by Matthew D. Pieniazek, President, Darling Consulting Group, Inc.

Building Stronger Banks: Tools, Tactics, and Teamwork. This theme for the upcoming 2005 Seattle Bank Management Conference sets the tone for an important message that I look forward to sharing with all of you during my presentation on May 19: Strong Banks Have a Strong ALCO (Asset/Liability Committee).

I will speak to a number of challenges all banks, thrifts, and credit unions face in the current economic/rate environment. More importantly, I will concentrate on a variety of strategies that have emanated from well-functioning ALCO processes. This article provides an overview of some of the issues and strategy considerations that will be at the core of my presentation. More >

How 20 Minutes Just Might Save You 20 Basis Points (with apologies to GEICO!) If you’re in the business of financing affordable housing or economic development initiatives in your community, the Seattle Bank has two programs that offer the opportunity for real savings. In fact, for the 20 to 30 minutes it takes to complete the applications, you can save up to 20 basis points on a Seattle Bank advance. More >

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