Blog Entries

MasterCard enters the U.S. EMV arena

Moderator — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:00:00 +0100

MasterCard last week joined Visa in issuing a plan—it’s termed a
“roadmap”—for the widespread introduction here of the
Europay-MasterCard-Visa standard for electronic payments. That is, using
cards embedded with computer chips instead of relying on the magnetic
stripe.

The company so far only issued broad areas for attention, promising details at some time in the near future. The most detailed its announcement gets is setting April 2013 as the [...]

Puzzle of the week: Lunch!

arovira — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:06:46 +0100

Sink your teeth into this puzzle.We’ve given you a lot to chew on.

Try this week's puzzle

Complete the puzzle, enter drawing for $25 gift card

Fax your completed puzzle, with name, bank, title, and e-mail, by 4PM, February 8th, to 1-212-633-1165.

Good luck!
scocheo@sbpub.com

Keep these puzzle [...]

SAXOPHONE IN THE MOONLIGHT OF THE SONORA

Marik — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:00:00 +0100
Taking a break from the road, and plotting the next 28,000 miles

Banker turned sax man Larry Marik warms up for his evening musical tuck-in for the neighborhoods in an Arizona RV park.

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New to this blog? After he hun [...]

WHO SAYS LOSSES ARE OK?

eoleary — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:00:00 +0100
Stop and really think about that old saying about losses, for a minute

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The anecdotal evidence that our national business environment is improving is gaining momentum. There are exceptions here and there. But generally, community banks and community bankers are feeling more optimistic and anxious to resume a more active role in lending to their local marketplaces.

[...]

Book Review: Giving service customers really notice

arovira — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:36:45 +0100
Authors provide techniques for delivering top aid to clients

Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service, 20th Anniversary Edition, By Ron Zemke and Kristin Anderson, Performance Research Associates/AMACOM, 226 pp.

Reviewed by Lorenda S. Smith, assistant vice-pre [...]

ALCO BEAT: How to handle Fed�s defined roadmap?

arovira — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:08:12 +0100
Federal Reserve jettisoned all the mystery. Riddle now is: How to cope?

By George Darling, CEO, Darling Consulting Group, Newburyport, Mass.,
gdarling@darlingconsulting.com, www.darlingconsulting.com

Recently, we have had the opportu [...]

DUE DILIGENCE: SHOULD YOU START WITH A LETTER OF INTENT OR A TERM SHEET?

jgerrish — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:00:00 +0100
Third of a series: Getting due diligence under way and appropriate

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I have recently been blogging on due diligence in connection with community bank acquisitions, and acquisitions in general, since that seems to be what is going on. This week I'm looking at two related issues: the timing of due diligence and the alternative forms of legal steps to get due diligence rolling. (Part one: "Due Diligence Sta [...]

TOO OLD FOR FACEBOOK, TOO YOUNG FOR FACELIFT: WHY I�M NO FAN OF SOCIAL MEDIA

mexall — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:00:00 +0100
Have you taken a close look at what’s going on under your bank’s roof?

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Yes, I’ll admit it. There is a generational aspect to my distaste for cyber-networking. For someone old enough to remember telephones with dials, it is disconcerting to watch my four-year-old granddaughter scroll through the apps on her mother’s iPhone to find a Dora the Explorer video.

But also, as an employment la [...]

It all comes down to "UX"

Moderator — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0100
UX is the internet wonk word for “user experience,” or the measurement of how easy or how hard it is to use a given website for its stated purpose. The object, of course, is to provide a good UX.

The concept has started to come under some scrutiny, particularly as it applies to banks. Change Sciences, which specializes in measuring UX across a variety of industries, recently saw fit to issue a white paper titled “OWS and Community Banks: A Manifesto.&rdq [...]

Streeter named ABA BJ publisher

arovira — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:56:13 +0100

Veteran editor steps up to dual role

William Streeter, long-time Editor-in-Chief of ABA Banking Journal, has been promoted to the post of Editor & Publisher, effective immediately.

Streeter has been with Simmons-Boardman Publishing for nearly 35 years, rising from Assistant Managing Editor to Editor-in-Chief of ABA Banking Journal, a publication of the American Bankers Association, before stepping up to the Publi [...]

HOW TO GET YOUR FEET WET IN SOCIAL MEDIA (WITHOUT FREAKING OUT YOUR COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT)

Moderator — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0100
Hint: Start by listening, not saying a single solitary social word

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Last week Katie Segner of SpiritBank, Bristow, Okla., reviewed Customer Experience Without Borders: A Practical Guide To Social Media In Financial Services. We mention that by way of background. Before we could even put out our e-letter for the week, or even tweet about Katie’s review, her bank had seen the posting. We asked how the bank had loc [...]

PRIVATE EQUITY, VENTURE CAPITAL, AND COMMUNITY BANKS

eoleary — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0100
What are the appropriate funding roles for insured deposits?

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Near the center of our current political discussions are the subjects of venture capital and private equity. These are often mentioned in the same breath and somewhat interchangeably.

But they are not the same thing. The question to consider today is what roles community banks should appropriately [...]

SOCIAL FEEDBACK FROM CUSTOMERS DRIVES SHOPPERS� CHOICES

Moderator — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0100
Ratings say Chase, USAA, and Wells Fargo provide top-rated mobile banking apps

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By Daniel J. Wiegand. Dan is a senior analyst on Corporate Insight's Consulting Services team. He joined the firm in 2006 after graduating from Harvard University. He has performed extensive research in the mobile space with a focus on banking and investing platforms. Corporate Insight authors contribute to var [...]

Combating the innovative crook

arovira — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:17:32 +0100
Introducing 4 new fraud styles for 2012—how will you fight them?

By Shelly Hunter, vice-president, product management, Fraud and Risk Services, First Data Corp. (For more about the author, see the end of this article.)

It cannot be denied: fraud incidents are inevit [...]

NBC Oklahoma Centralized Loan Processing and Streamlined Operations with LaserPro

arovira — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:59:18 +0100

www.harlandfinancialsolutions.com

2012

When Sherri Hayes came to NBC Oklahoma as the senior vice president of loan administration in 2008, she had a big job ahead of her. Originally, this Oklahoma-based bank had two chart [...]

First Citizens National Bank and PhoenixEFE� � A 16-Year Relationship That�s Still Going Strong

arovira — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:48:53 +0100

www.harlandfinancialsolutions.com

2012

To fully understand the relationship between First Citizens National Bank and Harland Financial Solutions’ PhoenixEFE®, a little time travel is necessary. The year was 199 [...]

Our Difference Is Your Advantage

arovira — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:28:34 +0100

PENTEGRA SUCCESS STORY

www.pentegra.com

1.800.872.3473

2012

Isabella Bank, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

Finding a better way to balance cost and benefit objectives—that was Isabella Bank’s goal in [...]

WHICH REG O?!? (AND MEET REG N)

lgriffin — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0100
New Reg O and transferred Reg N hold lessons for Compliance "boots on the ground" about CFPB

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Think you know "O"? It's all about lending to insiders, right?

Well, guess again.

There's more to "O" than what you think you know.

The O [...]

BALL OF CONFUSION (THAT'S WHAT THE WORLD IS TODAY)*

Byrne — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0100

Sorting out confusion by using sanctions as a tool for needed change

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The Temptations' most covered song* addressed a 1970 world of war, illegal drugs, and crooked politicians. (Remember "vote for me and I'll set you free?") Funny how we start 2012 with corruption, fear of Iran's nuclear programs, and a border country, Mexico, with rampant violence because of the extensive drug trade.
[...]

CES BLOG3�Super Cards: A new form of smart credit and debit cards

danfisher — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0100
Move over Chip plus pin! There is a new wave of super smart cards hitting the market and they are already certified by MasterCard and Visa. These cards not only add an additional layer of security which can assist a financial institution in complying with the FFIEC guidance, these cards can also be used to access more than one account, and more. • • • The CSI Global Vcard is a virtual MasterCard that can be sent via the internet to anyone with a smart pho [...]