ATLANTA -- The Community Bankers Association (CBA) of Georgia, which is is comprised of more than 300 of Georgia's independently owned community banks, has endorsed Pulse  EFT Association as the exclusive EFT network to process ATM and point-of-sale transactions for its members.

Steven D. Bridges, chief executive of the CBA of Georgia, said in a news release, "In today's financial industry environment of consolidation and increased competition, Pulse stands apart from other networks in its ability to serve the needs of our members and their customers."

Bridges said that Pulse's resources, among them a dedicated sales executive in Georgia, were factors in PULSE winning the group's endorsement.

Bob Peck, president and chief executive of Gateway Bank in Ringold and a member of the CBA of Georgia's Board of Directors, said in the release that Pulse "has a business and governance philosophy matching that of our association."

A large number of community banks in Georgia already belong to Pulse, according to the release.

"We look forward to strengthening relations with our current members in Georgia, and to continuing our strong growth in the Southeast," said Stan Paur, Pulse president and CEO, in the release.