Financial institutions today, Feb. 2012

Inside this issue:

Action on

2

Applications for

the Month of

February

Customer Service 4 Stars for the
Month of
February

DBF Outreach

4

and Upcoming

Speaking

Engagements

Contact

5

Information

News and topics of interest to financial institutions regulated by the Department of Banking and Finance

Monthly Bulletin #2

February 2012

Financial Institution Emergency Contact Information
Given the severe weather incidents across much of our State recently, we would like to take this opportunity to remind Georgia state-chartered financial institutions to ensure that their emergency contact information on file with the Department is current and accurate.
Georgia state-chartered banks can update their information here: https://bkgfin.dbf.state.ga.us/BkEmergCont.html Georgia state-chartered credit unions can update their information here: https://bkgfin.dbf.state.ga.us/CUEmergCont.html
Institutions will need their FDIC Certificate # (banks) or NCUA Charter # (credit unions) and a password to access the system. Forgotten password requests can be sent via e-mail to either dbfcorp@dbf.state.ga.us or Director of Communications and Planning Carol Webb at webbc@dbf.state.ga.us.
Emergency Communications System (ECS)
Last September, the Department announced a new tool that will be utilized to communicate with Georgia state-chartered institutions during emergency situations. The ECS, provided and supported by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, enhances the Department's existing emergency contact information system, giving our agency the ability to quickly reach our institutions via various methods. ECS allows the Department to quickly establish a two-way communication channel, provide key updates, ascertain the operational status of an institution and provide ongoing updates during an emergency/disaster situation. The Department can authorize the ECS Support Center to send messages to institutions using mediums such as voice, text or email messages. The ECS can also poll institutions, track responses from institutions, and provide financial institution regulators with an update on the status of institutions throughout a crisis.
Testing of the ECS Twice a year, the Department will conduct a test of the ECS. As part of the test, messages are sent to both cell phones and work e-mail addresses stored in our database to ensure the accuracy of financial institution emergency contact information. Please ensure that your institution's spam filtering tool recognizes the ECS e-mail address (ecs.support@stls.frb.org) and the Department's e-mail addresses (@dbf.state.ga.us) as valid entries.

"Safeguarding Georgia's Financial Services"

Page 2

Action on Applications for the Month of February:
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 February 2012.

FINANCIAL INSTITUTION SunTrust Bank Atlanta
Fidelity Bank Norcross
Fidelity Bank Norcross

APPLICATIONS TO ESTABLISH A BRANCH OFFICE

BRANCH OFFICE Avondale Estates Branch Office 3604 Memorial Drive
Decatur, GA 30032 DeKalb County

APPROVAL 07-01-2011

BEGIN BUSINESS 02-06-2012

Alpharetta Branch Office 10905 Jones Bridge Road Alpharetta, GA 30022 Fulton County

07-11-2011

02-13-2012

Ponce de Leon Branch Office 494 Ponce de Leon Avenue Atlanta, GA 30308 Fulton County

02-29-2012

FINANCIAL INSTITUTION (SURVIVOR) Peoples State Bank & Trust Baxley, GA
Five Star Credit Union Dothan, AL
The Farmers Bank Forsyth, GA
The Farmers Bank Forsyth, GA
The Farmers Bank Forsyth, GA
Bank of Upson Thomaston, GA
Bank of Upson Thomaston, GA
Bank of Upson Thomaston, GA

FINANCIAL INSTITUTION MERGERS

MERGED INSTITUTION Citizens State Bank Kingsland, GA
Frederica Credit Union Brunswick, GA
The Bank of Perry Perry, GA
The Peoples Bank Covington, GA
Spivey State Bank Swainsboro, GA
Bank of Chickamauga Chickamauga, GA
The First National Bank of Polk County Cedartown, GA
Peachtree Bank Maplesville, AL

APPROVAL EFFECTIVE Pending 02-06-2012 02-29-2012 Pending Pending Pending Pending Pending Pending

APPLICATIONS TO BECOME A BANK HOLDING COMPANY AND/OR TO ACQUIRE VOTING STOCK OF A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION

FORMATIONS ONLY
BANK HOLDING COMPANY Sterne Agee Group, Inc. Birmingham, AL
First Volunteer Corporation Chattanooga, TN

TO ACQUIRE SUM Financial Corporation Pearson, GA
Gateway Bank & Trust Ringgold, GA

APPROVAL Pending
Pending

Page 3

CHECK SELLER NetSpend Corporation
Austin, TX

APPLICATIONS FOR NEW SALE OF CHECK LICENSE
APPROVAL 02-06-2012

CHECK CASHER LICENSES OR REGISTRATIONS ISSUED

CITY Valdosta Columbus Butler Decatur Marietta Powder Springs Sugar Hill Canton Atlanta Grovetown Atlanta Statesboro Jackson Fort Valley Pearson Columbus Chatsworth Lilburn Hinesville Atlanta Brunswick Valdosta Savannah Tifton Atlanta Patterson McRae Vienna Columbus Cairo Hinesville

APPLICANT NAME * Akshar Holding, Inc.
Buster Enterprises, Inc. Butler Foodmart, Inc. Candler Development Group, LLC Comfort Akaya Convenient Cash, Inc. * Dalomais, Inc. * Fina Corp. * Francis Williams-Bongay Grovetown Check Cashing, LLC Irene Bisong Irma P. Perkins * Jackson Food & Fuel, LLC * Ji Kyung Song * Kathiya and Patel, Inc. Las Americas, Inc. * Laxmi Vaibhav, LLC M&M Check Cashing, LLC Morning Calm Properties, Inc. Northwood C Store, Inc. * Om Shiv, Inc. * Pravin & Madhu Corporation * Rudra Investments, Inc. * SAANVI 2012, Inc. SAEE, Inc. * Shaishav, Inc. * Sham Corporation * Shree Amba Mataji, Inc. * Sidewinder, Inc. * Tienda Latina, Inc. Unlimited Taxes and More, Inc.

TRADE NAME Lowndes Food Mart EZ Rental and Check Cashing Butler Food Mart Candler Food Mart Commy Check Cashing Convenient Cash Sabor Latino Abarrotes San Rafael
Grovetown Check Cashing Global Check Cashing Friendly Income Tax Peachtree Amoco Family Food Mart Four C's Truck Stop San Luis Grocery ABC Convenience Store #2 M&M Check Cashing Ok Cha's Variety Store Quick Shop #2 Adams Market MK Food Mart #5 Discount Point BP Quick Change #82 A&E Check Cashing Neighborhood Grocery Quick Stop Store #1 Citgo Food Mart Wild Bill's Partyshop

* =Registered (O.C.G.A. 7-1-700 et al)

Page 4
CUSTOMER SERVICE STARS FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY
It is the Department's goal to provide excellent customer service by meeting and exceeding the expectations of our customers. Along those lines, we would like to recognize the following individuals and team for going above and beyond in serving our customers: NDFI Division Mortgage Staff The Department received comments from a customer stating: "I cannot let another month slip by without sharing my thoughts about Irene Harper, Helen O'Leary, Janet Anderson and Larry Shelley. Working with federal and state regulators all over the country gives me a very keen perspective on professionalism and efficiency. Every time I contact the DBF, I am overwhelmed with the responsiveness, professionalism and cooperative, positive attitudes from everyone at DBF, but in particular; Irene, Helen, Janet and Larry. It is my pleasure to be working with all of you. My dream in life is that y'all would teach the other government regulators that providing excellent customer service is like a smile; `it costs nothing but creates much'."
CONGRATULATIONS AND GREAT JOB TO THIS MONTH'S CUSTOMER SERVICE STARS!!
DBF Outreach AND UPCOMING SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Commissioner Braswell will be speaking at a Business Seminar at Morehouse College, Atlanta on March 22nd. He will also be part of a regulatory panel at the Southeast Georgia Community Bank Symposium, hosted by the Georgia Bankers Association along with Georgia Southern University Center for Excellence in Financial Services, at Forest Heights Country Club, Statesboro, on March 28th.

GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF BANKING AND FINANCE
2990 Brandywine Road Suite 200
Atlanta, Georgia 30341-5565
Phone: (770) 986-1633 Fax: (770) 986-1654 or 1655 Email: dbfpress@dbf.state.ga.us

Page 5
The Department is the state agency that regulates and examines banks, credit unions, and trust companies chartered by the State of Georgia. The Department also has regulatory and/or licensing authority over mortgage brokers/processors, lenders and loan originators, money service businesses, international banking organizations, and bank holding companies conducting business in Georgia.
Our Mission is to promote safe, sound, competitive financial services in Georgia through innovative, responsive regulation and supervision.
Our Vision is to be the best financial services industry regulator in the country Progressive. Proactive. Service-Oriented.

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Visit our website at: dbf.georgia.gov

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