Today's News

CREDIT/DEBIT/ATMs:

ADVANTA CORP. has named former MasterCard chief executive Alex W. "Pete" Hart, above, to succeed Dennis Alter as its CEO. Mr. Alter, who had been Advanta's top officer for 24 years, will remain chairman. Page 14

WASHINGTON:

THE ABA, advocating greater protections for lenders, has asked the Supreme Court to declare an asset forfeiture law unconstitutional. Page 2

REGIONAL BANKING:

IN A MOVE some analysts are calling a demotion for chief financial officer James W. Wert, Keycorp said it will split his duties in two. He will become chief investment officer - concentrating on investment management and corporate securities trading - while the bank conducts a nationwide search for a new CFO. Page 5

DEUTSCHE BANK, signaling a heightened interest in capital markets and securities activities, has named W. Carter McClelland president and chief executive of its U.S. investment banking subsidiary. Page 5

SMALL BUSINESS:

A NEW SURVEY concludes small businesses are enjoying an unprecedented access to bank credit, although those in the western part of the country have more trouble getting loans than those in other regions. Page 6

COMMUNITY BANKING:

WEST JERSEY Bancshares sees the industry's big players getting into the merger game, and it doesn't want to be left on the sidelines. Page 8

MORTGAGES:

A KEY EXECUTIVE in the home loan industry says credit standards are steadily deteriorating. Page 10

TECHNOLOGY:

ONLINE RESOURCES and Communications Corp. announced plans to offer home banking and bill payment services through personal computers. Page 17

FIRST CHICAGO/Mercantile Services, one of two financial agents slated to process electronic tax payments for the federal government, has licensed client/server hardware from Hewlett-Packard and software from Informix. Page 17

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS:

THOSE WHO THINK trust bankers have it easy should consider the cautionary tale of U.S. Trust Corp.'s involvement in the bizarre Doris Duke case, which now includes allegations that the bank may have contributed to the untimely death of one of the late tobacco millionaire's pet camels. Page 12

FINANCE:

CALIFORNIA FEDERAL Bank has issued Contingent Litigation Recovery Participation Interests, giving shareholders a 25% interest in the cash recovery the thrift ultimately expects from a lawsuit it filed against the government over the exclusion of goodwill from capital ratios. Back page

BROWN BROTHERS' Nancy Bush, whose angry reaction may have helped scuttle Bank of Boston's proposed merger with CoreStates, says her strong opinions and blunt approach to the market come from an upbringing that focused on reading and analysis. Page 22

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