Independent Banker

De novos, the new buds of banking, are primed for growth and success From his office window in Grand Rapids, Mich., Gerry Johnson Jr. occasionally glances down the street to his old office. While the bank building he once occupied is still there, the...

With the millennium bug squashed, certain technologies show promising futures Three years ago, Y2K was just beginning to rear its ugly head as regulators scrambled to provide guidance to bankers. When banking visionaries peered into their crystal balls,...

A team effort brings in record donations at 2000 ICBPAC auction fund-raiser More than 650 people attended the ICBA Political Action Committee auction fund-raiser this year during the ICBA National Convention in San Antonio, collecting $123,000 for the...

Develop a sales and service culture that makes dollars and sense Over the last several years a litany of bank industry consultants have preached the virtues of developing a high-performance sales and service culture. And successful banks have recognized...

Software tools to get the most from your bank's sales efforts Trying to keep up with the proliferation of product offerings in today's financial marketplace is enough to make your head spin. And equipping your staff to best serve the needs of John or...

Bankers create new approaches and spaces to outshine the competition oday's community banks face a mix of economic conditions unlike any that have occurred before. On one hand, unparalleled prosperity has led to increased opportunities for new business...

Are your employees a valuable asset or a bottom-line expense? A Massachusetts textile firm, Malden Mills, operated for many years from a sprawling complex of nine buildings. The company employed 2,400 semiskilled workers, mostly new immigrants to our...

Permanent normal trade relations for China would help American farmers While most Americans in the United States enjoy nearly unprecedented prosperity, many of our farmers and ranchers find themselves in a daily struggle for survival. Low prices, recession...