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Summer Boyd, Customer Service Representative, First Port City Bank, Bainbridge, has been selected as the first-place recipient of the inaugural McNair Family Scholarship. Ms. Boyd is enrolled at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) in Bainbridge, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business management.

The McNair Family Scholarship recognizes and honors the achievements of Nicholas (Nick) R. Cimino. The scholarship is awarded once per year to an adult learner who is currently employed at a Georgia community bank and plans to work towards an associate, bachelor, or trade degree. An adult learner is someone two years removed from high school and working at least 25 hours per week at a Georgia community bank. The award is for $1,000.00 and is designed to offset student expenses (tuition, study materials, and expenses).

Nick Cimino was born in 1936 and lost his father at an early age. The youngest of two children, Nick was required to go to work after school to help support his mother and older sister- who were also working. When Nick graduated high school, funding for college was unavailable. A naturally talented artist, Nick took a job as a graphic designer and worked until he was drafted by the Army. After an honorable discharge (1961), Nick went back to work in graphic design. He later decided to use the G.I. bill to obtain further education and make a career change. In 1964, Nick enrolled in night school to pursue a college degree. The following year, he married the former Maryann Costaldo. Nick and Maryann started their family with the birth of Lisa (Cimino) McNair and two additional children followed. The endeavor to balance work, family, and school was a challenge but perseverance prevailed. After eight years of night school, Nick graduated in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing from LaSalle University (Philadelphia, PA).

Nick went on to have a successful career in sales and marketing with AMP Incorporated and retired in 2000 as a Global Account Director for the Consumer Appliance Division. Nick and Maryann are comfortably retired, have three adult children, and three beautiful granddaughters.

“All of the applicants exhibit the characteristics of hard work, dedication, and perseverance needed to complete their respective educational objectives while working,” said John McNair, President & CEO, Community Bankers Association of Georgia (CBA). “It is an honor for the McNair family to have the opportunity to help them all in their journey.”

The McNair Family is sponsoring the first-place $1,000 scholarship. CBA partner, College Ave Student Loans, learned of the scholarship and is awarding a $500 scholarship to the second-place winner and $250 for the two runner-up winners.

Founded in 1974, First Port City Bank is a $400 million community bank, offering a full line of financial services 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 recently voted “Best Bank”, “Best Financial Services”, “Best Customer Service”, “Best Mortgage Lender” and “Best Place To Work”. For more information, visit www.firstportcity.com. Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. Follow FPCB on Twitter @portcity_bank, Instagram #firstportcitybank, Facebook @firstportcity, LinkedIn @First Port City Bank CBA was founded in 1969 by a group of Georgia community bankers to protect the political interests of locally owned community banks. Representing approximately 145 community banks and 160 associate member companies, CBA offers services in three distinct areas: Legislative, Professional Development and Member Services. For more information about CBA, visit cbaofga.com.