An Advocate For The Customer
Grazyna Landmesser Title: Vice President, Regional Manager, First County Bank Age: 55 Experience: 30 years Grazyna Landmesser never planned to get into banking. In fact, she originally worked as a teacher in Poland, but when she came to America more than 30 years ago,...ABA: Consumer Delinquencies Fall In Q1
Delinquencies fell in seven of 11 consumer loan categories in this year’s first quarter, according to the American Bankers Association’s latest Consumer Credit Delinquency Bulletin, released today. The composite ratio, which tracks delinquencies in eight closed-end...30 US Bank Holding Companies Pass Fed’s Latest Stress Test
The capital plans of 30 of the largest bank holding companies in the U.S. recently passed muster in the Federal Reserve in its latest round of stress testing, but the U.S. arms of two international banks proved repeat offenders. “Over the six years in which...Berkshire Bank To Move Into Jersey, Philly With Latest Deal
Berkshire Hills Bancorp’s announcement that it would expand into the New Jersey and Greater Philadelphia markets with its latest acquisition might be turning heads, but the deal nicely complements both Berkshire’s balance sheet and its previous moves, experts say. The...
Winning The Race, Slowly And Steadily
Julia Anne Slom jokes that probably no little kid dreams of becoming a banker. She said at first, she didn’t intend to stay long in the industry either. After working in the petrochemical trading business, she earned an MBA and went to work for Fleet during a stressful time in the company’s history.
New FASB Rule Will Put Leases On The Balance Sheet
A new rule approved in February by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) could have wide-ranging consequences for banks, from the branch to the balance sheet. FASB’s new rule would require all businesses and nonprofits to book all long-term leases (anything...Former Execs Sue Nutmeg State FCU, Alleging Whistleblower Retaliation
Two former credit union executives are suing Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union (NSFCU), alleging they were fired in retaliation for bringing to light fraudulent accounting practices designed to inflate the CEO’s executive bonuses and retirement plan. Former CFO...State Banking Commissioner: Payday Lenders Don’t Have Immunity From Usury Laws
The state’s banking commissioner recently found that two online payday lenders owned by the Otoe-Missouria Tribe do not have sovereign immunity where Connecticut’s lending and usury laws are concerned. In a May 6 filing, Commissioner Jorge Perez concluded that Great...
It’s Not About The Ingredients; It’s About The Recipe
From the outset, Fred Bertino’s destiny would have seemed to be in the medical world. After all, his whole family works in that field. But during college, he changed course.
‘A Big Concern For Small FIs’: Sageworks Poll Reveals Attitudes Toward Scenario Building
As many as two-thirds of bankers and credit union professionals do not yet practice scenario building as part of their risk management processes, according to a recent Sageworks poll. However, while 66 percent of the bank and credit union professionals polled said...
Function Trumps Style: Website Rebrands Start With Mobile Optimization
If you’re a bank today, you might be thinking about a rebrand. And if you’re thinking about a rebrand, it’s impossible to avoid the issue of design. Let’s face it: good design is important, but unless you’re a designer, you might have trouble articulating precisely...
A Cheerleader For Greater Hartford
Believe it or not, Bill Checkosky got into the banking business because of regulation. When he was an undergrad at Bentley College, he penned a paper about
Boston Plans Take A Nibble Out Of Webster Q1 Profits
Webster Financial Corp. saw a slight dip in its first quarter earnings from the year-ago period, booking $46.5 million in profits compared with $46.9 million last year, but the holding company for Webster Bank cheered new deposits it credited to its recent Boston...
Sageworks Poll: Bankers Not Feeling Too Hot About Loan Pricing
Only 35 percent of bankers recently surveyed by Sageworks said they felt confident in their loan pricing process, leading the company to raise concerns about whether bankers could do more to develop a clear pricing strategy. “When 60 [percent] or 70 percent don’t feel...
As FIs Move To EMV, ATM Skimmers Step Up Their Game
As financial institutions make the switch to EMV-enabled cards, skimming attacks on ATMs and gas pumps are ramping up nationwide, prompting law enforcement to advise bankers to double down on their security efforts. Recently, the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task...
Second Verse, Same As The First
With interest rates still at historic lows and consumer confidence on the mend, 2015 was a decent year for Connecticut’s lenders, but banks, credit unions and mortgage companies are increasingly fighting tooth and nail for the very best credits the marketplace has to...Fed Beige Book: Mild Winter Brings Economic Boon To First District
New England’s economy benefitted from this year’s mild winter, as lower energy costs put more money back into consumers’ pockets and the tame weather jumpstarted the spring housing market early, according to the most recent Federal Reserve Beige Book. According to...Regulators Fail Five Big Banks On Living Wills
Five of the nation’s biggest banks failed a key Dodd-Frank requirement that would make it easier for regulators to oversee a bankruptcy and avoid another big bank bailout, regulators said today. The FDIC and the Federal Reserve board said that the 2015 resolution...
A Passion For Small Business Banking
Steven Ferguson Title: Assistant Vice President, Business Development Officer, First County Bank Age: 38 Experience: 21 years Steven Ferguson’s passion for small business comes through loud and clear in conversation. He entered the banking industry as a...
