perpetrators.

Also introduced, but not yet passed, is S148, a bill that would amend South Carolina’s Identity Theft Act by providing that certain parties can place a security freeze on defined “protected persons” – minors under 16 and anyone who is incapacitated. It has passed the Senate and is now in the House but there is still debate over whether a fee should be assessed for placing a security freeze.  Uniform Commercial Code Two important bills revising Articles 9 and 4A of the UCC were passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Nikki Haley. SCBA supported and worked on both bills.

Article 9: S323, the Article 9 bill, was part of a nationwide effort by all states to adopt identical provisions concerning the indexing of a debtor’s name in the UCC records.

Known as Alternative A, this approach states that if the debtor holds a driver’s license issued by the state where the financing statement is filed, the debtor’s name as it appears on the driver's license is the name required to be used on the financing statement. If the debtor does not have such a driver’s license, either the debtor’s actual name or the debtor’s surname and first personal name may be used on the financing statement.

Other revisions include: (1) clarifying the rules pertaining to control of electronic chattel paper to give secured creditors more leeway for developing reliable systems for keeping track and control of such documents; and (2) making it more likely that a secured creditor will stay perfected if a borrower moves to another state or merges with a debtor in another state. The majority of states have adopted Alternative A. Article 4A: Also part of a nationwide effort, S221 clarified a legal uncertainty between the Electronic Funds Act and Article 4A of the UCC that arose after passage of Dodd-Frank.

Dodd-Frank amended the EFTA by regulating “remittance

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transfers,” electronic transfers of funds requested by a sender to a designated recipient, usually in another state or country. This led to a legal uncertainty between Article 4A that governs only commercial transactions and the EFTA that governs only consumer transactions.

S221 amended Article 4A to clarify which law would govern if a remittance transfer involved a consumer in some part of the transaction.  Probate and Trust Code Governor Haley signed into law S143, a bill that amends and modernizes South Carolina’s Probate and Trust Code. The bill was part of a multi-year project by the South Carolina Bar, with the SCBA actively worked with the Bar, the Senate subcommittee and the Senate’s working groups to identify and address any issues affecting banks.

The SCBA supported S143; however, proposed sections dealing with conservators, guardians, and powers of attorney proved more controversial so they were removed, to be possibly introduced in a future bill.  Economic Development Finally, two economic development bills supported by SCBA were passed by the General Assembly and are now under review by the governor.

H3093 would provide tax credits for expenses, including the present-year expenses, incurred in revitalizing an abandoned commercial building to be credited against income or real property taxes and allows banks and thrifts to take advantage of the tax credit.

H3505, the High Growth Small Business Job Creation Act of 2013, would create nonrefundable income tax credits to incentivize angel investors to provide early stage capital for emerging high-growth enterprises in such areas as manufacturing, processing, warehousing, wholesaling, software development, and information technology services.

News

Knight Honored by S.C. House of Representatives Teresa W. Knight, a longtime executive with The Palmetto Bank and former chairman of the South Carolina Bankers Association, was lauded by the South Carolina House of Representatives last month for more than 30 years of service to the banking industry.

The House adopted a resolution introduced by Rep. Dennis C. Moss, R-Cherokee, recognizing and honoring Knight, an executive vice president with The Palmetto bank, upon her retirement, which took effect June 28.

Knight joined The Palmetto Bank as teller in 1981. She became a vice president in 1987 and was the first female at the institution to be elected to serve as executive vice president, heading up bank administration, human resources and marketing, in 1999.

Knight was active in the SCBA, as well. Besides serving as the first female chairman in the organization’s history, in 2010-11, she also served on the South Carolina Bankers School Board from 1996 to 1999 and again from 2001 to 2004. She was also chairman of the South Carolina Bankers School and served as chairman of South Carolina Bankers Employee Benefit Trust from 2007 to 2009. She continued to

serve as a trustee up until her retirement.

Knight and husband Randy were fixtures at SCBA annual conventions the past few years, noted for their warm conversation and sense of humor.

Knight grew up in Mauldin and graduated from Anderson College in 1975 with an associate's degree in liberal arts and sciences, general studies and humanities. She earned a bachelor's degree in psychology in 1977 from Clemson University.

Knight was also noted for being the first woman to serve on the board of Greenville’s Poinsett Club.

In fact, Knight won a South Carolina/North Carolina/Georgia Trap and Sporting Clays Ladies Championship title and serves as the vice president of the South Carolina Trap Association.

The House resolution, introduced and adopted on June 6, concludes with the following: “The members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Teresa W. Knight, executive vice president of the Palmetto Bank, upon the occasion of her retirement after thirty-two years of outstanding service, and wish her continued success and happiness in all her future endeavors.”

Washington

Left, members of the South Carolina Bankers Association delegation with U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson during the visit to Washington in April. Above, U.S. Sen. Lindsay Graham, left, and SCBA President and Chief Executive Officer Fred Green talk while bankers Wayne Hall of First Federal, second from right, and Rick Redden of Wells Fargo listen.

“It is our obligation to help them and their staff to understand the issues,” he added.

Blake Taylor of Southern First Bank, who traveled to Washington through a Young Banker Scholarship, said the trip was extremely educational.

“The chance to spend time with our delegation and state leaders was instructive and it proved to be an eye-opening experience for me about how important it is that we reach out to our legislators,” he said.

“We can’t expect legislators to understand the issues that are important to banking if we’re not willing to take the time to help them understand them,” Taylor added.

Buddin, for one, said that while this was his first legislative trip to Washington, he’s already making plans for next year.

“I highly recommend to all South Carolina bank CEOs to attend the next conference as it was informative, meaningful and a lot of fun,” he said.

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Good Samaritans The Peoples Bank of Iva hosted a ceremony at Crescent High School in May to recognize the 250 students who completed a program that teaches them to be careful with their finances. The Ever-Fi Financial Literacy Program uses new media technologies to bring financial concepts to students.

Through the EverFi platform, students are able to become certified in more than 600 topics in financial education, allowing them become better informed, more responsible citizens.

The Peoples Bank partnered with EverFi to bring the interactive financial management programs to high school students in Anderson at no cost to the schools.

The 10-unit course offered six hours of programming aimed at teaching, assessing and certifying students in a variety of financial topics including credit scores, insurance, credit cards, student loans, mortgages, taxes, stocks, savings, 401ks, and other critical concepts that map to national financial literacy standards.

Synovus recently announced that NBSC’s Sumter Team was named the company’s REACH Volunteer Team of the Year for 2012. REACH, Synovus’ community outreach program, honors Winners in South Atlantic Bank’s Art Contest. From left: Jaheem the volunteer efforts of an individual and a team that particiAliou, art teacher Janet Trupiano, Darrion Rackley, Juelz Dickerson, pates in hands-on efforts that make a significant difference in Nora Hurt, Daniela Noriega-Cortez, Adrianna Marshall, Amya Sione the communities where they live and work. and Jasmine Aguirre.

NBSC’s Sumter Team places a high value on serving the South Atlantic Bank recognized eight Myrtle Beach Elemen- community in a variety of projects that include Teach Chiltary School students for artistic excellence during a reception dren to Save, Sumter Smart Growth Initiative, and The Lazaheld at the school on April 25. rus House. Team members’ volunteer service also extends to The students were honored for their depictions of the bank leadership roles on several boards of civic organizations inbased on tours they had taken earlier in the year. During the cluding the Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Club, Tuomey tours, nearly 700 students saw banking in action at the insti- Healthcare System and the Sumter School District. tution’s main office. After the tours, all the students drew pictures of their experiences at the bank.

The TD Charitable Foundation donated $140,500 to nonBank employees then voted on their favorite works of art, profit organizations in South Carolina from February through with eight students receiving a cash award for their work. In April 2013. TD Bank’s charitable arm awarded 15 grants to addition to the student awards, Janet Trupiano, the Myrtle nonprofit organizations that provide affordable housing, fiBeach Elementary School art teacher, received a grant from nancial literacy and education, and environmental programs the bank for future art projects. in South Carolina during the quarter. These included: Students honored were: second graders Adrianna Marshall, first place; Juelz Dickerson, second place; Daniela Noriega Anderson Interfaith Ministries, which provides support Cortez, third place; and Jaheem Aliou, honorable mention. and resources for single mothers and low-income famiAmong third graders, first place went to Amya Stone, second lies to complete post-secondary education and develop place was awarded to Nora Hurt, third place to Darrion Rackleadership skills; ley and Jasmine Aguirre was awarded honorable mention.  Neighborhood Outreach Connection Virtual Learning Center, a Hilton Head Island facility which provides lowThe St. James High School Sharks Booster Club, with support income children access to internet-based learning profrom South Atlantic Bank, raised more than $2,300 through grams for continuing education outside of school; its parking fundraiser during the 2013 Harley-Davidson Mo South Carolina Philharmonic, Inc., the Columbia-based torcycle Rally. entity brings musical education to children, special needs The bank provided the parking lot at its Murrell Inlet office students and senior adults through its Young Peoples to the club which then charged a per-vehicle fee.

Concert Initiative; and This year marked the fifth consecutive year that the bank  Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County, which creates and booster club have worked together to raise funds for the home ownership opportunities for low-income residents school’s athletic programs. South Atlantic Bank’s Murrells by building affordable housing neighborhoods.

Inlet office is positioned near a popular rally location.

See Samaritans, page 42

30 Palmetto Banker

Personal Transactions Ameris Bank H. Richard Sturm, president of Columbia-based Ameris Bank, has joined the board of the Business Development Corp. Sturm has been president of Ameris Bank since 2006.

Prior to that, the University of South Carolina graduate was regional executive for SCBT in Hilton Head, director of commercial lending for Carolina First in Greenville and a commercial lender for C&S/Bank of America in Columbia, in a career dating back to 1988.

BDC is a non-bank commercial lending company specializing in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 7 (a) loan guaranty program and the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). Created by the South Carolina Legislature in 1958 to help foster economic development and job creation, the BDC’s board includes many of the state’s leading community and commercial bankers, as two-thirds of its board is elected by its 40 member banks.

Anderson Brothers Bank Johnson Atkinson has been hired by the Anderson Brothers Bank as an agriculture lending specialist. Atkinson will assist customers with agriculture financing along with various financial services offered by the bank, and will be involved in customer relations and agriculture market development. He will operate from the bank’s Highway 76 office in Marion. Atkinson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics, with a minor in Business from Clemson University. He has attended Southeastern Ag Lenders School and has an extensive background in the agriculture industry. Atkinson brings more than seven years’ experience selling crop insurance and financing agriculture loans to Anderson Brothers Bank. Most recently he was with Arbor One Farm Credit.

Bank, began his career in the financial services industry after leaving the U.S. Army, according to information released by Atlantic. He served in a number of executive management positions beginning in small community banks and continuing to national leadership roles within a multi-national bank holding company.

Blue Ridge Bank Carrie Casali has been promoted to vice president and branch manager of the Seneca office of Blue Ridge Bank.

She oversees all aspects of Human Resources, BSA and Deposit Compliance for the Walhalla-based institution.

Casali has been at Blue Ridge Bank since May 2001.

She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at Southern Wesleyan University.

Chris Ellenburg has been promoted to vice president of Blue Ridge Bank in Walhalla.

Ellenburg has been with Blue Ridge Bank since July 2004 and he oversees all aspects of information technology and marketing for the community bank.

Ellenburg earned an associate’s degree in Computer Science and Business Management, with an emphasis in banking. He is currently pursuing his CISSP certification.

CertusBANK, N.A. Amy G. Staggs of CertusBANK has graduated from the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.

CresCom Bank Nancy Bergin has joined CresCom Bank as a senior vice president and retail manger of the Charleston-based institution.

Previously, Bergin worked with Wachovia General Banking Group and Wells Fargo.

In her new position, she will oversee CresCom Bank’s 10-branch network.

Luther A. “Luke” Gasque has joined Anderson Brothers bank as a bank loan officer. Gasque will be based in the institution’s Mullins branch, on North Main Street.

Gasque specializes in the procurement and administration of personal and consumer loans for the Hemingway-based institution.

He also works with customers on many tradi- Jim Hutto has joined CresCom Bank as a vice president and tional loan products offered by the bank, incommercial loan officer. cluding real estate and commercial loans.

Hutto, who will be based out of the West Gasque earned degree in Business AdministraAshley branch in Charleston, previously tion from The Citadel. worked with BB&T, where he served as a vice president in its commercial banking sector.

Hutto earned a bachelor degree from the Atlantic Community Bank College of Charleston, where he majored in Robert K. “Bob” McKinney has been named president and business administration and minored in fichief executive officer of Bluffton-based Atlantic Community nance and accounting.

Bank and Atlantic Bancshares Inc. McKinney, most recently a market president with Ameris

32 Palmetto Banker

Personal Transactions Peter Insabella has been named vice president of CresCom Bank’s mortgage division. Insabella will help oversee residential mortgage loans for CresCom and will continue to operate out of the bank’s West Ashley location in Charleston.

Insabella joined the institution in 2010 and has served as a mortgage loan officer overseeing retail and residential mortgages.

Prior to joining CresCom, Isabella provided mortgage expertise for companies such as GMAC Mortgage and Advantage Home Mortgage.

Insabella earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of South Carolina.

Lisa James has joined CresCom Bank as senior vice president and operations manager. In her new position, James will provide management oversight and strategy for the operations areas of CresCom Bank.

Prior to joining CresCom Bank, James most recently served as senior vice president and chief operations officer at Coastal Carolina National Bank in Myrtle Beach.

She also has experience as the senior vice president and operations group leader at Coastal Federal Bank. James will be based out of the bank’s operations department, which is located at the West Ashley branch in Charleston.

Adam Paskanik has been promoted to vice president of the mortgage division of CresCom Bank. Paskanik will help oversee residential mortgages approved by the institution and will operate out of bank’s Myrtle Beach branch on 38th Avenue.

Paskanik joined CresCom Bank in 2005 when the bank acquired Burroughs and Chapin’s mortgage division. Paskanik graduated from Coastal Carolina University with a bachelor’s degree in business management.

office in Summerville.

Previously, she was a personal banker and store manager with Wells Fargo. She has a bachelor’s degree from Longwood University.

Brendan Chambers has joined First Citizens as executive vice president and commercial banking executive.

In his new role on the company’s executive leadership team, Chambers is responsible for developing consistent commercial sales routines and enhancing the commercial segment strategy for the bank.

This includes managing and directing the overall activities of associates across multiple areas who are focused on all aspects of commercial banking.

Prior to joining First Citizens, Chambers served as senior vice president for PNC Financial Services Group. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from St. Bonaventure University in New York.

Adam Kernen has joined First Citizens as a mortgage banker at the bank’s Daniel Island branch. Kernen had previously served as a mortgage originator for BB&T, a mortgage branch partner for Primary Residential Mortgage and a mortgage market leader for SCBT. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University.

Allison Trippe has been named vice president and retail sales manager for First Citizens. She is based at First Citizens’ Coleman Boulevard branch in Mt. Pleasant. Trippe joins First Citizens from First Federal Bank. Trippe earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Florida.

First Citizens has promoted Kelly Worth to retail sales manager at the bank’s Parkway branch in Greer. Prior to her promotion, Worth worked as a personal banker and as a relationship manager for First Citizens.

A Greer native, Worth earned a degree in marketing and management from the University of South Carolina.

Jerry Rexroad, chief executive officer of Carolina Financial Corp., the parent of CresCom Bank, has been Sandhills Bank named to the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Jennifer Ashburn has joined Sandhills Bank as vice president Development Corp.’s board of directors. and general counsel. Ashburn graduated from Rexroad is also senior executive vice presiBrooklyn Law School and worked with the law dent of CresCom Bank and chief executive firm of Kilpatrick Stockton before forming her officer and chairman of Crescent Mortgage own firm, the Ashburn Law Firm.

Company.

She was honored as the 2012 S.C. Young He becomes the 10th new board member to Lawyer of the Year Award by the South Carolijoin the Myrtle Beach board in 2013. na Bar Association.

Ashburn also serves on the board of directors First Citizens for Central S.C. Habitat for Humanity and is active in the United April Burgess has joined First Citizens as assistant vice president Way. and retail sales manager based in the bank’s North Main Street See Transactions, page 34

33 Palmetto Banker

Transactions

SCBT

Gretchen Floyd has joined Sandhills Bank as relations from the University of South Carolina with a cognate assistant vice president and branch operations in business administration. manager for the bank’s new office in Longs.

Floyd earned a bachelor’s degree from the Allan Risinger has joined SCBT, working in the bank’s Lexington University of North Carolina at Wilmington office as commercial lender and senior vice and has attended the South Carolina Bankers president.

School.

Risinger has more than 25 years of experience in the banking industry and is a graduate Sandhills Bank has named Kathy George assisof The Citadel where he earned a bachelor’s tant vice president and senior loan adminisdegree in business. trator.

Risinger is a native of Batesburg-Leesville, George brings 15 years of banking experiwhere he and his wife Kimberly currently reence in consumer loans and commercial credit side with their two children. loan operations to North Myrtle Beach-based Sandhills.

South Atlantic Bank Danny Siau and Yvette Morgan, both career bankers with more Kelly Randall has joined Sandhills Bank as cor- than 45 years of combined experience, will lead the South Atporate administrator. She brings more than 20 lantic Bank team in the Georgetown market. years of banking operations experience from Siau will serve as senior vice president and Georgetown city Upstate New York. She handles all aspects of executive and Morgan will serve as assistant vice president and human resources and payroll for in addition to loan specialist. assisting the president. Randall earned a bachelor’s degree from Columbia College (N.Y.) Kathy Bougher has joined South Atlantic Bank with a concentration in HR Management. as a teller at its Murrells Inlet office. Bougher has seven years of teller experience with Josh Wise has been appointed vice president Grand Strand-area community banks. She and relationship banker by North Myrtle attended Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C. A Beach-based Sandhills Bank. Wise is developnative of Annapolis, Md., Bougher has resided ing and cultivating business and personal in Pawleys Island for the past eight years. banking relationships for Sandhills. Wise has more than a decade’s worth of banking experi- Mandy Edge has been promoted by South Atlantic Bank to customer service representative at the instituence. He earned a bachelor’s degree from tion’s main office on 29th Avenue North and Winthrop with a concentration in finance.

Grissom Parkway.

She will be responsible for opening new accounts and assisting customers with their fiSCBT has promoted Angela Taylor Howell to nancial needs. vice president.

Edge joined South Atlantic Bank as a teller in Howell joined SCBT in 2007 as a banking January 2012. officer and was later promoted to assistant A native of Little River, she is a graduate of the University of vice president. Howell is a graduate of ClemSouth Carolina, where she earned a bachelor of music degree son University where she earned a bachelor’s with an emphasis in jazz studies. degree in marketing.

Donna S. Pullen has been promoted to senior vice president by South Carolina Bank and Trust. Pullen joined SCBT in 2001 as vice president and retail sales manager and, in 2005, was promoted to director of public relations and special projects. She also serves as the bank’s historian.

Pullen has 25 years of experience in marketing and public relations.

Pullen earned a bachelor’s degree in advertising and public

34 Palmetto Banker

Angela Shultz has joined South Atlantic Bank as a customer service representative at the bank’s Pawleys Island office.

Her responsibilities include opening new accounts and assisting customers with their financial needs.

Shultz is a graduate of Waccamaw High School in Pawleys Island and attended Coastal Carolina University.

See Transactions, page 35

Bank News school’s fundraising efforts earlier this year.

The gift will be used for an endowed scholarship fund to benefit students of the Orangeburg-based institution, according to the university.

“It is because of the enormous support from partners like First Citizens Bank that our capital campaign is successful and will allow us to continue a legacy of excellence at Claflin University,” said President Dr. Henry N. Tisdale. “We are fortunate to have the guidance and counsel of Mr. James Bennett in leading this historic campaign.”

Bennett, who is the chair of The Campaign for Claflin University and a member of the University’s Board of Trustees, and Sharon Bryant, regional executive vice president for First Citizens, presented the check to Tisdale.

Bennett, executive vice president of public affairs at First Citizens, acknowledged the remarkable success of the campaign thus far and pointed out how First Citizens’ gift will help many students receive access to higher education. He CertusBANK, N.A. CertusBANK, N.A., recently assumed the deposits of Park- also said that Claflin alumni, faculty, staff and students are leading the campaign – which is working toward raising nearway Bank of Lenoir, N.C., in a deal brokered by regulators.

As part of the deal, three former branches of Parkway Bank ly $100 million – toward completion. reopened as branches of CertusBANK. South Atlantic Bank The deal was closed by the Myrtle Beach-based South Atlantic Bank recently anNorth Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks, which nounced that it will open a loan production office at 1187 appointed the Federal Deposit North Fraser St. in Georgetown, with plans for a full-service branch later this year, pending Insurance Corp. as receiver. regulatory approval.

To protect the depositors, the FDIC entered into a purchase South Atlantic Bank has filed and assumption agreement with Easley-based CertusBANK to applications with the Federal assume Parkway’s deposits.

At the end of 2012, Parkway had nearly $110 million in to- Deposit Insurance Corp. and the South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions to open a full-service branch office tal assets and nearly $105 million in total deposits. In addition to assuming all of the deposits of the failed bank, Certus- and anticipates operations to begin within 90 days of the BANK agreed to purchase approximately $99.2 million of the date of regulatory approval.

The loan production office will be South Atlantic Bank’s secfailed bank's assets. ond location in Georgetown County and fourth overall. The First Citizens bank opened a full service branch at 10593 Ocean Highway in First Citizens bolstered Claflin University’s capital campaign Pawleys Island in June 2012. when it announced a contribution of $200,000 to the

BankGreenville

BankGreenville Financial, the parent of BankGreenville, announced in May it had agreed to be acquired by HomeTrust Bancshares of Asheville, N.C. BankGreenville, established in 2006, is a $111 million institution with a single branch. The deal represents HomeTrust’s first foray into South Carolina.

HomeTrust is a $1.6 billion bank company with 20 branches, all located in western North Carolina. Its history dates back more than a century.

HomeTrust will pay $7.8 million in cash for BankGreenville, according to information released by the companies.

The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2013.

HomeTrust raised more than $200 million last July through a public offering as it converted to a public company from a mutual thrift, according to the American Banker newspaper.

Transactions A resident of Murrells Inlet, she brings a strong retail back- TD Bank, N.A. ground to her new post at South Atlantic Bank.

Carol Yochem has joined TD Wealth as reShultz was a co-owner and operator of Wallpapers by gional wealth leader for the Metro Carolinas Lynne from 1993 to 2007, and served as a retail sales managregion. Yochem was executive vice presier for Lowcountry-based Harrington Altman Interiors from dent and the head of the wealth manage2007 to 2012. ment business line for First Citizen Bank & She most recently was a sales consultant at Primarily Pine Trust of Raleigh. in Pawleys Island.

She also spent nearly 20 years in executive Shultz will be at South Atlantic Bank’s Pawleys Island office, and senior executive positions with Sunlocated at 10593 Ocean Highway in Waverly Place.

Trust Bank in Tennessee.

35 Palmetto Banker

Welcome, New Associate Members McNair, McLemore, Middlebrooks & Co., LLC P.O. Box 1, 389 Mulberry St. Macon, Ga., 31202 478.746.6277 Contact: Marjorie H. Carter Phone: 478.743.6858 Email: mhuckabee@mmmcpa.com Website: http://www.mmmcpa.com McNair, McLemore, Middlebrooks & Co., LLC, through more than 60 years of practice, has built its reputation by providing a unique blend of comprehensive services with an emphasis on personal attention. We offer specialized expertise to clients across the Southeast in the areas of banking, healthcare, benefit plans, electric cooperatives, telecommunications, manufacturing, automobile dealerships, governmental and not-for-profit, retail, insurance and real estate development.

The Financial Institutions Group provides services to financial institutions and mortgage companies ranging in size from de novo to institutions with total assets exceeding $2 billion.

Our industry specialists spend a substantial portion of their time providing services and monitoring developments that affect financial institutions.

Sabal Financial Group, LP 4675 MacArthur Court, 15th Floor New Port Beach, Calif., 92660 949.255.2660 Contact: Jamey King 12 Oneal St., Suite 4 Greenville, S.C., 29601 864.241.1100 Email: Jamey.king@sabalfin.com Website: www.sabalfin.com Sabal Financial Group LP specializes in the acquisition and management of distressed real estate loans and assets, and in providing credit advisory services to the banking sector. Sabal is a nationwide diversified financial services firm specializing in the acquisition, valuation, management and servicing of CRE and ADC loans and mortgages. We provide credit advisory services, loan portfolio management and performance assessments for investment and commercial banks, including capital assessment based upon portfolio and ALLL analysis.

Sabal is a privately held company with nearly $6 billion under

management and is led by a senior management team with extensive banking and real estate expertise in government and private business sectors. Sabal is headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif., with offices in Pasadena, Calif., Atlanta, Greenville, New York City and London.

SourceLink 1224 Poinsett Highway Greenville, S.C., 29609 864.233.2519 Contact: Ian Franklin 5000 Thurmond Mall Columbia, S.C., 29201 803.758.2400 Email: ifranklin@sourcelink.com Website: www.sourcelink.com SourceLink is an industryleading multichannel marketing services firm and document and statement solutions provider.

SourceLink creates resultsdriven communication solutions using marketing analytics, data intelligence, technology and production expertise.

SourceLink provides direct marketing and transactional document production, redesign and eStatement solutions for financial institutions across the United States.

On the production side, SourceLink solutions reduce costs through more efficient operations and postal optimization.

SourceLink operates in six U.S. locations.

Southern Association for Financial Empowerment (SAFE) P.O. Box 97 Aynor, S.C., 29511 Contact: Sandra Page Southern Association for Financial Empowerment 803.727.2245 Email: sandrapage@southcoast.net Website: www.safecdfi.org The Southern Association for Financial Empowerment was established by the South Carolina Association of Community Development Corporations in response to the need for a statewide provider of flexible innovative capital for CDCs. We have made tremendous progress towards becoming a sustainable Community Development Financial Institution. SAFE, South Carolina’s only certified community development fiSee Associates, page 38

37 Palmetto Banker

Welcome, New Associate Members Associates nancial Institution with a statewide mission of providing financial assistance to small businesses to create and retain employment opportunities. SAFE’s primary focus is in rural areas for people whose median household income is below 80 percent of the statewide non-metropolitan median household income, or whose median household income is less than 125 percent of the poverty line for a family of four, or who come from a county that the unemployment rate is at least 80 percent of the national unemployment rate.

TCG Group, Merrill Lynch 1224 Sumter St. Columbia, S.C., 29201 Contact: W. Michael Phemister

Phone: 803.733.2179 Email: mike_phemister@ml.com Website: www.fa.ml.com/tcgandassociate TCG & Associates is a close-knit team that takes a familyoriented approach to client service. TCG & Associates has evolved the concept of “family office” to become a day-today “family financial center,” handling the full range of your financial needs discreetly and efficiently. One reason many affluent families and institutions may choose TCG & Associates is our care, concern and service. TCG & Associates is committed to offering dynamic wealth management – now and in the future.

Professional Development Calendar September 10, 2013 September 19, 2013

2013 SCBA Call Report Seminar 2013 SCBA Bank Security Management Seminar

Courtyard Columbia Downtown @ USC, Columbia Courtyard Columbia Downtown @ USC, Columbia

2013 SCBA Young Bankers Division Golf Tournament

The Members Club at Woodcreek, Elgin, S.C.

October 2-3, 2013

Solutions for the New Mortgage Rules

Columbia, S.C.

October 17, 2013

Get Smart About Credit Day

October 29, 2013

2013 SCBA Community Bankers Forum

Courtyard Columbia Downtown @ USC, Columbia

2013 SCBA Commercial Lending School

Courtyard Columbia Downtown @ USC, Columbia

September 23, 2013

December 3-5, 2013 November 2013

Nationwide

2013 SCBA Human Resource Conference

Columbia, S.C.

January 2014

2014 SCBA BSA & AML Conference

Columbia, S.C.

February 2014

2014 SCBA Bank Ops Conference

Columbia, S.C.

February 12, 2014

Banking Careers 101

Seawell’s, Columbia, S.C.

March 2014

2014 SCBA Credit Conference

Columbia, S.C.

March 2014

2014 SCBA Spring Peer Group Session

Columbia, S.C.

March 7-9, 2014 April 2014

38 Palmetto Banker

2014 Young Bankers Annual Conference 2014 SCBA Trust Conference

Pinehurst Resort, Pinehurst, N.C. Columbia, S.C.

Thank You From the South Carolina Bankers Association to Our Outgoing Board Members J. Glenn Anderson Spratt Savings & Loan Association Chester

J. Thomas “Tommy” Johnson Citizens Building and Loan Greer

David G. Barnett Pinnacle Bank of S.C. Greenville Laurence S. Bolchoz, Jr. Coastal Carolina National Bank Myrtle Beach

Teresa W. Knight The Palmetto Bank Greenville R. Montague Laffitte, III SCBT Columbia

Fleetwood Hassell The Bank of South Carolina Charleston

R. Scott Plyler South Atlantic Bank Myrtle Beach

William G. “Gary” Horn CBC National Bank Beaufort

Francis A. “Frank” Townsend Southern Bank & Trust, a division of Georgia Bank & Trust, Aiken

40 Palmetto Banker

Introducing

.

The Members of the South Carolina Bankers Association’s 2013-14 Board of Directors Chairman R. Arthur “Art” Seaver, Jr. Southern First Bank Greenville

Group V Director Rick Patterson Yadkin Bank Gaffney

Chairman-Elect H. Blake Gibbons, Jr. The Citizens Bank Olanta

Young Bankers Chairman Marvin E. Robinson, Jr. Wells Fargo Lexington

Group VI Director J. Barry Ham The Bank of Clarendon Manning

First Vice Chairman David M. Lominack TD Bank, N.A. Greenville

South Carolina Bankers School Chairman Kevin W. Lindler First Citizens Columbia

One Year, Members-at-Large Thomas “Tommy” Bouchette BNC Bank Myrtle Beach

Treasurer Curtis A. Tyner, Sr. Heritage Community Bank Hartsville Immediate-Past Chairman F. Richard “Rick” Redden, III Wells Fargo Charleston President & CEO SCBA Fred L. Green, III Columbia 2nd Immediate Past Chairman Sharon W. Bryant First Citizens Columbia Community Bankers Council James A. “Jim” Bennett Spratt Savings and Loan Chester

Group I Director David L. Morrow CresCom Bank Charleston Group II Director Jack Goettee SCBT Columbia Group III Director R. Thornwell Dunlap, III Countybank Greenwood Group IV Director Samuel L. “Sam” Erwin The Palmetto Bank Greenville

J. Ted Nissen First Community Bank Lexington Two Years, Members-at-Large J. Frank Bullard, III BB&T Charleston Walter Davis CertusBANK, N.A. Greenville Three Years, Members-at-Large Sara B. Fisher NBSC Columbia Chris Verenes Security Federal Bank Aiken

41 Palmetto Banker

Samaritans Each 30-minute segment of “Military Memoirs” features one veteran and will include his or her story through photographs, maps and archival film footage.

“Military Memoirs” airs daily on Educational Channel 12 (HTC Cable and Time-Warner Cable) at 10:30 a.m., 6:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., as well as twice daily on the HTC Public Affairs Channel.

The new season began in February.

Episodes include interviews with a World War II Navy veteran of the South Pacific, an Air Force missile launch officer from the Cold War, a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War and a Marine who served during World War II. “Military Memoirs” is produced by the Center for Military and Veterans Studies at Coastal Carolina University (CCU) and the CCU Department of Media Services.

A screenshot from “Military Memoirs,” a program sponsored by All interviews, as well as additional oral history interviews CresCom Bank that features interviews with local military veterans. collected by the Center for Military and Veterans Studies, are CresCom Bank has partnered with “Military Memoirs,” a preserved at the U.S. Library of Congress through a partnerLowcountry-produced television program that features inter- ship between the Center and the Library’s Veterans History views with local U.S. Armed Forces veterans.

Project.

This year CresCom will serve as a new sponsor for the proSouth Carolina has a long and rich military history, going gram. The sponsorship is the result of CresCom Bank’s contin- back to before the Revolutionary War. ued support of area veterans.

42 Palmetto Banker

South Carolina Bankers Association (2009 Park Street) Post Office Box 1483 Columbia, South Carolina, 29202-1483