Capital Briefs: FDIC to Start Consolidating Field Offices

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. will close four of its 98 field offices by the end of 1996, the first phase of five-year consolidation plan.

The agency will close two field offices in Texas, consolidating its Forth Worth and Dallas operations and two offices serving the Houston area. The Decatur, Ala., office is being merged into the Birmingham office while FDIC staffers in Athens, Ga., are being merged into the agency's Atlanta office.

Nicholas J. Ketcha Jr., the FDIC's director of supervision, said no FDIC employees will be laid off. But, he said, staffing levels at the four offices affected will shrink through attrition. People in duplicative jobs may either move to different jobs or transfer to other offices, he said.

Mr. Ketcha said he couldn't estimate cost savings, because as the agency shuts down some offices it needs to expand the remaining ones to accommodate examiners who are spending less time working at banks.

The agency expects to close about 12 offices in the next five years.

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