Today's News

COMMUNITY BANKING

FORMER COMPTROLLER Robert Clarke says he relishes his part-owner role in Community Bank, Santa Fe, N.M., because it's not the sort of banking "where people don't really care if they talk to a human being or not." Page 8

WASHINGTON

After repeatedly criticizing the Independent Bankers Association of America for opposing financial reform legislation, Rep. Jim Leach thinks he's made some progress. Page 2

REGIONAL BANKING

Artistic interpretations of banking now inhabit a former branch of Chase Manhattan in New York City's Chinatown. Page 4

CORPORATE FINANCE

Citicorp began syndication of a smaller loan and a new note package for Fox Kids Worldwide's acquisition of International Family Entertainment. Page 7

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS

Mellon Bank unveiled an agreement to market its administration of medical savings accounts to the American Dental Association's 140,000 members. Page 10

MORTGAGES

A second senior executive from American Home Funding, whose parent bank has changed hands, jumped ship to Fleet. Page 17

CREDIT/DEBIT/ATMs

Deepening its imprint on the merchant processing market, Nova Information Systems is forming a joint venture with a subsidiary of Milwaukee-based Firstar. Page 18

TECHNOLOGY

Visitors to the Yalta Hotel in Ukraine don't need cash or credit cards to buy a beer or purchase perfume. All they need is their hands. Page 26

MARKET MONITOR

Shares of a fast-rising brokerage stock apparently soared too close to the sun last week. Hambrecht & Quist dropped after a Smith Barney analyst slapped it with a "sell" rating. Page 33

WEEKLY REPORT: SMALL BUSINESS

Despite the wide availability of electronic alternatives, most small businesses do their banking the old-fashioned way. Page 12

Prospects look good for Wells Fargo's pitch to Hispanic business owners, rival bankers say. Page 13