For release May 16, 1996

Jack Guynn, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, has announced the promotion of Marie C. Gooding, assistant vice president, to the position of assistant branch manager effective May 16. He also announced that Melinda J. Rushing, assistant vice president, will take on a new assignment in the financial services management committee support area effective June 1. Barry G. Hartin was promoted to the position of assistant vice president for corporate planning and control, replacing Rushing.

As assistant branch manager, Gooding will have direct responsibility for cash services and branch computer services as well as assisting the branch manager in formulating and executing policies. Gooding joined the Bank in 1987 as a data security coordinator. She was promoted in 1989 to the position of automation administration manager and, in 1990, to director of data processing. In 1994 Gooding was named assistant vice president in the Atlanta Branch. A native of Monroe, Ga., she holds a bachelor of science degree in secondary math education, magna cum laude, from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va. She has also completed Duke University's Advanced Management Program.

Rushing will facilitate Systemwide planning in the financial services area and analyze payments-related performance, trends and issues. She will also coordinate staff support efforts for the financial services management support area. Rushing joined the Bank's New Orleans Branch in 1979 as a management trainee and has held several management and analytical positions. She transferred to the Atlanta office in 1984 and, in 1988, was promoted to assistant vice president in human resources with responsibility for compensation and benefits. In 1990 Rushing became assistant vice president for the corporate planning and control department. Originally from the Los Angeles area, she graduated from Loyola University in New Orleans with a bachelor's degree in modern foreign languages. She earned a master's degree in Slavic languages from Brown University.

Hartin will replace Rushing as head of corporate planning and control. In that capacity he will be responsible for the administration and operation of the department, as well as supervising District planning, budgeting, expense control and evaluation. Hartin joined the supervision and regulation department of the Bank in 1984 as an assistant examiner. He was promoted to examiner in 1989 and to senior examiner in 1993. A native of Cordele, Ga., Hartin graduated from Georgia State University with a bachelor's degree in finance and completed the Executive Development Program at Northwestern University.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta serves the Sixth Federal Reserve District, which encompasses Alabama, Florida, Georgia and parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. As part of the nation's central banking system, the Atlanta Fed takes part in setting national monetary policy, supervises and regulates commercial banks and provides check processing and other payments services to depository institutions and the U.S. government.

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