In mid-June Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. fleshed out his “Blueprint for a Modernized Financial Regulatory Structure” as it relates to the Federal Reserve in a speech before Women in Housing and Fi... >>more

So far 2008 has been a turbulent year for weather with a record number of tornados and extreme flooding plaguing the Midwest. While Mother Nature wreaks havoc over the land it seems like a good time to think a... >>more

It is evidence that Murphy’s Law remains a force in our destinies — just when banks and their holding companies are in greater need of capital than at any time since the 1980s, the market for pooled trust preferred securities has dried-up, leaving many banks wondering how they are going to satisfy their growing capital needs. Whether because of a large portfolio of non-performing real estate loan... >>more

The uncertainty of our economy continues to roll on. Subprime problems and the fallout have had a ripple effect throughout the United States and global economies. Continuing revelations and concerns move markets and prices of investment portfolio holdings up and down like a yoyo. What types of securities should be purchased in light of all of these uncertainties? Many of us who work in banking ha... >>more

At First State in Parkersburg, Iowa, Memorial Day weekend was a busy one. The bank, which merged with MidWestOne in March, had begun standardizing all its products and moving customers into those products in anticipation of officially changing the bank’s name in August. Some of the staff worked on Saturday, then returned on Sunday for final testing — making sure the product standardization had bee... >>more

With the evolution of security technologies such as intrusion prevention systems and firewalls, individuals seeking to obtain confidential information have begun using interpersonal tactics, rather than technical means to solicit information. This “social engineering” is a collection of techniques used to manipulate people into performing actions or divulging confidential information. This infor... >>more

The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s new headquarters was opened to the public June 16 and began offering group guided tours on July 1. But about 200 bankers from across the region attended an open house June 12 for breakfast, building tours and a dedication ceremony. The dedication ceremony featured comments from Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke. “Considering the Federal Reserve... >>more

If the theme, “Unmasking the Possibilities,” augmented with graphics borrowed from the Mardis Gras, suggested frivolity, such was not totally the case at the Missouri Bankers Association’s 118th annual convention last month. True, the schedule included the usual fun and games, but the program tended to the serious — the political and regulatory climate and ways to win in a difficult banking enviro... >>more

During the Kansas Bankers Association’s 69th Annual Bank Management Clinic last month in Wichita, bankers from the Sunflower State learned about the importance of updating and testing disaster recovery plans, keeping a watchful eye on non-bank competitors like Wal-Mart and understanding and hiring the next generation of bankers. Having experienced disasters in Kansas from flooding to tornadoes, t... >>more

The successful launch last year of the Kansas City Equity Fund is enabling financial institutions and other corporations to invest in tax credit financed developments in the Kansas City area. The KCEF and its 20-year-old parent, St. Louis Equity Fund Inc., raise capital on an annual basis and invest it in affordable and historic rental housing units by purchasing federal and state tax credits. Ac... >>more