News
The Wall Street Journal presents “A Portrait of Poverty in America: Job Insecurity and Payday Lending.” The video examines the rampant poverty and high unemployment levels in Holmes County, Mississippi, and highlights the effort of BankPlus to help citizens make ends meet.
Mission Valley Bank, located in Sun Valley, CA, has just announced that 2017 was its most profitable year to date. "As the founding President of Mission Valley, I am pleased to share that 2017 was another strong year for our organization," said President & CEO Tamara Gurney. Net earnings totaled a 2% increase over those of 2016. As of December 31, 2017, total assets reached $330 million, up $5 million from December 31, 2016.
Historically black banks have had a strong role in black communities. Their loans often finance projects that other banks wouldn't take on, and at fairer interest rates. And yet, policymakers rarely focus on partnering with or addressing the top priorities of black banks. Evelyn Smalls, President and CEO of United Bank of Philadelphia, explained the importance of finding investors who also understand and place value in the mission of a community bank, especially a black-owned community bank. Joe Haskins, CEO of the Harbor Bank of Maryland, elaborated, saying, "If I can raise the capital, I can scale Harbor eight to ten fold over the next two years or so. The demand is there."
Native American Bank, based in Denver, CO, is preparing to open its second retail branch. President and CEO Tom Ogaard explained that the Denver operations have grown and the bank wants to become more visible by opening a retail branch. It currently only has one in Montana. "We've been wanting for some time to create a different presence than we have in Denver," he said. The bank, which has just under $100 million in assets, has a core mission of supporting economic growth in Native communities.
Earlier this month, Commercial Capital Bank announced its intention to purchase First State Bank of Crossett, which has approximately $35.7 million in assets and two locations in Crossett, Arkansas. First State Bank has a business footprint in Louisiana's northeastern parishes. The banks expect the transition to close in the second quarter of 2018. "We are excited to combine with such a strong partner as First State Bank," said Commercial Capital President and CEO Shannon Lockard.
Darrin Williams, CEO of Southern Bancorp in Arkadelphia, AR, has written an op-ed on the financial benefits of helping small lenders to serve borrowers in bank deserts. "The Mississippi Delta may seem to be the farthest place in the world from New York City's financial heart. But, in fact, there is an opportunity to connect rural America with Wall Street and benefit both places," he writes. "A major opportunity exists to serve these communities, and Wall Street firms do not need a bank branch of their own to reap the reward."
This article from the American Banker features efforts by M&F Bank in Durham to reach more millennial customers. The bank recently formed a millennial advisory board to help improve its technology and marketing efforts. The $268 million-asset black-owned bank will soon debut a checking account designed for younger customers. It is also set to host parties in two cities to celebrate its new checking account. The events will feature food trucks and a DJ. "I've never had a DJ at an account opening," said F&M's President and CEO James Sills. "We're thinking differently."
In the wake of recently passed federal tax cuts and reforms, First Southwest Bank in Alamosa, CO has become the latest US employer to announce a raise in starting pay, at $14 an hour with full benefits. "We're excited to take advantage of the tax reform and give the positive impact it has on First Southwest Bank right back to our team members and the rural Colorado community," said First Southwest CEO Kent Curtis. "By being able to provide a higher living wage to our starting employees, and invest in our team, we can be a catalyst for economic growth, and reaffirm our commitment to a better quality of life in all of the rural Colorado communities our branches serve."
Through the Richmond Fed's Survey of CDFIs in the Southeast (SCDFISE), CDFIs provide timely information on their capitalization, demand, and capacity, and development programs and services. This article presents key findings from the 2017 SCDFISE, including trends in CDFI certification, analysis of asset size, and perennial challenges in meeting demand for products and services provided by southern CDFIs.
The Senate is looking to pass legislation within the next month that would roll back restrictions on swaths of the finance industry. Such legislation would constitute the most significant loosening of rules imposed in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Buoyed by their success in rewriting the tax code, Republican lawmakers now aim to help the financial industry relax many post-crisis rules and regulatory obligations, particularly for thousands of small- and medium-sized banks. The bill would allow hundreds of smaller banks to avoid certain elements of federal oversight.