Department of Banking and Finance bulletin, Dec. 31, 2003

. . . .BULLETIN. . . .BULLETIN. . . .BULLETIN. . . .BULLETIN. . . .
STATE OF GEORGIA
DEPARTMENT OF BANKING AND FINANCE
2990 Brandywine Road, Suite 200 Atlanta, Georgia 30341-5565
DAVID G. SORRELL, COMMISSIONER

Phone: (770) 986-1633

Fax: (770) 986-1655

Internet Address: http://www.gadbf.org
December 31, 2003 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 2003.
IN THIS ISSUE:
First Liberty Savings & Credit Union - Entity Unauthorized to Do Business in the State of Georgia Department Publishes Two New Brochures Related to Money Transmission 2004 Holiday Schedule

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APPLICATIONS FOR NEW FINANCIAL INSTITUTION

FINANCIAL INSTITUTION Mountain Valley Community Bank 136 North Main Street Cleveland, GA 30528 White County

CAPITALIZATION APPROVAL DATE

$ 7,000,000

12-15-2003

BEGIN BUSINESS DATE

New Horizons Bank 489 Highland Circle East Ellijay, GA 30539 Gilmer County

$ 7,000,000

Pending

Highland Commercial Bank 3411 Ernest Barrett Parkway, NW Marietta, GA 30064 Cobb County

$ 10,000,000

Pending

First Coweta Bank 61 Bullsboro Drive Newnan, GA 30263 Coweta County
PREVIOUS NAME First National Bank of Cherokee

$ 7,000,000

Pending

FINANCIAL INSTITUTION CONVERSIONS

CONVERTED TO First Cherokee State Bank Woodstock

APPROVAL DATE 11-24 -2003

Cherokee County

EFFECTIVE DATE 12-15-2003

Southbank, National Association

SouthBank Woodstock Cherokee County

12-24 -2003

APPLICATIONS TO ESTABLISH A BRANCH OFFICE

FINANCIAL INSTITUTION SunTrust Bank Atlanta

BRANCH OFFICE Manokeek Village Branch Office 405 Manning Road, East

APPROVAL DATE
11 -12-2002

Accokeek, MD 20607

Prince George's County

BEGIN BUSINESS DATE
12-15 -2003

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FINANCIAL INSTITUTION SunTrust Bank Atlanta
SunTrust Bank Atlanta
SunTrust Bank Atlanta
SunTrust Bank Atlanta
SunTrust Bank Atlanta
SunTrust Bank Atlanta
SunTrust Bank Atlanta

BRANCH OFFICE Mount Vernon Square Branch Office 7451 Mount Vernon Square Alexandria, VA 22306 Fairfax County
Vining Branch Office 4338 Paces Ferry Road Atlanta, GA 30339 Cobb County
Dominion Valley Branch Office Lightner Road & James Madison Highway Haymarket, VA 20169 Prince William County
Parkland Branch Office 5801 W. Hillsborough Boulevard Parkland, FL 33067 Broward County
Sam Ridley Parkway Branch Office 551 Sam Ridley Parkway West Smyrna, TN 37167 Rutherford County
South Riding Branch Office Loudoun County Parkway & U.S. Highway 50 South Riding, VA 20152 Loudoun County
Eagles Landing North Branch Office Eagles Landing Parkway & Country Club Drive Stockbridge, GA 30281 Henry County

APPROVAL DATE
12 -29-2003

BEGIN BUSINESS DATE

08 -12-2003

12-08 -2003

12 -29-2003

06 -16-2003

12-01 -2003

12 -04-2003

12 -29-2003

04 -17-2003

12-01 -2003

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FINANCIAL INSTITUTION Community Bank & Trust Cornelia
The Citizens Bank of Forsyth County Cumming
Crescent Bank and Trust Company Jasper
Northeast Georgia Bank Lavonia
New Southern Bank Macon
New Southern Bank Macon
Northwest Georgia Bank Ringgold

BRANCH OFFICE BancoLatino Branch Office 1216 Aviation Boulevard Suite 116 Gainesville, GA 30501 Hall County
Canton Branch Office 11950 Cumming Highway Canton, GA 30115 Cherokee County
Westside Cartersville Branch Office 420 Old Mill Road Cartersville, GA 30120 Bartow County
Commerce Branch Office 30990 Highway 441 South Commerce, GA 30529 Banks County
Monroe Street Branch Office 494 Monroe Street Macon, GA 31201 Bibb County
Mulberry Street Branch Office 502 Mulberry Street Macon, GA 31201 Bibb County
Fort Oglethorpe Branch Office 3610 Battlefield Parkway Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742-4045 Catoosa County

APPROVAL DATE
12 -09-2003

BEGIN BUSINESS DATE

12 -15-2003

12 -05-2003

04 -30-2003

12-10 -2003

12 -19-2003

12 -22-2003

05 -31-2002

12-15 -2003

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FINANCIAL INSTITUTION Central Bank of Georgia
Ellaville

APPLICATIONS TO CHANGE LOCATION

CHANGE LOCATION OF Butler Branch Office

APPROVAL DATE 12-31-2002

From: 108 South Broad Street Butler GA 31006

Taylor County To: Butler Branch Office

97 South Broad Street Butler GA 31006

Taylor County

EFFECTIVE DATE 08-25-2003

PROPOSED NAME Hamilton State Bank

APPLICATIONS FOR RESERVATION OF A NAME

COUNTY Jackson County

APPLICANT Mr. Robert A. Calvert, Jr. Principal & Owner

Calvert Consulting

2619 Pilgrim Rest Church Road

Alford, FL 32420

Local Bank of Middle Georgia

Houston County

Mr. Byron Richardson Bank Resources, Inc. 1000 Whitlock Avenue, Suite 320 Marietta, GA 30064

Seasons Bank

Union County

Mr. Joel B. Carter Attorney 191 Peachtree Street, NE, 7th Floor Atlanta, GA 30303-1736

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
Piedmont Bancshares, Inc. Atlanta, GA

Piedmont Bank of Georgia Atlanta, GA

Pending

Eagle National, Inc. Stockbridge, GA

Eagle National Bank Stockbridge, GA

Withdrawn 12-08-2003

ACQUISITIONS Synovus Financial Corp. Columbus, GA
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Peoples Bank Palm Harbor, FL

12-01-2003

CITY Macon Columbus Cedartown East Point Conyers Atlanta

CHECK CASHER LICENSES ISSUED

APPLICANT NAME Gateway Financial Associates, LLC Georgia E-Fast Tax Service, Inc.

TRADE NAME Gateway Financial & Tax Service Fort Valley Fast Tax

Hernandez, Martin Murray, Denise M. Oh, In Sook

Super Exito Video Y Tienda J & R Check Cashing Services Max General

Rajvi Corp.

Meow Meow Check Cashing

MONEY TRANSMITTER LICENSES ISSUED

MONEY TRANSMITTER
North American Money Transfer, Inc. Decatur, GA

APPROVAL DATE 12 -24 -2003

Moneyda, Inc. Houston, TX

12 -09 -2003

UNO Remittance, Inc. Miami, FL

12 -01 -2003

Remesas Quisqueyana, Inc. New York, NY

12 -03 -2003

NOTICES

FIRST LIBERTY SAVINGS & CREDIT UNION- ENTITY UNAUTHORIZED TO DO BUSINESS IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA
Be advised that FIRST LIBERTY SAVINGS & CREDIT UNION (First Liberty) which allegedly has an address of 1950 Spectrum Circle, Suite 400-3009, Marietta, Georgia 30067 is not a credit union authorized to do business in the State of Georgia. Effective January 5, 2004, a Cease and Desist Order was issued against this entity directing them to do the following:
l First Liberty shall immediately cease indicating in any internet website, marketing materials, signage, correspondence, or legal documentation that could reach Georgia consumers that it is a credit union, and that it is authorized to do business in Georgia.
l First Liberty shall cease using the name "Credit Union", "Bank", "Banking Company", "Banker", "Banking House" or any similar terminology in the above materials, in reference to activities conducted in the State of Georgia.
l First Liberty shall not conduct a banking business unless it demonstrates that it is authorized to conduct a banking business in accordance with the provisions of federal or state law. O.C.G.A. Section 7-1-241 specifies that only a state chartered bank, a national bank, a federally chartered thrift, credit union or other agency otherwise authorized by Georgia Law may do a banking business in this state.
l First Liberty shall not provide financial products or services to the citizens of this State by any delivery system, to include the
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Internet, or other electronic access to financial products or services or alternative methods of delivery which differ from geographically based banking without the authorization of the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, pursuant to O.C.G.A. Section 7-1-241(c).
l If First Liberty is a credit union chartered or licensed in a foreign country, this foreign corporation shall not transact a banking business or maintain an office in this State for carrying on such business or any part thereof without the authorization of this activity by the Department in accordance with Section 7 -1-713 of the Code of Georgia.
l Representatives of First Liberty shall respond to the Department by January 12, 2004, indicating the actions taken regarding compliance with the provisions of this Order. The Department may take further legal action through the State Attorney General as authorized by law.
l Pursuant to Section 7-1-1018 of the Georgia Residential Mortgage Act, the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance hereby orders First Liberty Savings & Credit Union to cease and desist from engaging in mortgage brokerage activities without a valid license or pursuant to an applicable exemption in violation of O.C.G.A. Section 7-1-1002.
If any Georgia citizen believes that this entity has violated any provisions of the Cease and Desist Order after the effective date of the Order (January 5, 2004) you are encouraged to contact the Department in writing at: 2990 Brandywine Road, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30341-5565. Please direct these inquiries and any other questions concerning these issues to Deputy Commissioner for Supervision Grace M. Lurry.
To read more and access the Cease and Desist Order, go to: http://www.gadbf.org/pdfdoc/FirstLibertyC&D.pdf.

DEPARTMENT PUBLISHES TWO NEW BROCHURES RELATED TO MONEY TRANSMISSION
During 2003, amendments to Georgia law and the Department's Rules and Regulations established licensing requirements for money transmitters. The Department has published two brochures related to this type of business - one directed at the money transmission industry and one directed at consumers.
See the Department's brochures described below for further details. Both are available for viewing or downloading from our website at: http://www.gadbf.org/consumer_dbf.html
Transmitting Money - What Consumers Need to Know - This brochure gives consumers a basic understanding of the Georgia laws that apply to money transmission and other important things they should know before sending money within the U.S. or abroad.
Requirements for Operating a Money Transfer Business in Georgia - This brochure provides the industry with an overview of the Georgia laws applying to their business and some key topics within the state and federal laws and regulations that apply to their business.

2004 HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
In accordance with O.C.G.A. 1-4-1, Governor Sonny Perdue proclaimed the following dates as public and legal holidays for the year 2004. 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.

2004
New Year's Day Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday Robert E. Lee's Birthday (Will be observed) Washington's Birthday (Will be observed)
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Thursday, January 1 Monday, January 19 Monday, January 19 Friday, November 26 Sunday, February 22 Thursday, December 23

Confederate Memorial Day Memorial Day Independence Day (Will be observed) Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans' Day Thanksgiving Day (Alternate observance of Lee's Birthday) Christmas Day (Will be observed) (Alternate observance of Washington's Birthday)

Monday, April 26 Monday, May 31 Sunday, July 4 Monday, July 5 Monday, September 6 Monday, October 11 Thursday, November 11 Thursday, November 25 Friday, November 26 Saturday, December 25 Friday, December 24 Thursday, December 23

EMERGENCY CLOSINGS
As the winter months approach, all financial institutions are reminded that current regulations 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.

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