Texas Banking

The Convergence Trend

Perhaps more than any other industry this year, banking is undergoing radical transformation at the hands of convergence. Nowhere is this transformation more conspicuous than within, among and across banks' payments franchises. In a race to develop the fastest, cheapest, safest and most reliable ways to move money, banks' payments franchises are combining and cross-breeding to create hybrids that are not only better for the payor and the payee, but, by being better, are altering payments beha...

Thwarting Internet Attacks

Overseas organized crime groups target Internet banking customers because that is where the money is. Although guns and getaway cars have been replaced by phishing, spyware and Wi-Fi sniffers, the motivation is the same: greed. A customer's user ID and password are the keys to their Internet banking account, and criminals are constantly devising innovative schemes to capture these valuable morsels. Every bank customer should have a mix of privacy and security software. Phishing, vishing and o...

The Aftermath of Check 21

While the "Panic of 1907" led to a series of events that would eventually create a national check collection system and other rules for payments, the passage of The Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act (Check 21), is revolutionizing the industry once again. However, check imaging is not a new thing. Banks have been imaging checks for a very long time. Check 21 answered some of the concerns that the banking industry has had with respect to how banks deal with a wide-scale disruption, such a...

Fighting Back

Although it is uncommon to find violent bank robberies these days, the number of violent robbers is on the rise as gangs head north from Central and South America. These gangs use robbery as an initiation rite for newcomers and view a bank heist as a test to their own skills. Many banks need to update their policies and procedures and replace antiquated equipment and furniture by following a strategy called Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, which deters prospective robbers becaus...

Chairman's Forum

Foundation Expands Board Membership, Focuses On Financial Literacy

Last month, a group of dedicated bankers banded together to make a difference: as the newly appointed members of the TBA Foundation Board of Directors, the group discussed their priorities and direction for the coming year. The first order of business: to change the bylaws to expand the board from 8 to 13 members. Under the direction of Chairman Julie Cripe, the Foundation Board is tasked with overseeing the activities of the Foundation -- the charitable arm of the Texas Bankers Association. ...

News & Trends

Amegy Bank Executive Among 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking

Debbie Innes, executive vice president of Amegy Bank of Texas, has been named to US Banker magazine's list of 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking. Innes, who ranked 23rd on the list, was the only Texas-based financial institution executive to place in the top 25. Innes oversees all sales, product management and customer support for the treasury management and retail business lines. Through June 2006, treasury management experienced 13% growth over the same period last year and total revenue fro...

Ibc Bank Sponsors Proyecto Bienestar Laredo

International Bank of Commerce, Laredo, TX, recently announced its corporate sponsorship of Proyecto Bienestar Laredo, a study designed to reduce obesity rates and Type 2 diabetes in children. The bank has pledged more than $25,000 over the course of three years toward transportation costs that will benefit students participating in the after-school portion of the study. The program, which is the largest of its kind in the country is being funded by a $5 million grant from the National Instit...

Deputy Banking Commissioner Gayle Griffin Passes Away Oct. 3

Gayle L. Griffin, Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Banking since December 1999, passed away on Oct 3 after a brief but courageous battle with cancer. Griffin was with the department 25-plus years, having oversight of bank and trust supervision responsibilities, corporate activities, information technology and legislative issues to name a few. Griffin was very instrumental in advancing the agency in the areas of risk focused supervision, internal education program development, documen...

Legacytexas Bank Expands Into N.E. Tarrant County

Sterling Bancshares Completes Merger with Bank of the Hills

Meridian Bank Texas Opens with Fort Worth Operations

Latest Trimmed Mean Pce Inflation Rate Favorable

Bankers Roundtable

What Are the Regulators Focusing On in Their Exams From a Technology Standpoint?

In a roundtable discussion, several bank executives talked about what the regulators are focusing on their exams from a technology standpoint. First Bank of Conroe president Sam W. Baker said on the IT side, the OCC focused on the multifactor authentication and disaster recovery. First National Bank of Evant chairman and CEO Ronnie Sullins added that regulators seemed very focused on protecting customer information through their Internet banking Web site, as well as the due diligence their va...

What's Hot With Tbasco

S1 Internet Banking Solutions for Community Financial Institutions

Hsas Present Banks with Significant Opportunity to Grow Their Business

Since the passage of Health Savings Account (HSA) legislation in 2004, Wolters Kluwer Financial Services has worked with more than 2,000 banks to help them establish HSA programs. Banks offering HSAs are taking advantage of a rare opportunity to delve into a new product line they are already well-positioned to offer to their customers. Wolters Kluwer Financial Services has made it a priority to help banks learn more about the benefits of offering HSAs in several ways.

Your Advocate

Offense and Defense in the 80th Texas Legislature

Although the legislature convenes on Jan 9 and works until May 28, 2007, the newly elected and reelected can start prefiling bills on Nov 13. The House and Senate are expected to file approximately 6,000 bills -- bankers will look at almost every one of them to see if there is any impact on the banking industry. Because the business of banking touches so many parts of the economy and the law, they will be active in pursuing and defeating legislation in a number of areas: 1. immigration, 2. Wa...

Message From The President

Bancinsure: Good Products, Pricing and Experienced Staff

In the mid-to-late 1980s, the banking industry was faced with a crisis in the marketplace. That's when five state bankers associations joined forces to found BancInsure - the insurance company developed by bankers to serve banks. Since its inception in 1985, BancInsure has been bringing product availability and favorable pricing to the banking industry. But what really sets the company apart in Texas is the quality of service and experience that Brien O'Connor, Latresa Powell, Pat Fleming and...

Banker To Banker

Bibles, Bait and Guns

Situated in the Bible belt, near a lake and away from an urban setting, the "Bibles-Bait-Guns" signage did not really seem out of place. But as the author neared the lake, he was disappointed to see that it was virtually dried up. The entrepreneurs down the road had shifted with their changing market demands. Now the signage proudly boasted "Dougnuts-Beer-Archery." Despite the necessary changes in product focus, the store appeared to still be doing well. The lesson here is that in reality peo...

Community Banker

Spotlight: Combining a Love of Working with People and Numbers

Michael O'Rourke first discovered his love for banking while working as a teller for Bank of the West at South Plains Mall in Lubbock. He was a student at Texas Tech University at the time and, without that first important experience in the industry, his love of working with people and numbers may have gone unnoticed, and it is possible he may never have met his wife Cindy, one of the original 13 people working at TIB-The Independent BankersBank in Dallas. O'Rourke is now the president and CE...

Legal Hotline

Corporations May Not Open Now Accounts

A question on corporations that open a business money market and negotiable order of withdrawal (NOW) accounts that will earn interest is answered. They may have a money market account but not a NOW account. NOW accounts have limited ownership requirements. Both account types get their pedigree from Regulation D, 12 CFR 204. NOW is a transaction account and, therefore, subject to the highest reserve requirements imposed by Regulation D. A money market deposit account (MMDA) is a savings accou...