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Making Impact on Your Visitors is High Priority For a decade now, marketers have been focusing more on the visitor experience and user engagement. Yet the first part of experience and engagement is the impact your content and brand makes on visitors.  You may have some great product shots, a nice-looking webpage, and a couple…

Regions Bank on Wednesday announced Bill Linginfelter – the company’s Atlanta market executive and Commercial Banking regional executive for Georgia and the Carolinas – will retire at the end of the year following 16 years of service to Regions and more than 46 years in banking. 

Veteran Atlanta banker Mary Beth Coke, who joined Regions last year and works hand-in-hand with Linginfelter in serving business clients, will succeed Linginfelter as Atlanta market executive and Commercial Banking regional executive. 

“Thanks largely to Bill Linginfelter, Regions Bank is known as a super-regional bank that offers the products and services of a money center bank with the care and customized attention that only a local banker provides,” said John Turner, Chairman, President and CEO of Regions Financial Corp. “Bill leads by helping associates discover their talents and empowering them to flourish in ways that benefit the bank, its customers, and the communities we serve. It takes an exceptional leader to build on the legacy of someone like Bill, and we are proud that such a leader – Mary Beth Coke – is already part of the Regions family and surrounded by Regions’ strong Atlanta leadership team.” 

Turner added, “Mary Beth is actively building on Bill’s legacy by deepening relationships with clients and fostering continued teamwork among our Atlanta bankers as we help people and businesses achieve financial success. She is passionate about service, innovation, and data-driven decision making. And that’s how we’ll continue to win in Atlanta and beyond.”

Linginfelter joined Regions in 2008 after spending the first three decades of his career in leadership roles for other financial institutions. Linginfelter began his banking career in 1978 in a training program for Fulton National Bank, a predecessor for Bank of America. He later held the role of Georgia CEO for SouthTrust Bank and Wachovia Bank, before helping establish Atlanta as a key growth market for Regions. 

Coke joined Regions in 2023 following 20 years of Commercial Banking and leadership roles at Truist and SunTrust. Linginfelter and Coke will work hand-in-hand through the end of the year to establish a seamless transition. Together, they will meet with clients, community organizations, and others to reaffirm Regions’ commitment to not only custom-tailored financial services but also strategic community engagement that enables Regions to make a meaningful difference throughout North Georgia. That strategy involves advancing economic and community development, supporting education and workforce readiness, and increasing financial wellness. 

Coke will maintain her role as board chair for the Georgia Council on Economic Education (GCEE), whose mission is to equip Georgia’s K-12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics so they can make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities. Additionally, she and Linginfelter will coordinate with additional members of Regions’ Atlanta leadership team and leading business groups in the area to establish seamless board representation, maintaining the bank’s strategic and consistent civic involvement. 

“Our focus at Regions is to remove barriers to success – and to help more people succeed and thrive,” Coke said. “We do that by devoting more of our time, talents, and financial resources toward causes that empower more people, elevate our neighborhoods, and result in a stronger community for everyone.  

“Banking at its core is about getting to know people, understanding the needs of businesses, and leveraging your experience and insights to connect them with solutions that are designed to help them succeed,” Coke added. “I look forward to guiding our teams as we work to make sure more people and businesses know Regions is a trusted source for helping them build successful outcomes. We’re not here to say, ‘No,’ or, ‘We can’t.’ We’re here to say, ‘How can we help you?’”

Regions’ Atlanta leadership team also includes Mia Hubbard, Consumer Banking executive for Georgia and the Carolinas, and Ty Smith, Private Wealth Management regional executive, who guides teams delivering in-depth investment services. Together, Coke, Hubbard, Smith, and additional Regions leaders will focus their teams on successfully implementingRegions360. Regions360 is the bank’s way of bringing together Regions colleagues in Consumer Banking, Commercial Banking, Mortgage Banking, Wealth Management, and other functions to deliver holistic financial solutions for Atlanta-area clients as “One Team, One Regions.” 

It’s a service commitment that Linginfelter is proud to have supported – and one he is confident will remain strong. 

“Putting people first should always remain at the top of the list,” Linginfelter said. “You get the job done by having the right people in place. You keep the right people in place by taking good care of them. You take good care of your people by paying attention to their needs, and finding solutions for those needs. And they turn around and do the same for clients and the community. I’m truly grateful for the experiences I’ve had throughout my career. And I know Mary Beth and our entire Atlanta leadership team will continue to lean into the tailored service and customized solutions that define Regions’ approach to banking.”

Three new Georgia charter schools are set to open in fall 2025 and 2026 after gaining approval from the State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia (SCSC). On Wednesday, Aug. 28, the SCSC approved Dominion Purpose Academy, a start-up charter school planning to locate in Columbus, Georgia. The SCSC also authorized petitions for Fayette Classical Academy and Cherokee Classical Academy, both of which are replications of Atlanta Classical Academy and plan to open in Fayette and Cherokee counties.

All three schools participated in the Georgia Charter Schools Association’s Charter Incubator program, a competitive training process designed to attract and prepare top talent for establishing or replicating public charter schools in Georgia. Fayette Classical Academy and Cherokee Classical Academy were part of GCSA’s Replication and Expansion Cohort in partnership with the State Charter Schools Foundation of Georgia. 

“We’re excited that these approvals will expand charter school access to more communities across our state,” said Dr. Bonnie Holliday, President and CEO of the Georgia Charter Schools Association. “The opening of these public charter schools in Muscogee, Fayette, and Cherokee counties will help meet the growing demand and offer essential educational options to thousands of students.”

“The SCSC’s approval of each new school marks a monumental achievement for education in our state, as we celebrate the authorization of schools supported through the GCSA Incubator. The journey of each school is a testament to the power of collaboration, vision, and dedication,” said Christa Thomas, GCSA’s Vice President of New School Development. “We are honored to have partnered with visionary leaders, passionate community advocates, and dedicated governing board members who have all been unwavering in bringing educational options to their communities. Each school stands as a beacon of opportunity, ready to deliver high-quality education to families who have long sought these choices. This is more than just the opening of new schools; it’s the fulfillment of a collective dream to enrich our communities and empower our students.”

Dominion Purpose Academy, Cherokee Classical Academy, and Fayette Classical Academy received state approval after completing the GCSA Charter Incubator program. This program supports start-up schools through the charter petition process and provides coaching and professional development during their initial two years. The Incubator also provides existing charter schools and charter networks with the training, resources, and support to scale proven models of success to serve additional locations or students.

“The approval of Dominion Purpose Academy by the SCSC is a historic vote for the families in Columbus, Georgia. As the first start-up charter school in the area, Dominion Purpose Academy will provide another schooling option for families, allowing students to become more confident thinkers who make a direct impact on their communities,” said Dr. LaTasha Adams, Executive Director and Founder of Dominion Purpose Academy. “We sincerely appreciate the SCSC for their generous support and the GCSA Incubator for its essential guidance in shaping our school design process.”

“We are grateful to the State Charter School Commission for allowing us to share their mission of providing high-quality public education through charter schools,” said Dr. Matt Stone, Liberty’s Director of New Schools. “Our outreach has shown how much the classical education model is in demand, and we’re thrilled to serve in these communities. The GCSA Incubator Program has been instrumental in helping us strengthen our model and prepare for replication, offering unwavering support that has significantly contributed to our organization’s growth.”

Dominion Purpose Academy
Dominion Purpose Academy is the first charter school in Columbus, Georgia, that was designed with community support to serve families in Muscogee County. The tuition-free public school will serve students in grades 4-8 and seeks to open in Fall 2025 with grades 6 and 7. The school’s mission is to cultivate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of confident thinkers who learn on purpose through relationships, rigor, and relevance. Design Thinking and Servant Leadership undergird everything at Dominion Purpose Academy as the school strives to ensure educational excellence and equity for all students.

Cherokee Classical Academy and Fayette Classical Academy
The mission of Liberty’s schools is to form knowledgeable, virtuous citizens. Fayette Classical Academy and Cherokee Classical Academy will be replicated after Liberty’s flagship campus, Atlanta Classical Academy. The schools will be non-selective, tuition-free and will offer a rigorous, classical curriculum with a focus on civic virtue. The content-rich, liberal arts curriculum includes literature, history, mathematics, sciences, Latin, the arts, character education, and ultimately a host of sports, fine arts, and extracurricular activities.

Each school will begin with students in grades K-6 and add a grade per year until reaching their full K-12 configuration. Fayette Classical Academy is approved to open in August 2025 and will serve residents of Fayette, Coweta, Spalding, Clayton, Fulton, and Henry Counties, and the City of Atlanta. Cherokee Classical Academy is approved to open in August 2026 and serve residents of Cherokee, Cobb, Paulding, Pickens, Bartow, Fulton Counties, and the cities of Marietta, Atlanta, and Cartersville.

Eleven (11) Atlanta Public Schools scholars have been named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists.

Today officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®) announced the names of more than 16,000 Semifinalists in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered next spring. 

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition.

About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title. The APS Semifinalists are 

Maynard Jackson High School

Lewis A. Poma
James A. Zimmerman 

Midtown High School

Henry L. Carter
Lila E. Duke
Charles H. Heydt
Charlotte F. Keenan
Ellalaine D. Sagarin
William P. Thomas

North Atlanta High School

Lela M. Ganske
Joseph C. Nieves
Alfred Ponder 

More information about the National Merit Scholarship Program

NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 280 business organizations, higher education institutions, and individual donors that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.

Steps in the 2025 Competition

Over 1.3 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools entered the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors. 

To become a Finalist, the Semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the Semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT® or ACT® scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.

From over 16,000 Semifinalists, more than 15,000 are expected to advance to the Finalist level, and in February 2025 they will be notified of this designation. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of Finalists. Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.

National Merit Scholarships

Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be offered in the spring of 2025. Every Finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit® $2500 Scholarships that will be awarded on a state-representational basis. About 770 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards will be provided by approximately 130 corporations and business organizations for Finalists who meet their specified criteria, such as children of the grantor’s employees or residents of communities where sponsor plants or offices are located. In addition, about 150 colleges and universities are expected to finance some 3,600 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for Finalists who will attend the sponsor institution.

National Merit Scholarship winners of 2025 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July. These scholarship recipients will join more than 382,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title.

The Conference Board Employment Trends Index™ (ETI) increased in August to 109.04 amid a downtrend in the index, and following July’s downwardly revised 108.71. The Employment Trends Index is a leading composite index for payroll employment. When the Index increases, employment is likely to grow as well, and vice versa. Turning points in the Index indicate that a change in the trend of job gains or losses is about to occur in the coming months.

“The ETI rose in August, recording just its second monthly gain of 2024,” said Mitchell Barnes, Economist at The Conference Board. “In the context of labor market data that is broadly softening, the improvement in the ETI is a positive indication that the pace of labor market slowdown remains sustainable ahead of September’s Fed meeting, where we expect the interest rate cutting cycle to begin. Though some ETI components have weakened, August’s gains puts the index back above the level it averaged in 2019—which at the time was considered a historically hot labor market.”

Barnes added: “August’s bounce in ETI coincided with last week’s positive Employment Situation Report for August, which showed payrolls expanding at a healthy pace, unemployment ticking back down, and no signs are emerging that could accelerate the gradual slowing into deterioration.” Supporting that story, initial claims for unemployment insurance (an ETI component) have fallen marginally in recent weeks and are not signaling sizable layoffs. Employment in temporary help services (an ETI component) was flat. Neither average weekly hours nor the share of involuntary part-time workers (another ETI component) collapsed. Meanwhile, metrics of household spending and production have remained strong.

That said, the overall steady decline of the ETI since peaking in 2022 is consistent with a collection of measures that point to increasing challenges for jobseekers not already employed. The share of respondents who report ‘jobs are hard to get’—an ETI component from the Consumer Confidence Survey®—rose to 16.4% in August 2024, up from 11% to start the year. But again, this roughly aligns to the 2017-2019 pre-pandemic average. The downward trend, though is consistent with the Federal Reserve Beige Book released last week, which highlighted anecdotal evidence that some firms had shifted hiring ‘to be primarily for replacement, rather than growth’ even as ‘layoffs remained rare.’

Labor shortages seem to be reemerging as a challenge, which we also see as a longer-term issue due to an aging workforce and specific talent shortfalls. The share of small firms that report jobs are ‘not able to be filled right now’ (an ETI component) rose to 40% in August and has fluctuated between 37-42% in 2024. Though this share of firms facing hiring difficulties has fallen from levels immediately following the pandemic, we expect it to remain at a more elevated level going forward, driven by long-run demographic and talent challenges.

August’s increase in the Employment Trends Index was driven by positive contributions from four of its eight components: Real Manufacturing and Trade Sales, Job Openings, Initial Claims for Unemployment Insurance, and Industrial Production.

The Employment Trends Index aggregates eight leading indicators of employment, each of which has proven accurate in its own area. Aggregating individual indicators into a composite index filters out “noise” to show underlying trends more clearly.

The eight leading indicators of employment aggregated into the Employment Trends Index include:

• Percentage of Respondents Who Say They Find “Jobs Hard to Get” (The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Survey^®)

• Initial Claims for Unemployment Insurance (U.S. Department of Labor)

• Percentage of Firms with Positions Not Able to Fill Right Now (© National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation)

• Number of Employees Hired by the Temporary-Help Industry (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

• Ratio of Involuntarily Part-time to All Part-time Workers (BLS)

• Job Openings (BLS)*

• Industrial Production (Federal Reserve Board)*

• Real Manufacturing and Trade Sales (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis)**

*Statistical imputation for the recent month
**Statistical imputation for two most recent months

The Conference Board publishes the Employment Trends Index monthly, at 10 a.m. ET, on the Monday that follows each Friday release of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Situation report. The technical notes to this series are available on The Conference Board website: http://www.conference-board.org/data/eti.cfm.

PatientRightsAdvocate.org (PRA) released a new poll conducted by Echelon Insights and Social Sphere that found price transparency in healthcare continues to be one of the most significant issues for the overwhelming majority of Americans.

The poll conducted among Likely Electorate voters nationwide, surveyed August 23-27, found:

• 92% Support requirements for hospitals and insurers to provide real prices upfront

  • 94% Of Democrats

  • 92% of independents

  • 91% of Republicans

• 98% Support transparent pricing in healthcare compared to 90% for airlines and 85% for event tickets

• 91% Agree that upfront prices would protect workers from overcharges and hidden fees

• 88% Agree that access to healthcare prices would increase competition and lower costs

• 77% Prefer a president who will demand healthcare price transparency

• More than 1 in 3 Postponed or avoided care due to unknown costs in the last year

  • Especially true (49%) for those with children under 18 at home

“Time and again, the American people have voiced strong support for price transparency in healthcare,” said Cynthia Fisher, Founder and Chairman of PatientRightsAdvocate.org. “The price of healthcare impacts all Americans, no matter their background, age, or zip code. That’s why Patient Rights Advocate will continue to educate lawmakers on the importance of this critical issue and delivering relief through bipartisan solutions in the Health Care PRICE Transparency Act 2.0.”

The findings showed healthcare price transparency was more popular than many of the major policy initiatives recently rolled out by the Biden-Harris administration.

“While Americans clearly care most about transparent pricing in healthcare, the highest levels of government have chosen instead to address hidden fees for concerts and sporting events,” said Fisher. “Lawmakers have also placed more emphasis on student loan debt than medical debt, our nation’s leading cause of bankruptcy. I’m hopeful after seeing the results of this poll, conducted by two of the most well-guarded professionals in the field, policymakers will have the insight needed to prioritize healthcare price transparency and protect and empower American families and workers through actual upfront prices.”

To see more on the results of the poll click here. For more information visit PatientRightsAdvocate.org and follow on X @PtRightsAdvoc

Client Advisor with Sterling Seacrest Pritchard Walt Lee explains the power of telematics in the management of commercial fleets.