Articles @ Focus Forum
Browse all of the articles published in the newsletter.
- How is Your Board Communication Post Financial Crisis?
by Jay Brew & Michelle Gula | Issue 051 | February 2010
Through our field work with dozens of boards, we’re experiencing a new variety of board-management tug of war in this post-crisis atmosphere. What’s most troubling is that these destructive tensions are characteristic of healthy and struggling banks alike. - Market Letter: GDP Calls in Doubt the Depth of the Recession
by Jay Brew | Issue 051 | February 2010
Based on current thinking, we had a recession with three back-to-back quarters of negative GDP. It appears that GDP turned the corner within the second quarter of 2009, becoming positive for the last two quarters of the year. This suggests that the recession is over and that we can expect GDP to remain positive for many quarters to come.- Make Enterprise Risk Management Your Foundation
by Michelle Gula | Issue 051 | February 2010
Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) has been in different stages of evolution. The financial crisis of 2008/2009 changes ERM from a function pressed by the regulators to a strategic attribute for all community banks. ERM should be the risk “pulse” that contributes to the board and management team’s understanding of risk, setting risk parameters, the tactical solutions to control risk, and a more effective method of monitoring risk.- Social Networking: Leverage or Limit?
Issue 051 | February 2010
How do you justify adding social media to your marketing plan? It’s currently unquantifiable and relatively obscure. Plus, how do you find the resources to deploy the right tools? - Are You Listening to Your Front Line?
Issue 050 | January 2010
Are you listening to your front line? If you don’t have direct dialogue with your people in the trenches, you could be missing valuable opportunities to break down silos and tap their knowledge before making decisions.- What’s the Story on TARP Repayment?
by Kyle Kuster | Issue 050 | January 2010
There have been many arguments about why the big banks are repaying TARP early. Was it simply a relatively cheap source of capital? What about questions surrounding compensation and bonus structures? - Community Dividends and Assessing Performance
by Jamie Sumner | Issue 050 | January 2010
Mutuals and stock-owned banks operate under the same fundamentals of business, but their consumer approach and community involvement are oftentimes different. This article examines the difference in performance trends over the past nine years and explores some underlying differences between the two structures.- Risk Management After the Financial Crisis
by Jay Brew & Michelle Gula | Issue 050 | January 2010
At this time, one worry is consistent throughout the industry: increased regulatory scrutiny. Every banker would agree that regulators will have a single-minded focus on community bank risk. While necessary and expected, how far will the regulation go?- Market Letter: 2009 Road to Recovery
by Jay Brew | Issue 050 | January 2010
Why do I continue to support my prediction from 1Q of last year of the recovering economy when everyone else called me crazy? As with most economic cycles, most people only focus on the good in an up cycle and the bad in a down cycle. The turning points are questioned with skepticism. The most recent cycle has seen this reaction when faced with the prospects of recovery.- Market Letter: Unemployment Signals Recovery is Gaining Speed
by Jay Brew | Issue 049 | December 2009
It seems odd that trends in unemployment give positive signals for the U.S. economy, but it has always been an excellent indicator. As 2010 begins, the economy will rebound. Unemployment will decline, and interest rates will rise faster than many will believe.