. . . .BULLETIN. . . .BULLETIN. . . .BULLETIN. . . .BULLETIN. . . . STATE OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF BANKING AND FINANCE 2990 Brandywine Road, Suite 200 Atlanta, Georgia 30341-5565 DAVID G. SORRELL, ACTING COMMISSIONER Phone: (770) 986-1633 Fax: (770) 986-1655 Internet Address: http://www.gadbf.org/ December 31, 2002 The following is a summary of official action taken on applications by State Financial Institutions under Chapter 7-1 of the Code of Georgia and petitions for Certificate of Incorporation of Financial Institutions and other matters of interest during the month of December 2002. NOTICES: Compliance with USA Patriot Act of 2001 and the Requirements of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) 2003 Holiday Schedule APPLICATIONS FOR NEW FINANCIAL INSTITUTION FINANCIAL INSTITUTION Georgia Commerce Bank BEGIN BUSINESS CAPITALIZATION APPROVAL DATE DATE $ 10,000,000 12-09-2002 3625 Cumberland Boulevard Atlanta, GA 30339 Cobb County Mountain State Bank NW corner of 400 Center Drive & Dawson 400 Circle Dawsonville, GA 30534 Dawson County $ 8,750,000 12-09-2002 American Trust Bank 880 Holcomb Bridge Road, Building C Roswell, GA 30076 Fulton County $ 8,500,000 Pending APPLICATIONS FOR DISSOLUTION FINANCIAL INSTITUTION AmTrade International Bank of Georgia APPROVAL DATE Bank is in Receivership Atlanta, GA Click here for further information EFFECTIVE DATE APPLICATIONS TO ESTABLISH A BRANCH OFFICE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION Capitol City Bank & Trust Company BRANCH OFFICE Savannah Branch Office APPROVAL DATE 12-10-2002 BEGIN BUSINESS DATE Atlanta 339 Martin Luther King Boulevard Savannah, GA 31401 Chatham County SunTrust Bank Atlanta Eustis Village Branch Office 15375 US Highway 441 Eustis, FL 32726 Lake County Pending SunTrust Bank Atlanta FINANCIAL INSTITUTION SunTrust Bank Atlanta Dalton Whitfield Bank Dalton Mountain State Bank Dawsonville Horizon Bank Decatur First Georgia Community Bank Jackson Northeast Georgia Bank Lavonia Killian Hill Marketplace Publix In-Store Branch Office 4051 St. Mountain Highway South Lilburn, GA 30047 Gwinnett County BRANCH OFFICE Hillsborough Square Branch Office 6704 Memorial Highway Tampa, FL 33615 Hillsborough County 12-12-2002 APPROVAL DATE Pending BEGIN BUSINESS DATE Catoosa County Branch Office 35 Poplar Springs Road Ringgold, GA 30736 Catoosa County 12-03-2002 Cumming Branch Office SW Corner of Bethelview Road & Ga. 9 Cumming, GA 30040 Forsyth County 12-09-2002 Sugarloaf Parkway Branch Office 6340 Sugarloaf Parkway Duluth, GA 30097 Gwinnett County 12-23-2002 Locust Grove Ingles Branch Office 4920 Bill Gardner Parkway Locust Grove, GA 30248 Henry County 12-23-2002 Hartwell Wal-Mart Branch Office 1421 East Franklin Street Hartwell, GA 30643 Hart County 12-27-2002 Georgia State Bank Mableton Georgia State Bank Mableton Acworth Branch Office 3130 North Cobb Parkway Acworth, GA 30101 Cobb County Austell-Powder Springs Road Branch Office 5000 Austell-Powder Springs Road Austell, GA 30106 Cobb County FINANCIAL INSTITUTION Security Bank of Bibb County Macon BRANCH OFFICE Brunswick Branch Office 103 Scranton Connector Brunswick, GA 31525 Glynn County Southern Heritage Bank Oakwood Friendship Road Branch Office 4977 Friendship Road Suite 113 Buford, GA 30518 Hall County Farmers and Merchants Community Bank Senoia Newnan Branch Office 16 East Broad Street Newnan, GA 30263 Coweta County FLAG Bank Atlanta Norcross Branch Office (El Banco de Nuestra Comunidad) 5386 Jimmy Carter Boulevard Norcross, GA 30093 Gwinnett County The Peoples Bank Winder Chateau Elan Branch Office 2085 Highway 211, NW Braselton, GA 30517 Barrow County 03-12-2002 12-30-2002 08-02-2002 12-30-2002 APPROVAL DATE 12-02-2002 BEGIN BUSINESS DATE 05-30-2002 12-02-2002 07-02-2002 12-16-2002 12-05-2002 12-30-2002 12-27-2002 APPLICATIONS TO CHANGE LOCATION FINANCIAL INSTITUTION Bank of Ellaville Ellaville CHANGE LOCATION OF Butler Office (Central Bank, a division of Bank of Ellaville) APPROVAL EFFECTIVE DATE DATE 12-31-2002 From: 108 South Broad Street Butler GA 31006 Taylor County To: 97 South Broad Street Butler GA 31006 Taylor County FLAG Bank Vienna Main Office From: 100 Union Street Vienna GA 31092 Dooly County To: 3475 Piedmont Road, Suite 550 Atlanta GA 30305 Fulton County 12-05-2002 12-30-2002 FINANCIAL INSTITUTION MERGERS FINANCIAL INSTITUTION (SURVIVOR) Citizens Trust Bank Atlanta First-Citizens Bank and Trust Company of South Carolina Columbia, SC First-Citizens Bank and Trust Company of South Carolina Columbia, SC Main Street Bank Covington Dalton Whitfield Bank Dalton Western Union Bank Greenwood Village, CO First Bank of the South Lawrenceville MERGED INSTITUTION Citizens Federal Savings Bank Birmingham, AL APPROVAL EFFECTIVE DATE DATE Pending First Bank and Trust Carnesville Pending The Bank of Toccoa Toccoa Pending First National Bank of Johns Creek 12-09-2002 Suwanee 12-11-2002 Premier National Bank of Dalton Dalton Pending First Financial Bank Atlanta 12-27-2002 12-31-2002 Embry Bank Lawrenceville 11-13-2002 12-06-2002 APPLICATIONS TO BECOME A BANK HOLDING COMPANY AND/OR TO ACQUIRE VOTING STOCK OF A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION BANK HOLDING COMPANY TO ACQUIRE APPROVAL DATE FORMATIONS Buford Banking Group, Inc. Buford, GA Lanier Community Bank (in organization) Buford, GA Pending First Commerce Community Bankshares, Inc. First Commerce Community Bank (in organization) Douglasville, GA Douglasville, GA Pending Pinnacle S-Corp, Inc. Elberton, GA Pinnacle Bank Elberton, GA 12-05-2002 Neighbors Bancshares, Inc. Roswell, GA Neighbors Bank (in organization) Roswell, GA 12-16-2002 Community Bancshares of West Georgia, Inc. Villa Rica, GA Community Bank of West Georgia (in organization) Villa Rica, GA Pending ACQUISITIONS Synovus Financial Corp. Columbus, GA First Nation Bank Covington, GA CITY Moultrie Senoia Atlanta Coolidge Moultrie CHECK CASHER LICENSES ISSUED APPLICANT NAME Anand Investment, Inc. Crook's, Inc. Kim, Ye K Nikul Associates, Inc. Tommy's Package, Inc. TRADE NAME Quick Mart #30 Crook's Marketplace G&V Supermarket Coolidge Food Champ Tommy's Package, Inc. 12-16-2002 NOTICES Compliance with USA Patriot Act of 2001 and the Requirements of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) The Department has been reviewing financial institution policies, procedures and practices to make certain that adequate provisions have been made to comply with the USA Patriot Act and related OFAC provisions. It has been noted in a number of financial institutions that provisions in these areas are in need of improvement. A number of the concerns noted include the following: The lack of a designated compliance officer for OFAC/ Patriot Act Compliance. The lack of written policies and procedures in this area. The lack of adequate controls to identify, limit and/or prohibit the financial institution's involvement in transactions with "Specially Designated Nationals" (SDN's) including "Specially Designated Global Terrorists" ( SDGT's). Financial institutions have responsibilities for performing these reviews on current customers and when new accounts are being opened at their financial institution. Inadequate employee training regarding OFAC/ Patriot Act Requirements. A lack of an independent audit function for compliance with this program. Financial institutions should review their policies and procedures to make certain that they have established proper provisions to assure compliance with these provisions. The penalties for noncompliance are severe, therefore it is vital that adequate policies and procedures be established and followed. If there are any questions regarding these issues, please contact Deputy Commissioner for Supervision George A. Reynolds at (770) 986-1629. 2003 Holiday Schedule In accordance with O.C.G.A. 1-4-1, Governor Roy E. Barnes has proclaimed the following dates as public and legal holidays for the year 2003. Financial Institutions may observe both the official observance day as well as alternative observances indicated. In addition to these designated dates, financial institutions may close on Sunday and one discretionary day each week. If the discretionary day observed is changed permanently or temporarily, customer notice must be posted at least 30 days in advance. 2003 New Year's Day Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday (Will be observed) Robert E. Lee's Birthday (Will be observed) Washington's Birthday (Will be observed) Confederate Memorial Day (Will be observed) Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans' Day Thanksgiving Day (Alternate observance of Lee's Birthday) Christmas Day (Alternate observance of Washington's Birthday) Wednesday, January 1 Wednesday, January 15 Monday, January 20 Sunday, January 19 Friday, November 28 Saturday, February 22 Friday, December 26 Saturday, April 26 Monday, April 28 Monday, May 26 Friday, July 4 Monday, September 1 Monday, October 13 Tuesday, November 11 Thursday, November 27 Friday, November 28 Thursday, December 25 Friday, December 26 EMERGENCY CLOSINGS As the winter months approach, all financial institutions are reminded that current regulations (specifically Rule 80-5-2-.02) provide for management to exercise its own discretion, with notification to the Department, in closing any institution for one business day (renewal for successive days) upon its determination that the safety of customers, employees or assets would be in jeopardy due to civil disorder, fire, acts of God, or utility failure or similar circumstances which render the institution unable to conduct business in a safe and sound manner. Such closings should be communicated to the Department by telephone, mail or fax as soon as transmission is feasible. Back to top