John Reosti

Efforts to make it easier for small businesses to apply for SBA loans, coupled with key community banks' outreach initiatives, contributed to the third consecutive record for 7(a) lending, but credit union participation is still lagging.

Efforts to make it easier for smaller businesses to apply for SBA loans, coupled by concerted expansion efforts among key regional and community banks, contributed to the third consecutive record for 7(a) lending.

The company, which is still recovering from two recent hurricanes, said it will voluntary comply with several key restrictions that were in the 2010 written agreement.

Metropolitan in N.Y. plans to use its IPO proceeds to fuel CRE and commercial loan growth

The agency has a relatively new program designed to quickly get funds into disaster-stricken areas. The problem is that many banks and credit unions don't know it exists.

The focus has been on CUs getting at least some of their corporate stabilization assessments back earlier than expected, but NCUA's real goal is to prop up the Share Insurance Fund.

The NCUA is proposing a special payout of up to $800 million to credit unions next year, which may boost lending. Banks were uncharacteristically silent on the plan.

While credit unions will likely be pleased with a rebate of as much as $800 million, that amount could have been significantly more, had the regulator not voted to raise the normal operating level.

Ned Handy, who will take the helm in March, wants to be more aggressive luring deposits in the company's home state. That should reduce its reliance on other funding sources to support loan growth.

Joseph MarcAurele will retire as chairman and CEO in March. The company's president and chief operating officer, Ned Handy, will take the helm.