What's Happening at Community Bank of Pickens County

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Community Bank of Pickens County Awarded Large Business of the Month by the Pickens Chamber of Commerce

In December 2011, the Pickens County Chamber of Commerce awarded Large Business of the Month to Community Bank of Pickens County . To be nominated a business must be a Chamber of Commerce member, then there were three points of criteria examined to determine which of the nominees is chosen including: how much the business had grown since their inception; how active was their staff or officers involved with the community in volunteer efforts; and how active was the staff in Chamber activities. CBOPC is proud to be the recipient of this fine award.

Local Charities Receive Donations

The staff of Community Bank of Pickens County, in an effort to show Hometown Commitment, have the option of wearing blue jeans on Fridays and when they do they donate an amount each time into a collected pool of donations that are then disbursed to local charities in need of support. The staff voted on which charities they would like the donations given to and for the third quarter of 2011 donations were collected to support CLCP for Literacy, Pickens County Library, and the FERST Foundation for Childhood Literacy. CLCP is an organization that works to help people pass their G.E.D. tests to obtain High School diplomas. The Pickens County Library serves all the citizens of Pickens County and beyond and the FERST Foundation provides a book a month to children from birth to 5years of age. All of these organizations work to develop a more literate Pickens County community.

Local Charities Receive Donations

The staff of Community Bank of Pickens County, in an effort to show Hometown Commitment, have the option of wearing blue jeans on Fridays and when they do they donate an amount each time into a collected pool of donations that are then disbursed to local charities in need of support. The staff voted on which charities they would like the donations given to and for the second quarter of 2011 donations were collected to support C.A.R.E.S., Pickens Animal Rescue and Good Samaritan Health & Wellness Center. CARES provides food and financial assistance on a temporary basis to those families in Pickens County that are in need and qualify for assistance. Pickens Animal Rescue provides shelter for abandoned animals and manages adoptions to good families, and Good Samaritan H & W provides medical services to those in need.

CARES - L to R: Michelle Logan of CBOPC with Larry Starr, Executive Director of CARES
P.A.R. - L to R: Rhonda D. of P.A.R. and Susan Wright of CBOPC	Good Sam - L to R: Michelle Logan of CBOPC and Carole Maddux of Good Sam

CBOPC Welcomes Regina Todd

Welcome Regina Todd to our team in Loan Processing. Regina was born and raised in Ellijay and graduated from Ellijay High School . She has attended several educational offerings in banking through the Community Bankers Association. She has worked in banking for over 20 years. John Trammell, President/CEO said, " Regina brings strong skills in many areas that will help us continue our focus on superior customer service."

When asked why she chose Community Bank of Pickens County , she stated, "Because I always want to work for a community bank and not one of the big box ones. CBOPC has a true community bank atmosphere that is committed to their hometown and I have friends here." Regina is married to her husband Dennis of nineteen years, and she has a son Brian, age 29 and a daughter Candice, age 30 with two grandchildren Addison, 31/2 and Olivia 9 weeks old. Regina also has 4 poodles and 1 Bull Mastif dog. In her free time Regina enjoys spending time with her family and the grandchildren and loves to cook.

Refer-a-Friend Photos
left to right: Joseph and Katherine Barbrey and Miles Carpenter

Community of Care Non Profits Receive Donations

The staff of Community Bank of Pickens County , in an effort to show Hometown Commitment, have the option of wearing blue jeans on Fridays and when they do they donate an amount each time into a collected pool of donations that are then disbursed to local charities in need of support. The staff voted on which charities they would like the donations given to and for the first quarter of 2011 donations were collected to support The Red Cross, North Georgia Pregnancy Center and Georgia Mountains Hospice. All three organizations offer care and help to those in need in Pickens County.

Shown L to R: Sara Dawkins of CBOPC and Andy Thompson of the Red Cross
Shown L to R: Melissa Jordan of CBOPC and Carol Hutchinson of North Georgia Pregnancy Center	Shown L to R: Brian Craig of CBOPC and Gina Pendley of Georgia Mountains Hospice

PHS Students on Career Day

Community Bank of Pickens County displayed for Career Day at Pickens High School on May 4. Michelle Logan and Lisa Owens from CBOPC greeted high school students Ethan Logan, Nathan Southern and Hannah Keeter. Career Day featured several opportunities for the high schoolers to understand what the job requirements were for a variety of professions.

Refer-A-Friend

Ms. Aimee Frusciente was the winner of Community Bank of Pickens County's Refer-A-Friend program when Rodney and Marla Renner referred her to start a banking relationship with Community Bank of Pickens County. Of the many participants in the program, Ms. Frusciente was drawn from those eligible and both Ms. Frusciente and the Renners received gas cards as the award. Shown L to R: JJ Roper of CBOPC and Aimee Frusciente.

Local Contractor Gives Back to Community

Rodney and Marla Renner of Renner Companies recently referred Ms. Aimee Frusciente to start a banking relationship with Community Bank of Pickens County. They were the winners of Community Bank of Pickens County's Refer-A-Friend program when their name was drawn from those eligible. When they came to the bank to receive their $200 gas card, they said they were appreciative but really wanted to donate it back to a person in need more than they were. These are tough times and we all need to help each other and their generosity will be passed along to a person in need in our community. Shown L to R: Geraldine Moody of CBOPC, Rodney Renner and Marla Renner of Renner Companies, a local building contractor.

Community Bank Supports MCTGA Green Print

Community Bank of Pickens County shows support of the Green Print process by making a donation to Mountain Conservation Trust which will help them to create a Green Print for Pickens County. A Green Print is a county wide initiative that identifies areas for natural protection and areas for passive recreation. The process includes community forums to outline the special places in the hearts of the citizens of Pickens County for preservation and also identifies recreational opportunities that better connect people to the land and waterways. By clearly identifying the what, in terms of activities the people want, and the where, in terms of where to enjoy them, the Green Print becomes an important quality of life component for Pickens County. Part of the process is outlining an action plan to bring the ideas to reality. By supporting this initiative, Community Bank of Pickens County hopefully encourages everyone in Pickens County to get involved to help the Green Print process happen in Pickens County . Shown L to R: Stacia Hancock of CBOPC and Liz Cole, Executive Director of MCTGA.

CBOPC Supports Mountain Conservation Trust of Georgia

Pictured L to R: Roger Schultz, MCTGA Chairman of the Board, Chris Beasley with CBOPC, Tom Kowalski, MCTGA Treasurer and Liz Cole, Executive Director of MCTGA.

Community Bank of Pickens County is showing support to the mission of MCTGA with a donation that helps the organization do important work in preserving the wonderful scenic area we all share in Pickens County . Through community support they continue to meet their mission, which is dedicated to the permanent conservation of the natural resources and scenic beauty of the mountains and foothills of North Georgia through land protection, collaborative partnerships and education. With the recent addition of Liz Cole as Executive Director, MCTGAs focus has expanded to include many community projects such as the Rotary Youth Park in Roper Park and a Green Print Process that is a community lead initiative that determines areas for future conservation and public recreational access.

Toys for Tots Award

Toys for Tots Awards CBOPC for Outstanding Sponsorship of the Toys for Tots Program. Shown are (L to R) Tom Connelly, Marine Corps League awarding Mark Mitton of CBOPC the award.

CBOPC Participates in Jasper Christmas Parade and Wins 2nd Place!

Coloring Contest
Recently CBOPC hosted a coloring contest at the West End and Roper Park Boys & Girls Club locations. Almost all of the children participated and below are the First Place Winners from each club. They were awarded boxed book sets for their prize.

Lauren Redman - 3rd grade Hill City Elementary	Andrew Macom - 4th grade Harmony Elementary
West End group Brian Craig reading to children	Roper Park group Tammy Greer reading to children

CBOPC Travelers Club Hosts Pumpkin Contest

The October Community Bank of Pickens County Travelers Club meeting included a Best Pumpkin contest. Staff members of CBOPC decorated pumpkins for the enjoyment of the Travelers Club members and asked the members to vote on Best Pumpkin. Beulah in the center was the winner and was provided by Megan Payne. The only rule was that they couldn't carve on the pumpkin. In addition to the pumpkin contest a delicious meal and lively Bingo games were enjoyed by all in attendance.

Donations for Blue Jean Fridays

Red Cross for September	Joy House for August
Boys & Girls Club for July	North Georgia Pregnancy Center

Community Bank of Pickens County Sponsors Visionary Gardens Fence

Shown is John Trammell CEO/President of Community Bank of Pickens County next to the fence that CBOPC sponsored for the Sharptop Visionary Gardens . The fence was a critical component for the gardens to be developed and Community Bank of Pickens County agreed to be the community sponsor that provided the funds to purchase the fence.

2010 Homecoming Parade & the Marble Festival Parade

Davis & Hollensbe receive Gas Cards as Winners of
Refer A Friend Contest

Marsha Hollensbe was the winner of Community Bank of Pickens County 's Refer-A-Friend program for referring a friend of hers, Nancy Davis to start a banking relationship with Community Bank of Pickens County . Of the many participants in the program, Ms. Hollensbe was drawn from those eligible and both Ms. Hollensbe and Ms. Davis received $200 gas cards as the award. Shown in photo L to R: Brian Craig of CBOPC, Nancy Davis, Marsha Hollensbe and Kim Southern of CBOPC.

Local Charities Receive Donations from Staff of Community Bank of Pickens County

The staff of Community Bank of Pickens County , in an effort to show Hometown Commitment, have the option of wearing blue jeans on Fridays and when they do they donate a small amount each time into a collected pool of donations that are then disbursed to local charities in need of support. The staff voted on which charities they would like the donations given to and shown below are the recipients thus far in 2010:

March Pickens Family Partners	April Hope House
May Timothy House	June Pickens County Foster Adoptive Parent Association

Community Bank Organizes a Truck Float in July 4 Parade

B. Scott Dobson joins Board of Directors for Community Bank of Pickens County

Community Bank of Pickens County is pleased to announce the addition of B. Scott Dobson to their Board of Directors. Mr. Dobson is a seasoned entrepreneur/executive with over 20 years experience in starting and managing a variety of businesses including: Computer systems, networking VAR, Internet service provider (ISP), and a real estate investment and finance company. He has also had first hand experience in Mergers and Acquisitions involving sales to both private and publicly held corporations.

Mr. Dobson has served on the Advisory Board for Community Bank of Pickens County for six years and has played an active role in the growth of the bank. He is also a shareholder and very committed to the success of CBOPC. John Trammell, President/CEO of CBOPC said, "The bank is very fortunate to have someone of Scott's caliber to want to serve as a Director. Scott has already had an impact on our bank through his service on our Advisory Board. He brings a unique blend of experiences to our boardroom that should serve us well. We are very pleased to have him ."

When asked why he would consider being a board member of Community Bank of Pickens County , Mr. Dobson stated, "I've always had an interest in banking, finance and economics. I studied all these areas in college and have been involved with various aspects throughout my professional life. For the past 10 years I have been heavily involved with real estate investments. As most people know, the real estate industry and the banking industry are very dependant upon one another. Experience in one area certainly helps with understanding of the other. Also for the past 6 years I've served on the bank's advisory board with other respected business leaders in the community. Being on the advisory board has been a great experience which I have enjoyed. So from a professional stand point serving on the board of directors is a natural continuation of my career and as a shareholder, it gives me the opportunity to be more active in guiding the success of my investment in the bank." When asked what he hopes to bring to the board position, Mr. Dobson responded, "My career experience has been in both the computer and software technology business as a business owner and manager and in real estate as a principal investor and lender. In my real estate business I have extensive experience with owning, managing and remarketing properties that have been through foreclosure or that are in distressed situations. I have worked first hand with many distressed borrowers and know the intricacies of that element of the industry. I believe my general business and specific real estate experience will be of benefit to the bank. I'm sure my familiarity with computer and software technology will also play a contributing role since banking is continually becoming more and more dependant on the use of technology and the internet." Currently Mr. Dobson is the President and Owner of Dobson Properties, Inc., a private real estate investment and finance company, dealing primarily with residential property. In addition to his business and real estate interests, Mr. Dobson enjoys Aviation, where he is an FAA Licensed Private Pilot for the past 16 years and is instrument rated and High performance and Multi Engine Certified.

Joy House Receives Pound Cake Donations

The Joy House hosted their annual fund raiser of selling bar-b-que lunches, including pound cake for dessert, in March. Community Bank of Pickens County rallied their staff and donated 24 pound cakes to the Joy House. Pictured are Kathy Westbrook and Michelle Logan of CBOPC, the Joy House youth, and all the wonderful pound cakes.

Troop 10602 Working on Money Patch

The Girl Scouts of America Daisys and Brownies Troop #10602 with Troop Leaders Shelly Vincent and Candice Johns, visited Community Bank of Pickens County and received a full tour of the bank. Shown in photo is Troop touring the Safety Deposit Room. The Troop was given an overview of what happens to their money and how they earn interest on deposits they put in their savings accounts. Troop 10602 visited CBOPC as part of the work they need to complete for a Money Patch for their vests. Courtney Phillips of CBOPC guided the tour.

Community Bank of Pickens County Welcomes Megan Payne

John Trammell, President and CEO of Community Bank of Pickens County , is pleased to announce the addition to their team of Megan Payne as a Teller at the Sammy McGhee location. Mr. Trammell stated, "We continue to add bright folks to our staff who focus on outstanding customer service. Megan will be a great addition to our team."

Megan was born and raised in Pickens County and graduated from Pickens High School . She attended Kennesaw State University for two years and is currently studying nursing at Chattahoochee Technical College . Megan chose Community Bank of Pickens County because she knew and liked many of the staff, so she felt right at home. In her free time she likes to spend time with family and shop with friends.

Mr. Casey Warnock of State Farm Insurance was the winner of Community Bank of Pickens County 's Refer-A-Friend program for referring a friend of his, Lance Cone, to start a banking relationship with Community Bank of Pickens County. Of the many participants in the program, Mr. Warnock was drawn from those eligible and both Mr. Warnock and Mr. Cone received gas cards as the award. Mr. Warnock is shown receiving a $200 gas card from Brian Craig of Community Bank of Pickens County. Mr. Cone is shown receiving the gas card from Debbie Dobbs of CBOPC.

Boys & Girls Club Receives Staff Donation

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Pickens County's funding has very much been affected by the downturn in the economy. As a result, Community Bank of Pickens County organized a staff program where the staff were able to wear blue jeans on Fridays for a small fee that would be donated to the Boys and Girls Clubs. The blue jean Fridays continued from mid November through December. In addition, the staff voted to donate the funds they would normally spend on gift exchanges within the bank staff to the Clubs. Pictured above are Chris Beasley and Courtney Phillips with Michelle Crawford (center) receiving the donation.