prestige - USAmeriBank

FALL 2016 ISSUE
PRESTIGE
A newsletter for USAB Prestige
members and friends
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Meet Your Prestige Team
Nannette Sheaffer and Kurt Piazza
WELCOME New Members
Prestige now available in
USAmeriBank’s Florida Markets
2017 Trips Revealed!
Choose from six exciting trips, including
a safari to Kenya
Upcoming Events
While in Montana, Prestige
members whitewater rafted down
Middle Fork River.
Prestige members made
great memories in 2016
Take a look at some of the amazing locations our
Prestige members have enjoyed during 2016!
Montana’s Big Sky Country
In July, USAB Prestige customers went on an
amazing trip to Montana’s Big Sky Country! We
were able to explore the real treasures of this
beautiful state’s sweeping vistas, pristine streams
and awe-inspiring mountain peaks. Along our way,
we cruised the Missouri River to see the Gates of
the Mountains, whitewater rafted down Middle Fork
River, zip lined down Big Mountain, visited Glacier
National Park in the historic Red Jammers and
rose along the incredible Going to the Sun Road.
Of course, no trip to Montana would be complete
without a cowboy cookout and sightings of wildlife
along the way!
Biloxi, Mississippi
USAB’s Prestige customers took a quick trip
down to the Mississippi Gulf Coast to visit the
beautiful Beau Rivage Resort in Biloxi in August.
Although no one came home a newly minted
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millionaire, this was a very relaxing trip
with everyone enjoying the beautiful
Gulf views, abundant food, and lots of
entertainment.
Classic Ireland
Visiting Ireland was certainly the trip
of a lifetime—enjoying the peaceful
countryside, breathtaking scenery and
modern Irish life. Everyone loved visiting
a historic castle, watching Waterford
crystal being created, having scones
and tea with an Irish family, and even
kissing the famous “Blarney Stone.” Of
course, being in Dublin on St. Patrick’s
Day was definitely a highlight!
If a long trip isn’t your thing, we hope
you will join us on one of our next short
trips. They are perfect for travelers who
don’t want to be away from home for
long periods of time but enjoy seeing
sights and spending time with friends.
Announcements about our short trips
will be coming soon! ■
Meet Your
Prestige Team
NANNETTE S. SHEAFFER
Nannette Sheaffer has been the
Prestige Manager with USAmeriBank
for over three years and enjoys every
day that she gets to work with the
Prestige customers! She is based in
Birmingham, Alabama.
“Our customers are definitely the best,
most fun group of people that you
could ask for. I am lucky to get to see
them in a social setting and have had
the opportunity to really get to know
them as friends, not just customers.”
Prestige members loved visitng a
historic castle while in beautiful Ireland!
In addition to Prestige, Nannette also
manages the bank’s marketing efforts
in Alabama and the retail operation of
the bank. She has been in banking for
over 15 years, but came from a sports
marketing background where she
managed major sporting events and
promotions for the Alabama Sports
Foundation, the University of Alabama
and Penn State University.
The Pell City, AL native enjoys traveling,
scrapbooking, time on Logan Martin
Lake and attending her children’s
sporting events. She is the proud mom
of Logan (17) and Lacee (13).
To reach Nannette, email her at
[email protected] or call
(205) 408-2066
KURT PIAZZA
Kurt Piazza joined the marketing team
at USAmeriBank in January, 2016, as
a Marketing Specialist. He will also
be our point person for Prestige in
the Florida market. He is very excited
about this new opportunity and if
the feedback from the official launch
parties is any indication, Kurt and
Prestige Florida are off to a fantastic
start in the sunshine state! Kurt’s office
is located in the historic Ybor City
district in Tampa. Kurt enjoys cooking,
reading and travelling. He recently
returned from a trip to Paris.
To reach Kurt, please email him at
[email protected] or call
(813) 345-5521. ■
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understood all of the outstanding
benefits now available to them as
members of Prestige. Customers who
qualify for membership (50 and older
with a minimum of $10,000 in personal
deposits with USAB) are reminded that
they need to “opt in” to the Prestige
program. In order to do this, they must
contact their local branch to have their
personal accounts coded as “Prestige
Accounts.” It is as simple as that!
WELCOME
to our new
Prestige
members!
Don’t miss out on the schedule
of amazing activities and curated
experiences now available to Florida
Prestige members. Please contact your
local branch or Nannette Sheaffer or
Kurt Piazza for additional information! ■
Prestige now
available in
USAmeriBank’s
Florida Markets!
USAmeriBank launched its Prestige
program in Florida in September. The
launch parties, which took place over
two nights in the Tampa/St. Pete area,
provided prospective members with a
night of fabulous food, awesome music
and a few unexpected surprises—
including three authentic Maasai tribe
warriors, natives of Kenya, who were
there to help promote an incredible
safari offering to their native land.
Since the program is completely new in
the Florida market, we wanted to make
sure that all the prospective members
Why did I get this
newsletter?
What is Prestige?
Since 1988, USAmeriBank’s Prestige
Program offers those 50 years or older
a better financial relationship that
combines premier banking services
with a wealth of social, travel and
educational opportunities.
In addition to providing various banking
privileges, our dedicated Prestige staff
organizes travel opportunities, hosts
social functions, and plans educational
seminars you’ll enjoy in the company of
others with similar goals and interests.
To qualify for Prestige membership,
simply maintain a balance of $10,000
or more in any combination of
USAmeriBank’s personal deposit
accounts. On joint spousal accounts,
only one person must be 50 or older for
both to qualify for membership. Your
USAmeriBank Prestige membership
includes:
● Free Checking Account
● Complimentary Personalized Checks
(Wallet style – one box per year)
● Complimentary USAmeriBank Debit
Card, for all of your ATM and debit
transactions
● Free foreign ATM fees (up to four per
statement cycle per account)
● Complimentary myAccess
Online Banking
● Complimentary BillPay
● Bonus rates on any Certificate
of Deposit
● Safe deposit discount
(subject to availability)
● Complimentary notary service and
signature guarantee
● Complimentary Prestige newsletter
with advance notice of planned
activities and helpful tips on personal
finances and other topics
● Organized group tours and travel
opportunities at highly competitive
prices. Our Prestige staff makes all
arrangements and accompanies the
group on most every trip. ■
2017 is the Year of the BUCKET LIST TRIPS!
The extended travel opportunities for 2017 include an amazing array of true bucket list items. We hope there is something to whet
every appetite. We are also putting together a list of smaller events and trips in both the Florida and Alabama markets that will be
announced soon to our members in those markets!
ED TO
YOU ARE INVIT
A SPECIAL EVENT
IGE MEMBERS
OR OUR PREST
E X C L U S I V E LY F
KENYA/
TANZANIA
SAFARI
February 2017
SOUTHERN
ITALY & SICILY
March 2017
YELLOWSTONE
NATIONAL
PARK
May 2017
BALTIC SEA
CAPITALS
August 2017
PRESTI GE
CHRISTMAS
IN VERMONT
December 2017
Want more detailed itineraries on any of these
trips? Contact Nannette Sheaffer or
Kurt Piazza, or visit our webpage at
www.usameribank.com/prestige.
And now, without further ado,
turn the page to read about
all the great trips available to
Prestige Members in 2017! ■
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KENYA WING
SAFARI
SOUTHERN
ITALY & SICILY
February 9-19, 2017
March 3-13, 2017
$7,098/person based on double occupancy including
airfare from TPA or BHM (travel insurance is additional)
$4,698/person based on double occupancy including
airfare from TPA or BHM (travel insurance is additional)
We hope you will join us and embark on the trip of a
lifetime on a Kenyan Wing Safari! Safari, which means
“journey” in Swahili, is an experience you’ll never forget.
Not all Safari programs are created equal, and this 5-star
program is unlike anything you will ever experience. From
the moment you land, you’ll be cared for and about in ways
you never expected. Over the coming days, as you travel
from the northern reaches of the Aberdare National Forest
to the world famous Maasai Mara in Southern Kenya, you’ll
find the people to be warm and friendly and the animals
beyond imagination! Your accommodations will be 5-star in
every way, with stays at the Ark, a Fairmont tent village and
a safari lodge built by the rich and famous. Surely, a major
draw is seeing elephants, lions, cheetahs and giraffes in
the wild. What few imagine is how the people of Kenya
have touched them, as it is the people of this magical land
that enchant and entice so many to return!
Of all the countries in the world, there is none more
magical than Italy. You’ll never see an Italian tour itinerary
as exciting as this one, as you tour two of the most
beautiful regions of Italy – Amalfi and Sicily! One of the
world’s most spectacular drives takes you to Sorrento,
seemingly wedged on a ledge between the mountains and
the Mediterranean. You’ll visit stunning Capri and historic
Pompeii and see mozzarella being made—then tasted—by
you! Spend four nights in the same hotel in Sorrento before
a true Italian experience—taking the overnight ferry from
Naples to Palermo! Of course you’ll have a private, ensuite
stateroom, and enjoy an Italian meal during your crossing,
wine included! Sicily is so far removed from ‘traditional’
Italy, that some think of it as its own island nation! We’ve
included a Sicilian farm visit that past travelers said was
the highlight of their tour!
Trip highlights include:
• Round trip international airfare to Rome, Italy from TPA
or BHM (checked baggage fees not included)
(11 days and 9 nights)
• Round trip airport transfer and round trip international
airfare to Nairobi, Kenya from TPA or BHM
(checked baggage fees are not included)
• Eight nights’ accommodations while on safari at the
finest luxury hotels, lodges, and tented cabins
• All sightseeing and admissions as detailed in the
itinerary and all park fees
• Day rooms at the Nairobi Serena Hotel prior to your
return flight
• Three amazing meals served while out on safari,
including a “Welcome to Africa” dinner at the world
famous Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi
• 2 intra-Kenya flights
• Transportation by safari cruiser – limited to
6 passengers per vehicle
(11 days and 9 nights)
Trip highlights include:
• Nine nights’ accommodations at 4-star hotel properties
including overnight ferry service from Naples to Palermo
in a private, ensuite stateroom.
• Flight from Palermo to Rome
• Nine “fortified” continental breakfasts and
six dinners including a farewell dinner in Rome
• One local “farmhouse” lunch in Sicily including wine
• All admissions as described in the itinerary including
Correale Museum, tour of Capri, Salt Marsh in Sicily,
Naples panoramic city tour, Pompeii, tour of Palermo,
Positano, Amalfi and more
• Private mozzarella cheese making demonstration in
Sorrento, followed by a tasting with wine
• Panoramic city tour of Rome
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YELLOWSTONE
NATIONAL
PARK
ULTIMATE
SCANDINAVIAN
CAPITALS CRUISE
May 15-21, 2017
August 12-23, 2017
(7 days and 6 nights)
$3,298/person based on double occupancy including
airfare from TPA or BHM (travel insurance is additional)
Travel to Yellowstone National Park in the springtime when
the snow has melted, flowers are blooming and wildlife
is abundant! You’ll see free-roaming bison, moose, elk,
antelope and perhaps a grizzly! Your stop at the Grizzly
and Wolf Discovery Center will teach you about these
amazing creatures who have been rescued and now serve
to educate us about them. A visit to Yellowstone is never
complete until you’ve seen Old Faithful blow her top.
After you’ve experienced Yellowstone, you’ll travel to
Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for a two-night stay. While it
maintains its cowboy roots, you’ll find that Jackson Hole
offers everything from one-of-a-kind boutiques and art
galleries to casual restaurants and bars. Be sure and duck
into the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar to check out the spur
collection and 70 years’ worth of Western artifacts. You’ll
enjoy a scenic float down the Snake River surrounded by
sheer granite cliffs, and you may even spot an animal or
two. As you return to Salt Lake, a tour of 42-square-mile
Antelope Island will bring you to the middle of the Great
Salt Lake and more wildlife!
Trip highlights include:
• Round trip airport transfer and round trip airfare from
TPA or BHM (checked baggage fees not included)
• 6 nights’ hotel accommodations with daily breakfasts
• One lunch and five dinners including a farewell dinner at
The Roof Restaurant in Salt Lake City
(12 days — 10 night Cruise Tour aboard
the Norwegian Getaway)
Cruise Cabins start at $4,398/person based on double
occupancy including airfare from TPA or BHM
(travel insurance is additional)
Fly into Copenhagen where you’ll have an included city
tour of Denmark’s capital. Of course, you’ll see the symbol
of this friendly city, The Little Mermaid, inspired by Hans
Christian Andersen’s fairytale. Germany’s capital city
of Berlin is several hours away from your pier but well
worth the trip! Don’t miss seeing historic sections of the
Berlin Wall and the Brandenburg Gate, one of Germany’s
best known landmarks. Tallinn, the capital of Estonia is a
delightful city with charm by the bucketful!
The highlight of your cruise/tour is sure to be the two full
days and overnight in St. Petersburg. Russia’s imperial
capital is an almost unrivaled treasure trove of art and
culture. The capital of Finland, Helsinki, has a quirky charm
that you’ll find fresh and surprising. Stockholm, Sweden’s
capital is one of the most beautiful cities in the world with
a delightful maze of Old Town cobblestone streets dating
from the 1200’s.
Trip highlights include:
• Airport transfers and round trip international airfare to
Copenhagen from TPA or BHM (checked baggage fees
not included)
• One night pre-cruise in Copenhagen and city tour of
Copenhagen prior to embarkation
• Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone
• Nine nights aboard the Norwegian Getaway in your
selected stateroom
• Scenic float on the Snake River
• All meals while onboard the Norwegian Getaway
• Visit to Antelope Island on the Great Salt Lake
• All transfers from the airport to your hotel and to the pier
• Private motor coach throughout your tour
• Trip exclusive excursions are an extra charge. These
excursions will be done by our Trips staff and will only
include our tour travelers.
• Entrance fees to National Parks and Monuments as
listed in the itinerary
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THE BLACK HILLS
AND BADLANDS
CHRISTMAS IN
VERMONT
September 10-17, 2017
December 3-8, 2017
$2,498/person based on double occupancy including
airfare from TPA or BHM (travel insurance is additional)
$2,998/person based on double occupancy including
airfare from TPA or BHM (travel insurance is additional)
The Black Hills and Badlands of western South Dakota
is where seeing is believing. The history of this area will
capture your imaginations as you gaze at expansive
landscapes, roaming buffalo and hillsides carved into
magnificent images. Join us as we visit Mt. Rushmore and
the Crazy Horse Monument as well as Custer State Park,
where you learn about the Custer Expedition of 1874.
Spend a day in Deadwood and hear the colorful history of
Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane and Poker Alice! Marvel
at the stark beauty of the Badlands with its unique and
beautiful buttes, plateaus and spires. Ride an authentic
1880 steam train on a historic trip through the Black Hills
and visit an active mammoth dig that is the largest in the
world.
Bing Crosby first sang “White Christmas” 70 years ago
and since then people around the world have listened and
dreamed of snow and a quaint Vermont country inn. There
is nothing quite as charming as experiencing the holidays
in New England!
(8 days and 7 nights)
This is a perfect way to enjoy South Dakota, made all the
more so since you’re staying in just one lodge! The K Bar S
Lodge is nestled in the scenic Black Hills National Forest.
No packing and unpacking—just relaxed mornings with
a glimpse of Mt. Rushmore and perhaps marshmallows
roasting on the fire in the evening. What a delightful way to
experience the laid back lifestyle of western South Dakota!
Trip highlights include:
• Round trip transfers to the airport and round trip airfare
to Rapid City, SD from TPA or BHM (does not include
checked baggage fees)
• Six nights lodging and daily breakfasts at the
K Bar S Lodge in Keystone, South Dakota
• Five dinners, including a Chuck Wagon dinner
• Ticket for the 1880 Train
• Admissions including the Journey Museum, Custer
State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial, Boot Hill Tour of
Deadwood, mammoth dig site, Homestead Gold Mine
and more
(6 days and 5 nights)
During your stay, you will visit the ancestral home of Robert
Todd Lincoln, decorated as it might have been in 1912.
Dressed in holiday finery, the spirit of the season abounds
with crisp fragrance of pine boughs and the sounds of the
season. You will enjoy lunch at the Trapp Family Lodge,
and hear the story of the “Sound of Music” family’s flee
from Austria after the rise of Hitler during WWII. Discover
the traditions of a 19th century Vermont Christmas at
Billings Farm and Museum. Visit the town of Woodstock,
named “quintessential New England Village”—chock full
of charming Americana including a covered bridge in the
middle of town. Join us this holiday season and experience
the true spirit of Vermont!
Trip highlights include:
• Round trip airport transfers and round trip airfare to
New England from BHM or TPA (checked baggage fees
not included)
• Welcome reception at the Middlebury Inn with eggnog,
wine and cheese
• 5 nights’ lodging and breakfasts at the Middlebury Inn
• 4 regional dinners including Mount Rushmore
President’s dinner at the “Bob Newhart” Inn with wine
and dinner at the historic Swift House
• Lunch and tour at the Trapp Family Lodge
• All sightseeing and admissions as listed in the detailed
itinerary, including King Arthur’s Flour, Stowe Mountain
Gondola, Hildene with Curator’s Tour, Morse Sugar Farm,
Billings Farm & Museum, Ben & Jerry’s, and more!
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We need your
email address
There are many times when USAmeriBank’s Prestige Program
will be offering last minute events and day trips. The best way
to get information to our members is through email.
PLEASE take a minute and send your email address to
Nannette Sheaffer at [email protected] to
make sure you do not miss any of the fun! Remember,
USAmeriBank will never ask for account or personal
information via email.
Safe Banking Seminars
This summer, Prestige members were invited to attend Safe
Banking seminars in each of our Alabama markets. Richard
Searson, our USAmeriBank Training Instructor for Alabama,
led the lively discussion on how to protect yourself against
fraud and identity theft on the internet. These same seminars
will be coming to Florida in the coming months. Be on the
lookout for your invitation to this complimentary event!
What did we learn?
10 Ways to Avoid Fraud
According to the Federal Trade Commission, scam artists
in the U.S. and around the world defraud millions of people
each year. They use the phone, email, postal mail, and
the internet to trick you into sending money or giving out
personal information. Here are 10 things you can do—or not
do—to stop a scam.
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Know who you’re dealing with
Know that wiring money is like sending cash
Read your monthly statements
After a disaster, give only to established charities
Talk to your doctor before you buy health products
or treatments
Remember there’s no sure thing in investing
Don’t send money to someone you don’t know
Don’t agree to deposit a check and wire money back
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Don’t reply to messages asking for personal or
financial information
Don’t play a foreign lottery
Report Scams
If you think you may have been scammed:
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at
www.ftc.gov. If you are outside the U.S., file a complaint at
www.econsumer.gov.
• Visit www.ftc.gov/idtheft, where you’ll find out how to
minimize your risk of identity theft.
• Report scams to your state Attorney General.
Visit www.naag.org.
• If you get unsolicited email offers or spam, email the
messages to [email protected].
• If you get what looks like lottery material from a foreign
country through the postal mail, take it to your local
postmaster. ■
Presorted
First Class
U.S. Postage
PRESTIGE
PAID
MSB, Inc.
ZIP 35203
1100 Corporate Parkway
Birmingham, AL 35242
www.usameribank.com
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EQUAL HOUSING
LENDER
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©2016 USAmeriBank
Upcoming Events for Prestige Members
FLORIDA
ALABAMA
Details will be forthcoming via mail. Events marked with an
asterisk (*) will incur a charge to participate.
October BINGO Events
November 2016
Antinori Wine Tasting and an opportunity to stock up before
the holidays!
December 2016
Prestige Holiday Party! Share some holiday cheer with
executives of the bank.
All event times are 5:30-7:00pm. Reserve your spot now,
as space is limited! Call Rhonda Ray at (205) 408-2065 or
email [email protected].
October 13, 2016 | Alexander City Main Office
October 24, 2016 | Millbrook Office
October 25, 2016 | Dadeville Office
January 2017
October 26, 2016 | Montgomery Office
*Cuban Communal Dinner | Tampa Museum of Art
October 27, 2016 | Wetumpka Office
March 2017
*Safe Banking Seminar | Keeping your financial information
safe in the digital age
May 2017
*The King and I | Straz Center for the Performing Arts
Including pre-theatre dinner
September 2017
*Culinary “Staycation” at the Epicurean Hotel
December Holiday Parties
Drop by to mingle with your bankers and enjoy good food,
drinks and fun!
December 1, 2016 | Wetumpka Office
December 6, 2016 | Montgomery Office
December 8, 2016 | Alexander City Main Office
December 13, 2016 | Millbrook Office