The Georgia Bankers Association (GBA), the Atlanta-based trade organization representing the state’s financial institutions, now has representation from the CSRA.
Leadership GBA Chair Robert Duvall has appointed Chris McLaughlin, the market president at Colony Bank in Evans, to serve as an At Large member of the Leadership GBA Board of Directors for a three-year term.
Together with its executive committee, the GBA is comprised of three main groups: GBA Services, Inc., a company that serves the association’s member banks; the Community Bankers Committee, which assesses training programs for, and reviews legislation related to, community banks in Georgia; and Leadership GBA, which provides leadership development training and facilitates networking and advocacy.
“Chris brings a well-rounded banking background, strong leadership skills and a deep commitment to community service,” said Duvall, who serves as vice president and branch manager at Bank of Madison. “He’s a great fit for the Leadership GBA Board, and we’re pleased to have him representing bankers from across the state in this important role.”
McLaughlin’s tenure in banking spans more than 25 years. The Georgia Southern alumnus started as a financial institution specialist at Steve H. Powell & Company in Statesboro. Before coming to Colony Bank he worked with South State in credit analysis, commercial lending, residential construction and development lending, ultimately serving there as senior vice president and commercial banking relationship manager.
A graduate of Georgia Southern University, McLaughlin earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance with a concentration in bank management. He is also a 2023 graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.
Alongside earning his bachelor’s in finance from Georgia Southern in 2000, and a degree from the Graduate School of Banking at LSU in 2023, McLaughlin also graduated from the 2010 Leadership Columbia County Class offered by the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, for which he has served as chairman. He’s also chaired the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Augusta.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
