Texas Banking

Identity fraud and identity theft are complex criminal activities that can be difficult to detect, and each fraud event creates multiple victims -- the businesses that transacted with the stolen identity and the consumers whose identity was fraudulently used. There is no silver bullet that can protect businesses and consumers. To defend against this ever-growing risk, both groups must use a layered security approach to reduce their risks. Banks have been pushed to the forefront of this epidem...

Resisting the Undertow

A national recession probably is underway. A prolonged housing contraction, a severe credit crunch and soaring energy prices appear to be overwhelming the efforts to prop up the US economy with monetary and fiscal stimulus. No state will be unaffected by the national weakness. But Texas will be more resilient than most. For some time now, growth in Texas has been slowing, in reaction to national trends. And that deceleration almost certainly will continue over the first half of 2008 as the na...

Fdic Stresses Importance of Managing Commercial Real Estate Concentrations

Bank People

Banking Bytes

Chairman's Forum

Volunteer for the Direct Contact Bankers Program

Last month, the author attended the American Bankers Association's Government Relations Summit in Washington, DC. This is an annual event where bankers from across the US come together to discuss current legislative issues affecting the industry and then make personal calls on their individual legislators informing them of the potential impact of the legislation on their constituents and on the banking industry. A group of Texas bankers, the "Texas Six" as they were described at the ABA Summi...

News & Trends

Six Banks Lauded for Contributions to Legal Aid for the Poor

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation awarded six banking institutions -- Amegy Bank of Texas, Citibank Texas, Comerica, Compass, Sterling Bank and Washington Mutual -- with the prestigious Prime Partner Award for their outstanding contributions to legal aid for the poor. The six recognized banks have participated in the state's Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Program and have been designated as Prime Partners. The Texas Access to Justice Foundation receives most of its funding f...

Community Banks Mildly Optimistic About 2008

Despite the turmoil in the housing market and the prospect for a recession, the US' community banks were mildly optimistic about their ability to increase mortgage lending this year, according to the American Bankers Association's 15th annual Real Estate Lending Survey. Some 39% of survey participants predicted in October and November an increase in their single-family lending in 2008 -- the same level of optimism expressed the year before -- and another 39% said lending volume would remain t...

Bbva Receives Federal Approval to Integrate Its U.S. Sunbelt Franchise

The BBVA Group announced that it has received all necessary regulatory approvals to move forward with integrating its four US subsidiary banks into one financial institution. The result of the mergers will make Compass Bank the Sunbelt region's largest financial institution and give BBVA a leadership position in a geographic region that continues to grow faster than the US as a whole and whose economy continues to outperform other regions. The integration of the four banks is expected to be c...

Gene Mclaughlin Passes Away

First National Bank of Mexia Plans to Open Waco Branch

First Community Bank Fort Bend Expands

First Financial Bankshares Opens Two New Locations in Brock and Acton

Optimum Opens Distribution and Print Center in Houston

Southwest Bank Moves Banking Center to Arlington

We Wish to Welcome and Thank Our Newest Associate Members

Worthington National Announces New Colleyville Location

Tbasco Reaffirms Endorsement of Clark Consulting

After an extensive review of several bank-owned life insurance (BOLI) providers, the Clark Consulting endorsement was renewed and extended by the TBASCO Board of Directors following its conclusion that Clark continues to provide the strongest BOLI programs and highest level of service to the Texas banking industry. The firm will continue to provide its clients with strategic financing of underfunded and unfunded liabilities utilizing the latest advancements in BOLI products. Clark Consulting ...

What's Hot With Tbasco

Technology Solutions Can Help Tba Members Meet New Red Flag Rule

Technology can be extremely effective in helping banks address regulatory compliance issues if used in conjunction with the right processes and procedures as part of a bank's overall risk management program. The "Red Flag Rule" requires all depository institutions to have an Identity Theft Prevention Program in place. A number of technology solutions exist to help banks address the new Red Flag Rule. Wolters Kluwer Financial Services offers Texas Bankers Association members Wiz SentriTM: Risk...

Your Advocate

Washington Continues to Struggle with the Subprime Crisis

Washington has been wrestling with the subprime issue since last summer. In an effort to address the situation, the Bush administration started a program urging the private sector to take existing subprime fixed to adjustable rate mortgages and convert them to long-range fixed mortgages. Most federal legislative proposals involve the use of taxpayer funds to help those facing foreclosure. The latest proposal from House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank would federalize many e...

Message From The President

Insurance Coverage for Bankers, by Bankers

BancInsure offers financial institution bond, directors & officers, property & casualty insurance and workers' comp. Not only was BancInsure created by bankers, but its board includes several former bank presidents and two banking association executives. Over the years, the presence of BancInsure has forced premiums down to the benefit of the Texas banking community. Plus, innovative products have been created to fill holes in banking exposures. Brien O'Connor and Latresa Powell are t...

Banker To Banker

The Moody Family Legacy

Although Moody National Bank in Galveston recently celebrated its 100th anniversary of Texas banking, the bank's history and legacy go back beyond 1907. Reading a history of Col William L Moody and his family is an astonishing tale that rivals that of the Astors, Rockefellers and Vanderbilts. After starting cotton-related businesses on the Island, he and his brother opened a private bank, WL and LF Moody, in 1866. One of Moody's banks was the City National bank, which received its new nationa...

Community Banker

Spotlight: Mr. &Amp; Mrs. Brown

Bankers Joe and Dora Brown live life on the go in McAllen. Married for nearly 36 years, these two community bankers are busy with their banks, their community and their family from sun up to sun down. Despite their busy schedules, these two South Texas bankers have figured out how to work at competing banks and still have a great time being active members of their community together. When Joe and Dora walk out the front door in the morning it is business, but when they come home in the evenin...

Legal Hotline

Your Bankpac Dollars Protect Your Pocketbook

While many in business have a distaste for politics, wise businessmen and women recognize that participating in the political process can help ensure their voice is heard and their interests are represented. TBA BankPac and TBA effectively coordinate their respective efforts by actively participating in political campaigns and maintaining an effective lobbying effort. Contributions to TBA BankPac enable Texas bankers and TBA staff to have direct contact with legislators by providing them with...

From The Editor

Spring has Sprung at Tba