Last Week in Words

TUESDAY
"It was a wonderful moment. … Our system is so broken up in terms of accountability that when someone finally accepted some, it was like the dog that caught the cat: now what do we do?"

— Lawrence Baxter, a Duke University law professor who studies bank regulation, in describing lawmakers' stunned reaction after a regulator admitted blame at a congressional hearing last year.

WEDNESDAY
"It wouldn't surprise me if one's announced today. … These are happening. People are in discussions; people are doing deals right now, negotiating them and meeting with regulators right now to get them approved."

— Jim Wheeler, a partner at Morris, Manning & Martin who represents banks in mergers and acquisitions, about the thawing market for bank M&A deals.

THURSDAY
"If you are under the regulatory caps, you should be doing more CRE. … We're certainly looking at it. Your pricing power is going to be phenomenal."

— John Tranter, the president and chief executive of Gulfstream Business Bank, on why his institution is taking a serious look at doing more commercial real estate lending.

FRIDAY
"Banking is going back to a community banking model of know your customer, know your customer. … Generally speaking, with minorities, when you earn their business they tend to be loyal customers."

— John Vasquez, the chief executive of minority-owned Newport Capital Bancorp, about how more investors are seeing the value of putting their money in community-focused institutions.