Texas Banking

Congress has proposed a new banking bill -- H.R. 3126, the "Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act." It definitely is not intended to protect the safety and soundness of your bank. Fortunately, Texas bankers have probably been able to slow down the freight train a little bit. Through the good help of McAllen Congressman Ruben Hinojosa, a group of TBA bankers and the author were able to meet this week with Rep. Barney Frank, chairman of the House of Finance Committee. Chairman Frank was very...

Texas Bankers Foundation Honors 50-Year Bankers

Between 1944 and 1959, an era referred to as the Atomic Age, 13 Texas bankers were just beginning their careers. At the time, the economy was shifting, setting off a recession similar to the one currently plaguing the nation. In May, the Texas Bankers Foundation honored these bankers with 50-Year Banker Awards, noting their half century or more of service and dedication to the banking industry. Three of the bankers who were honored are: Mary Jane Moses of Waxahachie has worked for Citizens Na...

Dealing with Angry Customers

Recent economic challenges have threatened the livelihoods of both financial institutions and their customers. Guidelines imposed to protect banks from further risk have, in many cases, impacted customers and caused them to become distrustful and sometimes outraged with their banks. The following approaches can be highly effective in de-escalating angry customers, improving customer relationships and enhancing the image of the institution: 1. Examine the situation from the customer's perspect...

More Than Just a Bank

It is often said that banks are pillars of their communities. In the midst of the financial crisis of past months, banks that have stepped up to prove the age-old adage have played a significant part in how the public and the press view banks as a whole. Many times, however, their good deeds go unnoticed by the general public. As a result, in 1997, the Texas Bankers Foundation established the Cornerstone Awards to recognize the reward Texas banks that have made a commitment to be cornerstones...

The Next Generation of Recruiting the Best & Brightest

The first part of a two-part series on recruiting and retaining the best employees is presented. Recruiting the right people for the right job and utilizing their talents to enhance products and, ultimately, profits doesn't happen by accident. In fact, companies that do this well tend to reap the benefits of happy employees who know how to make clients feel appreciated. In turn, the sequence is complete when those satisfied clients become loyal customer and the best word-of-mouth advertisers ...

Brillhart Retires From Firstbank Southwest

Department of Banking to Host Train-the-Trainer Workshops

Union State Bank Funds Senior Crimestoppers Program at Rosewood Nursing Home

Survey Reveals Texas Saving and Spending Patterns

Many Texans are saving more this year than last year despite the country's economic woes, according to a recently released survey form Dallas-based SWACHA -- The Electronic Payments Resource. The survey of 400 Texans revealed that persons who use their employer's direct deposit option for their paychecks are saving at a higher rate than most Americans. Of those using direct deposit, 30% reported putting some money into an account other than a checking account, with 34% of those putting more t...

Four Out of Five Households Bank Online

More than two million US households adopted online banking and bill payment during the last year, according to a survey conducted by Fiserv Inc. A total of 69.7 million households, representing four out of five households with Internet access, now use online banking services, primarily to access balance and account history and transfer money between accounts. In addition, 64.4 million households pay at least one bill online, either at a bank Web site or directly at a company Web site. With to...

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In-Branch Tv Provides Marketing, Pr Benefits

High-definition LCD monitors strategically positioned in places like teller lines, customer waiting areas and even drive-thru stations allow bank marketing teams to quickly schedule and distribute content for promotions, branch announcements and community events. Banks quickly recognize the value of this new marketing and public relations tool because it delivers increased customer acquisitions and retention by boosting product awareness, providing a more personalized banking experience and l...

The Bullseye and the Bear Market

When Chris Badger was growing up on a farm an hour west of Kansas City, he never thought that he would one day be a bank president. Premier Bank Texas is part of a bigger organization based in Missouri. Since its 1995 inception, the bank has spread to 13 locations in Missouri, Illinois and Texas. Badger's Grapevine location, which opened its doors in 2006, was built to be the headquarters of the Texas market. Premier Banks primary business is real estate lending, which has been a shaky busine...

Inside the Lege Tour

They recently completed their TBA Legislative Update Tour following the close of the 81st Session of the Texas Legislature in Austin. The meeting was conducted in 15 cities across the state in the span of 14 days. More than 600 interested bankers attended the meetings, which consisted of a breakfast or luncheon and a briefing. This particular tour -- the fourth one conducted since the author joined TBA -- was a first in many respects. They were pressed for time, as usual, but were also challe...

D.C. Threatens Banks with a New Consumer Agency

The Obama Presidency is proving to be the most ambitious in enhancing the role of the government in the economy since the administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In January, the first Obama stimulus bill was passed that provided for new spending of $787 billion. With unemployment at 9.5%, the highest in 26 years, the White House is talking about the need for another stimulus package. The failures of AIG and several broker dealers proved the need for a resolution authority. Many observers...

Warn Your Customers About Foreclosure Rescue Scams

Fraudulent foreclosure "rescue" professionals use half-truths and outright lies to sell services that promise relief and then fail to deliver. Their goal is to make a quick profit through fees or mortgage payments they collect from the homeowner, but do not pass on to the lender. Foreclosure rescue firms use a variety of tactics to find homeowners in distress: Some sift through public foreclosure notices in newspapers and on the Internet or through public files at local government offices and...

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