Here Is a Process for PPP2 That Could Help You

Of all the lending programs in banking history, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has to be one of the most complicated ever to enthrall bankers. Consider that in the next couple of weeks, banks will be:  originating the second draw of PPP (PPP2) under new guidelines; originating PPP loans under the initial set of guidelines…

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Should Community Banks Consider Credit Tenant Loans

A credit tenant loan (CTL) is a loan secured by the real estate pledged as collateral and the obligation of a credit-rated tenant of that real estate.  These loans are a cross between a bond (because the tenant’s obligation to pay rent is a senior obligation of a creditworthy obligor) and a commercial mortgage (because…

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How To Set Up For The Next PPP Round by January

The new split bipartisan Covid Relief Bill got traction yesterday and stands a good chance of getting approved in the next couple of weeks. Most versions of a new stimulus package contain the approval for the next draw of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The SBA, in turn, is preparing to bring the program live…

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Should Your Bank Have A Workplace Vaccine Policy?

With FDA approval and the first shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine start to hit our communities this week, the question comes up over should banks have a policy around if the vaccine should be mandated, recommended, supported, and acknowledged in the workplace?  On the one hand, taking a proactive stance supporting workplace vaccination could be…

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Why a 1.65% Credit Spread Makes Sense

We recently spoke to a frustrated banker who was amazed that a regional bank was trying to poach his existing customer by quoting the borrower a credit spread of 1.65%. At such a thin credit spread, how would any bank make a profit, and why was this regional bank so irrational?  In this blog, we…

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The 2020 Banker’s Gift Guide For You And Your Clients

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us we can turn our attention to the holidays. That means our annual gift guide for bankers. We do this as we not only have a good time putting this together, but it is one of the pieces of content that we produce that drives heavy traffic. At this time,…

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What Index Should Banks Use Now for Hedging and ARC Loans

On October 23, 2020, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) published the Fallback Protocol (Protocol) that allows firms that use LIBOR to transition to SOFR when LIBOR becomes unavailable.  On November 30, 2020, ISDA and IBA announced that it will cease publication of the one-week and two-month US dollar LIBOR settings immediately following the…

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5 Skills We Learned In a Recent Remote Selling and Coaching Training

In a recent training, the recording of which is below, our Bank participated in an intro class on how to get better at remote selling and coaching put on by Jack Hubbard of St. Meyer & Hubbard. Given the pandemic and the fact that we believe remote selling is here to stay, we found it was…

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Commercial Lender Compensation for Fee Income

We have blogged about how low-interest rates, COVID-19 credit strain, and tough competition for quality commercial loans create a challenging environment for community banks. One way that community banks are responding to deterioration in net interest margin (NIM) is by embracing commercial loan hedging programs. These hedging programs can appeal to borrowers in today’s interest rate…

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Managing CRE Risk – What Will Happen to Office Space?

Office lending for banks has been one of the better-performing sectors of commercial real estate (CRE) for banks for some time. Even during the pandemic, the credit on office loans is doing surprisingly well. The question arises, what happens in the future? Will it be business as usual post-pandemic? Will companies take more space to…

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Why Its Time For A Hedge Program At Your Bank

Between low-interest rates, the concerning rise in COVID-19 cases, and tough competition for quality commercial loans, community banking is a tough business.  While there has been a nominal deterioration in credit quality thus far, a deterioration in the business environment related to the pandemic and lack of fiscal stimulus may change that. Net interest margins…

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A New Skill For Bankers – Selling, Leading, and Learning Remotely

Being able to adapt and pivot is the hallmark of success in 2020. There are many new skills that we picked up, how to work various video conferencing applications, how to do remote check-ins, and, of course, how to run your entire bank from your home dining room table. One skill that still can use…

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