Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Garrett Donalson, a senior at Grace Christian Academy, in Bainbridge, Georgia, was recently selected as a recipient of a $1,000 scholarship for the Julian and Jan Hester Memorial Scholarship which is sponsored by the Community Bankers Association of Georgia (CBA), and funded by CBA and its membership.

CBA awarded four $1,000 scholarships to this year’s winning candidates for the Julian & Jan Hester Memorial Scholarship. Applications were submitted to the Association through a CBA member community bank. Mr. Donalson was sponsored by Scott Ewing, President and CEO, at First Port City Bank. An additional scholarship of $500 will be awarded by First Port City Bank bringing the total scholarship awarded to $1500.

The scholarship is named for the late Jan Hester, daughter of Lalia and the late Julian Hester, long-time CEO of the CBA. The scholarship program began in 1990 and is based on merit.  To compete, students must write a short essay on the characteristics of a community bank, and the continuing benefits they offer to their home communities. In addition to supporting community banking, this scholarship fund is an opportunity to pass on the positive qualities both Julian & Jan Hester exemplified to further the development of tomorrow’s generations.

“CBA is proud of these students and wish them well as they continue to further their education,” stated John McNair, President & CEO of CBA. “Each winner demonstrated outstanding scholastic achievement and community service. This was no easy task for the judges, who took their responsibility very seriously. The quality of applications was extraordinary with students who excelled in academics, athletics, community involvement and more – really an impressive group of high school seniors.”

“Thanks to the generosity of our bankers and associate members, the Education Foundation is fully funded which means the Scholarship Program is completely self-sufficient, giving support to generations of Georgia’s students in the future,” explained Mr. McNair.

The CBA also thanks the panel of judges which included Dr. Marguerite Brickman, University of Georgia, Athens; Trudy Eller, American Commerce Bank, Breman; Elyse Kellert, CBIZ Benefits & Insurance Services, Inc., Atlanta; Chantaria Mack, STS Group, Atlanta; and Kyle Ray, First Bank of Dalton

Mr. Donalson will graduate from Grace Christian Academy in May 2020. While at Grace he played soccer and ran cross country.  He is a member of the National Honor Society, the Grace Goes Green Club, Interact Club, and the yearbook staff. Mr. Donalson will be attending Mercer University in the Fall to major in biomedical engineering.  He was one of only 10 students accepted to a Special Consideration Program for medicine at Mercer.

Founded in 1974, First Port City Bank is approximately a $258 Million community bank offering a full line of financial services and solutions thru 5 full-service banking offices in Bainbridge and Donalsonville, Georgia, and Yulee and Fernandina Beach, Florida.  First Port City Bank is consistently ranked as one of the top community banks in the nation and continues to receive a “5-Star, Superior” financial rating from Bauer Financial, Inc., of Coral Gables, FL. First Port City Bank has been voted “Best Bank” in Decatur County for 8 Years. For more information, visit www.firstportcity.com or www.yoursbasource.com.. Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. Follow FPCB on Twitter @portcitybank, Instagram #firstportcitybank, Facebook @firstportcity, LinkedIn @First Port City Bank.