For Immediate Release May 14, 2007 Contact: Dianne Martin Vice President/Director of Communications Tennessee Banks and Bankers Honored For Consumer Education Efforts Savannah Middle School Teacher Receives Award for Teachers NASHVILLE The Tennessee Bankers Association (TBA) Young Bankers Division recently honored outstanding banks and bankers for excellence in educating the public about personal finance, banking, and economics through the Personal Economics Program (PEP). A total of 65 awards and certificates were announced during a special ceremony at the TBA s 2007 Leadership Convention held April 22 24. Increasing financial literacy and fiscal responsibility is a mission that bankers take seriously. The Young Bankers Division has been involved in these efforts in Tennessee since 1962 when they first launched an aggressive campaign to assist teachers in broadening the public understanding of banking. From July 1, 2006, the beginning of the PEP year, through March 13, 2007, bankers in Tennessee reached almost 66,000 persons through presentations to students from kindergarten through college, civic and business organizations, seniors groups, and other consumers to help them understand personal money management, the wise use of credit, identity theft, predatory lending, and other such issues. The PEP awards are one way of bringing public recognition and awareness of the contributions these bankers make to their communities. OUTSTANDING PEP BANK AWARD The highest award, Tennessee s 2006 2007 Outstanding PEP Bank Award, was presented to Heritage Bank & Trust, Columbia. This recognition is awarded to a Tennessee bank or banker for superior educational contributions to the local community. In their application for the award, Heritage Bank noted that part of the bank s mission is to... serve the community with integrity while helping people reach their financial goals. Be
Tennessee Bankers Association 5/10/07 2 cause the community is below the national average for its size in individuals completing degrees beyond high school, the bank feels a responsibility to help educate children while they are still in the school system and train them early and often in proper money management. FINANCIAL LITERACY TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD The Financial Literacy Teacher of the Year Award, which was instituted in 2005, is presented to a Tennessee teacher, at any level, for outstanding contributions to economic education. This year s winner was Lisa Murphy who teaches at Hardin County Middle School in Savannah. She was nominated by Ashley Dennis at Hardin County Bank, who has worked with Murphy for the past three years teaching 7th and 8th graders about financial literacy. In her nomination letter, Dennis said that Ms. Murphy is greatly involved in mentoring or middle schoolers about income, budgets, and check writing and shows a personal commitment for their success in these areas. Murphy received free accommodations at the Leadership Convention hotel, a plaque, and $200 to use in her education efforts. TOP PEP BANKER / GRAND DIVISION AWARDS The Grand Division Awards are presented to the banker in each division of the state who makes the most presentations concerning financial literacy during the PEP year, which begins July 1 of each year. The 2006-2007 Grand Division Awards went to: Top PEP Banker for East Tennessee Diane Riggs, Community National Bank, Dayton, with 212 presentations and more than 4,100 contacts Top PEP Banker for Middle Tennessee Patty Pearson, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Murfreesboro, with 518 presentations and more than 11,500 contacts Top PEP Banker for West Tennessee Lisa Williams, BancorpSouth, Dresden, with 37 presentations and 906 contacts. SAVE DAY & CREDIT DAY AWARDS Teach Children to Save and Get Smart about Credit are two nationwide consumer education initiatives established by the American Bankers Association Education Foundation. Save Day focuses primarily on younger students, instilling in them the need and desire to save by helping
Tennessee Bankers Association 5/10/07 3 them differentiate between wants and needs. For Credit Day, bankers work with young people, particularly teenagers and college students, on the importance of managing credit wisely. The Teach Children to Save Award and Get Smart about Credit Award recognize the banks that made the most presentations in conjunction with each of these national financial literacy initiatives. The 2006 Teach Children to Save Award went to Peoples Bank, Waynesboro, while First Century Bank, Tazewell, received the 2006 Get Smart about Credit Award. GOLDEN PEP BANKER AWARD The TBA also presented the Golden PEP Banker Award to individual bankers who completed 75 or more presentations between July 1, 2006, and March 13, 2007. Four bankers received this distinction: Cindi Loso, First Community Bank of Bedford County, Shelbyville, 87 presentation Patty Pearson, Pinnacle National Bank, Murfreesboro, 518 presentations Diane Riggs, Community National Bank, Dayton, 212 presentation Wonda Turnbo, Wayne County Bank, Waynesboro, 146 presentations OTHER AWARDS LISTS FOLLOW Other awards presented at the TBA Leadership Convention were the Certificate of Achievement, Certificate of Outstanding Bank Participation, and Certificate of Recognition. To be eligible for the Certificate of Achievement, individuals had to complete 12 or more in-school bank activities before the March 20, 2006, deadline. The in-school bank program fosters the savings habit of children by offering a real-life savings program to students within the school environment. The Certificate of Outstanding Bank Participation was presented to each bank with two or more bankers who completed a combined total of 12 or more PEP presentations. The Certificate of Recognition was presented to bankers who completed 12 or more PEP presentations of any kind to any age group. Following is a complete list of individuals and banks, arranged alphabetically by city, that earned these awards Certificate of Achievement, Certificate of Outstanding Bank Participation, and Certificate of Recognition.
Tennessee Bankers Association 5/10/07 4 For the second straight year, the Plateau Group, Inc, Crossville, sponsored the awards ceremony at The Leadership Convention. The Personal Economics Program, established by the American Bankers Association in 1977, is a volunteer effort of bankers working with educators and other community groups to teach consumers of all ages about personal money management skills, banks, and banking services. The Tennessee Bankers Association s Young Bankers Division began administering PEP in Tennessee in 1980. For more information about PEP, contact Dianne Martin or Monique Jenkins in the TBA office. The Tennessee Bankers Association is a not-for-profit organization representing all of Tennessee s commercial banks and thrift institutions. The association provides continuing education, develops and monitors state and federal legislative agendas, disseminates information on all facets of the financial services industry, and promotes the public image of financial institutions. Photo Cutlines: Outstanding Bank Award (L-R) Kevin White accepted the Outstanding PEP Bank Award on behalf of Heritage Bank & Trust, Columbia, TN. He is with Thom Hagan of The Plateau Group, Inc, which sponsored the award ceremony. Teacher Award Left, Young Bankers Division Vice President Greg Crihfield, The Lauderdale County Bank, Ripley, TN, presided over the award ceremony. Center, Lisa Murphy, winner of the Financial Literacy Teacher of the Year Award, and Charlie Smith, right, The Plateau Group, Inc, which sponsored the award ceremony Grand Division Winners Top PEP Banker honors went to (L-R) East Tennessee - Diane Riggs, Community National Bank, Dayton, TN; Middle Tennessee Patty Pearson, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Murfreesboro, TN; and West Tennessee Lisa Williams, Bancorp- South, Dresden, TN. With them is Thom Hagan, The Plateau Group, Inc, which sponsored the award ceremony. Teach Children to Save Byron Davis accepted the award for Peoples Bank, Waynesboro, which reported the most presentations in conjunction with the 2006 National Teach Children to Save Day. With them is Charlie Smith, The Plateau Group, Inc, which sponsored the award ceremony. Get Smart about Credit Robert Barger accepted the award for First Century Bank, Tazewell, which reported the most presentations in conjunction with the 2006 National Get Smart about Credit Day. With them is Charlie Smith, The Plateau Group, Inc, which sponsored the award ceremony.
Tennessee Bankers Association 5/10/07 5 Certificate of Achievement (Awarded to bankers completing 12 or more activities associated with in-school banks) Banker Bank & City Number of Activities Kathryn Love...Citizens Bank, New Tazewell...254 Holly Haggard...Wayne County Bank, Waynesboro...96 Wonda Turnbo...Wayne County Bank, Waynesboro...96 Diane Riggs...Community National Bank, Dayton...93 Stacey Hardin...Wayne County Bank. Waynesboro...60 Elizabeth Teeftaller...Wayne County Bank, Waynesboro...60 Patsy Hill...Wayne County Bank, Waynesboro...47 Kay Martin...Wayne County Bank, Waynesboro...45 Angie Butler...Wayne County Bank. Waynesboro...38 Judy McAlpin...BancorpSouth, Dresden...37 Renee Davis...Wayne County Bank, Waynesboro...33 Cindy Roberson...Wayne County Bank, Waynesboro...31 Vicky Martin...Wayne County Bank, Waynesboro...30 Angie Holt...Wayne County Bank, Waynesboro...26 Pat Moon...BancorpSouth, Dresden...24 Shelia Grewing...Wilson Bank & Trust, Lebanon...22 Kim Brooks...Wilson Bank & Trust, Lebanon...21 Amanda McClain...Wilson Bank & Trust, Lebanon...21 Ashley Chadwell...Wilson Bank & Trust, Lebanon...18 Linda Turner...Wayne County Bank, Waynesboro...15 Gerri Tomerlin...Wilson Bank & Trust, Lebanon...14 Jim Bass...First State Bank, Chapel Hill...12 Stacey Bell...The First National Bank of La Follette, La Follette...12 Jenita Daughrity...First State Bank, Chapel Hill...12 Beverley Watson...Wilson Bank & Trust., Lebanon...12 Certificate of Outstanding Bank Participation (Awarded to banks with two or more bankers making a combined total of 12 or more presentations) Bank & City Bankers & Presentations Citizens National Bank, Athens... 2 bankers, 16 presentations First State Bank, Chapel Hill... 9 bankers, 30 presentations BancorpSouth, Dresden... 3 bankers, 41 presentations Mountain Valley Bank, Dunlap... 3 bankers, 12 presentations Citizens Bank, New Tazewell... 4 bankers, 39 presentations National Bank of Tennessee, Newport... 2 bankers, 12 presentations
Tennessee Bankers Association 5/10/07 6 Commercial Bank & Trust Co, Paris... 3 bankers, 13 presentations First National Bank of Pulaski, Pulaski... 8 bankers, 33 presentations The Hardin County Bank, Savannah... 2 bankers, 26 presentations First Century Bank, Tazewell... 7 bankers, 46 presentations Wayne County Bank, Waynesboro... 9 bankers, 292 presentations First State Bank, Union City... 9 bankers, 14 presentations Certificate of Recognition (Awarded to bankers who complete 12 or more presentations) Banker Bank & City Presentations Patty Pearson...Pinnacle National Bank, Murfreesboro...518 Diane Riggs...Community National Bank, Dayton...212 Wonda Turnbo...Wayne County Bank, Waynesboro...146 Cindi Loso...First Community Bank of Bedford County, Shelbyville...87 Kay Martin...Wayne County Bank, Waynesboro...39 Lisa Williams...BancorpSouth, Dresden...37 Stacey Bell...The First National Bank of La Follette, La Follette...36 Renee Davis...Wayne County Bank, Waynesboro...34 Alice McClanahan...INSOUTH Bank, Brownsville...31 Helen Maclin...First Citizens National Bank, Dyersburg...32 Ashley Dennis...The Hardin County Bank, Savannah...24 Kathryn Love...Citizens Bank, New Tazewell...24 Vicky Martin...Wayne County Bank, Waynesboro...22 Tracy W. Griggs...First National Bank of Pulaski, Pulaski...20 Angie Butler...Wayne County Bank, Waynesboro...18 Jeanine Denney...Heritage Bank & Trust, Columbia...17 Elizabeth Harmon...First Century Bank, Tazewell...16 Patsy Hill...Wayne County Bank, Waynesboro...16 # # #