News

We want to bring to your attention the alarming rise in checkwashing and check theft scams targeting paper checks sent through the mail. The United States Postal Inspection Service reports recovering more than $1 BILLION in fraudulent checks and money orders each year. If you've mailed a check that was paid, but the recipient never received it, criminals may have intercepted and stolen it. Here's how these scams typically work: fraudsters use chemicals to "wash" the checks,...

As part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring the security of your accounts, we want to remind you of certain practices we will never engage in to protect you from potential bank fraud. We will never: Request personal account information through social media platforms: We will never ask for sensitive information on social media. Please refrain from sharing personal details in such channels. Ask you to verify Zelle transactions: We will not request verification of Zelle...

(Eastman, GEORGIA)— Sheena Maddox has been promoted to Cochran Office Manager at Great Oaks Bank. Since joining the bank in 2020 as a Customer Service Representative, Sheena has been focused on delivering exceptional customer service in a positive team environment. She was born in Florida but has lived in Cochran her entire life. Sheena and her husband Chris are proud parents of Kryssi, Justin, Lexi & Bentley. In Eastman, Carla Alligood has been promoted to Vice President. Carla has...

Lower Interest Rates are Available! We understand that your financial goals are as unique as you are. That's why we're excited to introduce the Great Oaks ARM (Adjustable Rate Mortgage), designed to assist with higher mortgage interest rates. Why a Great Oaks Bank ARM could be right for you: Initial Savings: Enjoy a lower initial interest rate compared to fixed-rate mortgages Potential for Lower Payments: As interest rates fluctuate, an ARM allows you to benefit from potential...

(Eastman, GEORGIA)— Great Oaks Bank director Wade Hall has been named the 2023 Warnell Distinguished Alumnus by the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at The University of Georgia. Established in 1993, this award is presented to a graduate of the Warnell School in recognition of their contributions and commitment to the school, their profession, and their community. A 1991 Warnell graduate and a registered forester, Hall is president and CEO of Stuckey Timberland, Inc. in...

(SAVANNAH, GEORGIA)— Jessica Murrell has been promoted to Portfolio Manager at Great Oaks Bank. Since joining the bank in September 2020, Jessica has played a pivotal role in developing the credit team and streamlining the credit process. In her new capacity, she will assist with the management of the commercial loan portfolio in the Richmond Hill office. Jessica is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She lives in...

(RICHMOND HILL, GEORGIA)— Great Oaks Bank announced that Kimberly Boyce has joined the bank as Vice President, Treasury Services Manager. Kimberly brings over 20 years of experience in both retail banking and financial operations to her new role as Treasury Services Manager. She started her career in banking as a teller and has worked in various roles in both frontline and backroom operations. She received her Bachelor of Business Administration, Management Information Systems, from the...

(RICHMOND HILL, GEORGIA)— Great Oaks Bank announced that Charlie Lovering, Jr. has joined the bank as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Lovering brings over 30 years of experience in retail banking, financial, operations, and executive leadership to his new role as Chief Financial Officer. He will be responsible for financial and regulatory reporting, and financial risk management functions for the bank and its parent holding company. He received his Bachelor of Science in...

Bank volunteers teach financial lessons to children across the state of Georgia (SAVANNAH, GEORGIA)— Great Oaks Bank celebrated Teach Children to Save during the week of April 24-28 through local outreach to schools located near the bank’s six offices. Great Oaks bankers taught savings education in 9 schools across Georgia, reaching 670 elementary children. Students in Bleckley, Effingham, Bryan, Bulloch, and Chatham counties learned the difference between needs and wants, the...

Connect your Great Oaks Bank Debit Card to use this fast and contactless form of payment. IT’S EASY TO GET STARTED! Download the appropriate app. iPhones already have the Wallet app installed, and many Android® phones do as well. Load your Great Oaks Bank Debit Card. The app will walk you through the process and makes it easy by using the camera to capture your card info. Note: Many iPhone customers won’t have to do this step if they are using the card they have set up in their...

(Richmond Hill, GEORGIA)— Great Oaks Bank is hosting a Free Community Shred Day on Friday, April 21, 2023, from 9-11 am at its Richmond Hill office located at 42 Town Center Drive. As the number of identity theft incidents continues to rise, document security and information protection become a higher priority. One of the best ways to protect identity is to securely destroy sensitive documents like old tax returns, bank statements and canceled checks. “We are happy to help our...

(RICHMOND HILL, GEORGIA)— Great Oaks Bank received the 2022 Large Business of the Year Award at the Richmond Hill Bryan County Chamber’s annual awards reception held on Thursday, February 23, 2023. “We are beyond thrilled to be named the Large Business of the Year,” said Jon Seagraves, Chief Banking Officer. “Just over four years ago we opened our doors with the vision to provide authentic community banking to the greater Richmond Hill area. Through our team’s hard work and...