. . . .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/ October 31, 2004 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 October 2004. IN THIS ISSUE: Phishing Leads to Identity Theft 2005 Holiday Schedule Notice of Plan Testing 1 APPLICATIONS FOR NEW FINANCIAL INSTITUTION FINANCIAL INSTITUTION Hometown Community Bank 6700 Highway 53 Braselton, GA 30517 Jackson County CAPITALIZATION APPROVAL DATE $ 7,500,000 Pending BEGIN BUSINESS DATE Georgia Trust Bank 2725 Mall of Georgia Boulevard Buford, GA 30519 Gwinnett County $ 10,000,000 Pending First Madison Bank & Trust 5536 Georgia Highway 72 Colbert, GA 30628 Madison County $ 6,000,000 Pending Peach State Bank & Trust 325 Washington Street Gainesville, GA 30501 Hall County $ 12,000,000 Pending Legacy State Bank 3825 Harrison Road Loganville, GA 30052 Gwinnett County $ 10,000,000 10-21-2004 State Bank and Trust Company 321 Fullington Avenue Pinehurst, GA 31070 Dooly County $ 7,000,000 10-07-2004 American Southern Bank 1450 Mansell Road Roswell, GA 30076 Fulton County $ 8,000,000 Pending Tifton Banking Company 729 West Second Street Tifton, GA 31974 Tift County $ 7,578,000 06-14-2004 10-12-2004 APPLICATIONS TO ESTABLISH A BRANCH OFFICE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION Dorsey State Bank Abbeville BRANCH OFFICE McDonough Branch Office Ga Highway 20 & Westridge Parkway McDonough, GA 30253 Henry County APPROVAL DATE Pending BEGIN BUSINESS DATE 2 FINANCIAL INSTITUTION SunTrust Bank Atlanta SunTrust Bank Atlanta SunTrust Bank Atlanta SunTrust Bank Atlanta SunTrust Bank Atlanta SunTrust Bank Atlanta SunTrust Bank Atlanta SunTrust Bank Atlanta SunTrust Bank Atlanta SunTrust Bank Atlanta 3 BRANCH OFFICE Windward/McGinnis Branch Office Windward Parkway & McGinnis Ferry Alpharetta, GA 30041 Forsyth County Oneco Wal-Mart Branch Office 2911 53rd Avenue East Bradenton, FL 34203 Manatee County U.S. 27 & 192 Wal-Mart Branch Office 600 U.S. Highway 27 Clermont, FL 34922 Lake County Cool Springs East Branch Office 731 Cool Springs Boulevard Franklin, TN 37064 Williamson County Colonial Boulevard Wal-Mart Office 4770 Colonial Boulevard Ft. Myers, FL 33912 Lee County Six Mile Cypress & U.S. 41 Wal-Mart Branch Office 14621 Six Mile Cypress Highway Ft. Myers, FL 33912 Lee County Heathrow/46 A Branch Office 1100 Town Park Avenue Lake Mary, FL 32746 Seminole County Merritt Island Wal-Mart Branch Office 1500 East Merritt Island Causeway Merritt Island, FL 32952 Brevard County North Ft. Myers Wal-Mart Branch Office 545 Pine Island Road North Ft. Myers, FL 33903 Lee County Watercolor Crossings Branch Office Walton County Road 395 & East Lake Drive Sea Grove Beach, FL 32459 Walton County APPROVAL DATE 08-20-2004 BEGIN BUSINESS DATE 10-25-2004 10-18-2004 10-18-2004 10-27-2004 10-29-2004 10-18-2004 10-18-2004 09-09-2004 10-12-2004 10-18-2004 10-27-2004 10-18-2004 Pending FINANCIAL INSTITUTION SunTrust Bank Atlanta SunTrust Bank Atlanta SunTrust Bank Atlanta SunTrust Bank Atlanta Seasons Bank Blairsville United Community Bank Blairsville Georgia Trust Bank Buford Freedom Bank of Georgia Commerce Gainesville Bank & Trust Gainesville BRANCH OFFICE South Sebastian-Indian River Branch Office 9601 U.S. Highway One Sebastian, FL 32958 Indian River County Southwood Branch Office Capital Circle, State Road 261 & Blairstone Tallahassee, FL 32311 Leon County The Villages of Sumter Branch Office 2365 Parr Drive The Villages, FL 32162 Sumter County Titusville Wal-Mart Branch Office 3175 Cheny Highway Titusville, FL 32780 Brevard County Blue Ridge Branch Office 2517 Appalachian Highway Blue Ridge, GA 30513 Fannin County Tyrone Branch Office Highway 74/Joel Cowan Parkway & High Gate Way Tyrone, GA 30290 Fayette County Kennesaw Branch Office 3401 George Busbee Parkway Kennesaw, GA 30144 Cobb County Jefferson Branch Office 1057 Winder Highway Jefferson, GA 30549 Jackson County Athens Branch Office 110 Trinity Place Athens, GA 30607 Clarke County 4 APPROVAL DATE 10-12-2004 BEGIN BUSINESS DATE Pending 06-21-2004 10-24-2004 10-18-2004 10-27-2004 Pending 10-07-2004 Pending Pending 08-16-2004 10-04-2004 FINANCIAL INSTITUTION The Heritage Bank Hinesville BRANCH OFFICE Abercorn Branch Office 14010 Abercorn Street Savannah, GA 31419 Chatham County Community Trust Bank Hiram East Paulding Branch Office 45 East Paulding Highway Dallas, GA 30157 Paulding County Georgia State Bank Mableton Atlanta Street Branch Office 31 Atlanta Street Marietta, GA 30660-1977 Cobb County State Bank and Trust Company Pinehurst Unadilla Branch Office 2206 Pine Street Unadilla, GA 31091 Dooly County Georgian Bank Powder Springs Northwinds Center Branch Office 400 Northwinds Center 11605 Haynes Bridge Road, 5th Floor Alpharetta, GA 30004 Fulton County Farmers and Merchants Community Bank Senoia White Oak Branch Office 1595 Highway 34 East Newnan, GA 30265 Coweta County Community Bank of the South Smyrna Johnson Ferry Road Branch Office 3140 Johnson Ferry Road Marietta, GA 30062 Cobb County APPROVAL DATE 10-27-2004 BEGIN BUSINESS DATE 05-07-2003 10-25-2004 02-06-2004 07-06-2004 10-07-2004 11-03-2003 01-15-2004 09-07-2004 10-04-2004 10-21-2004 FINANCIAL INSTITUTION SunTrust Bank Atlanta APPLICATIONS TO CHANGE LOCATION CHANGE LOCATION OF Lookout Mountain Branch Office From: 802 Scenic Highway Lookout Mountain TN 37350 Hamilton County To: 800 Scenic Highway Lookout Mountain TN 37350 Hamilton County APPROVAL DATE EFFECTIVE DATE 10-29-2004 5 FINANCIAL INSTITUTION Columbus Bank and Trust Company Columbus CHANGE LOCATION OF Main Street Village Branch Office From: 2500 Whittlesey Boulevard Columbus GA 31909 Muscogee County To: Columbus Park Crossing Branch Office 6401 Whittlesey Boulevard Columbus GA 31909 Muscogee County APPROVAL DATE EFFECTIVE DATE 01-16-2004 10-25-2004 PREVIOUS NAME Peoples Community Bank Colquitt NOTICE OF CHANGE IN NAME NEW NAME PCB, The Community Bank APPROVAL EFFECTIVE DATE DATE Pending PROPOSED NAME Georgia Heritage Bank APPLICATIONS FOR RESERVATION OF A NAME COUNTY Paulding County APPLICANT Kennerly Carroll, Esq. Miller & Martin, PLLC 1170 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 80 Atlanta, GA 30309 Providence Bank Cobb County Mr. Robert A. Calvert, Jr. Principal & Owner Calvert Consulting P. O. Box 8, 2619 Pilgrim Church Road Alford, FL 32420 FINANCIAL INSTITUTION (SURVIVOR) United Community Bank Blairsville FINANCIAL INSTITUTION MERGERS MERGED INSTITUTION Eagle National Bank Stockbridge APPROVAL EFFECTIVE DATE DATE 10-27-2004 United Community Bank Blairsville Liberty National Bank Conyers Pending Peoples Community Bank Colquitt Peoples Community Bank Columbia, AL Pending Peoples Community Bank Colquitt PCB, The Community Bank Malone, FL Pending Crescent Bank and Trust Company Jasper Futurus Bank, N. A. Alpharetta Pending WellStar Credit Union Marietta MedCom Federal Credit Union Decatur Pending Associated Credit Union Norcross American Heritage Credit Union Ellenwood 10-04-2004 6 FINANCIAL INSTITUTION (SURVIVOR) First Capital Bank Norcross MERGED INSTITUTION Chattahoochee National Bank Alpharetta APPROVAL DATE Pending EFFECTIVE DATE Capital City Bank Tallahassee, FL Farmers and Merchants Bank Dublin 10-15-2004 10-15-2004 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 Heritage Financial, Inc. Albany, GA HeritageBank of the South Albany, GA Pending Heritage Mutual Corporation Albany, GA Heritage Financial, Inc. Albany, GA Pending Enterprise Banking Company, Inc. Stockbridge, GA Dorsey State Bank Abbeville, GA Pending ACQUISITIONS United Community Banks, Inc. Blairsville, GA Liberty National Bank Conyers, GA 10-08-2004 Synovus Financial Corp. Columbus, GA Cohutta Banking Company of Tennessee (IO) Chattanooga, TN Pending GB&T Bancshares, Inc. Gainesville, GA First National Bank of Gwinnett Duluth, GA Pending CITY Dalton Tallapoosa Warner Robins Brunswick Forest Park Forest Park Atlanta Decatur Atlanta Chamblee Atlanta Dalton Winder Atlanta CHECK CASHER LICENSES ISSUED APPLICANT NAME * Arriola, Rafael * Bcom Rich, Inc. Bharat, Inc. Bluestein, Inc. Choice Financial Services, Inc. * H & Y Food Mart, Inc. * HMS Lee, Inc. Kim, Namwook * Lee Ahn, Inc. * Mukti Enterprises, Inc. * R & M Investments Group, Inc. * Ramirez, Victor * Sang Mu Enterprise, Inc. * Thakur Management Corp. TRADE NAME El Rey Del Bajio Young's Grocery Davis Food Mart Grog Shoppe / Sportsman Package Cash A Check H & Y Food Mart Gresham Package Store John's Check Cashing B & H Bottle Shop Chamblee Food Mart Quikserve Carniceria Loa #3 Bottle Shop Best for Less * = Registrant Exempt (O.C.G.A. 7-1-709) 7 NOTICES PHISHING LEADS TO IDENTITY THEFT Phishing (pronounced fishing) e-mail messages have targeted countless consumers this year, especially customers of larger, high profile banks. The volume of phish messages has increased tremendously this year. A typical phish message will attempt to steer a customer to another Internet site (or a pop-up site) that appears to be the site of the customer's institution. The customer will be encouraged in the original phish message to provide their personal financial and account information on the unauthorized website, thereby leading to identity theft. These unauthorized phish websites have become increasingly authentic looking and have even targeted credit reporting agencies and bank regulators. The phishers have been able to remain relatively anonymous so far due to the ability to spoof or fake e-mail messages. Various working groups are attempting to come up with authentication solutions to combat phishing. For now, financial institutions should caution their customers that their institution will not ask for personal customer information unsolicited, such as social security numbers in an e-mail message. Whenever the customer is unsure of an unsolicited email or other request, they should be encouraged to contact their institution first. In addition to phishing e-mails, customers have been victims of identity theft through telephone calls and regular mailings. For example, a recent scheme has been to send a survey form to an institution's customer, requesting personal information along with survey responses. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has issued broad phishing guidance in FIL 103-2004 at: http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2004/fil10304.html and the Federal Reserve Board has issued its guidance in SR 04-14 at: http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/SRLETTERS/2004/sr0414.htm Credit unions can obtain guidance in National Credit Union Administration Letter 04-CU-12, available at www.ncua.gov. Institutions and customers are also encouraged to review the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's Consumer Alert web page for comprehensive phishing information at: http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/alerts/index.html On the above site, a helpful informational brochure can be downloaded and provided to customers at: http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/fighttheft/index.html For additional resources on phishing and other scams, please visit our website at: http://www.gadbf.org/phishing_scams.htm 2005 HOLIDAY SCHEDULE In accordance with O.C.G.A. 1-4-1, Governor Sonny Perdue proclaimed the following dates as public and legal state holidays for the year 2005. 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. 8 For 2005, the Governor has proclaimed that the legal holiday for Washington's Birthday is Tuesday, February 22nd, to be observed on Tuesday, December 27th. Please note, however, that the federal holiday always falls on the third Monday in February, which is February 21st. This notice will serve to clarify that financial institutions may close in observance of Washington's Birthday on February 21st or February 22nd, or on both dates. This also holds true for the New Year's Day holiday, which is being observed on Monday January 3rd for the state and Friday December 31, 2004 for the federal government. Financial institutions should post a notification in offices being affected, indicating the days that the institution will be closed. 2004 Veterans' Day Thanksgiving Day (Alternate observance of Lee's Birthday) Christmas Day (Will be observed) (Alternate observance of Washington's Birthday) Thursday, November 11 Thursday, November 25 Friday, November 26 Saturday, December 25 Friday, December 24 Thursday, December 23 2005 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 Memorial Day Independence Day 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, January 3 Saturday, January 15 Monday, January 17 Monday, January 19 Friday, November 25 Tuesday, February 22 Tuesday, December 27 Monday, April 25 Monday, May 30 Monday, July 4 Monday, September 5 Monday, October 10 Friday, November 11 Thursday, November 24 Friday, November 25 Sunday, December 25 Monday, December 26 Tuesday, December 27 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. 9 NOTICE OF PLAN TESTING The Department of Banking and Finance will be performing testing of our Business Resumption and Disaster Recovery Plan on November 17, 2004. Part of the testing will involve sending an emergency alert, via e-mail, to our institutions. If you have signed up to received bulletins and other important announcements from the Department via e-mail, you may receive a test e-mail on November 17th. It will come from the dbfcorp@dbf.state.ga.us mailbox, identified as a test. If you receive an e-mail on that date from the dbfcorp mailbox, please do not reply to the e-mail. Back to Top 10