WASHINGTON
HOUSE BANKING Committee Chairman Jim Leach has written housing industry groups touting his plan to make Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan banks help shore up the thrift insurance fund. Page 3
REGIONAL BANKING
SECOND-QUARTER profits grew thanks to cost cutting and some loan growth at the latest Midwest regionals to report. Trimming expenses helped Firstar's boost its net 30%; Standard Federal's rose 19% amid strong demand for mortgages. Page 4
COMMUNITY BANKING
SOUTH UMPQUA Bank in Roseville, Ore., is no slouch in the trend-setting department. Its futuristic new branch has videos, retail-style displays, and a "computer cafe" where customers can sip coffee while calling up their accounts or surfing the Net. Page 8
BANKUNITED FINANCIAL of Coral Gables, Fla., said it intends to buy Suncoast Savings and Loan in a stock swap worth about $29 million. Page 8
TECHNOLOGY
HATIM A. TYABJI, president and CEO of Verifone, has resigned from the board of Cybercash, citing potential conflicts of interests as the two companies' businesses overlap. Verifone was an early investor in Cybercash and has a strategic alliance with it. Both companies were founded by William Melton, Cybercash's current chief executive officer. Page 16
PREMENOS TECHNOLOGY, in a move that could expand its customer base to banks, has acquired Prime Factors, a maker of encryption software. Page 16
MORTGAGES
J. TERRELL BROWN Jr. is looking for a few good mortgage bankers to help his Ginger Mae division of United Companies double orginations this year. Page 10
VICTORIA MORTGAGE, after a few failed attempts to grow through various channels, has shut its doors and is liquidating its assets, sources said. Page 11
INVESTMENT PRODUCTS
AMSOUTH's problems with its brokerage unit are far from over, despite a settlement with the National Association of Securities Dealers. Page 12
HARRIS BANKCORP will put trust executives into all 26 of its community banks around the Chicago area. Page 12
CREDIT/DEBIT/ATMs
CARD FRONTIERS: Product announcements in Europe and the United States have brought the smart card closer to the home. One involves PCs with chip card readers; the other, a box with a smart card reader that goes on top of the TV. Page 14
LETTERS Page 22
FINANCE
BANK OF BOSTON named Mary-Etta Schneider managing director and head of loan syndications, filling a key post that had been vacant since March. Back page
