A Deal in the Cards?
A curious job posting popped up on the professional networking site LinkedIn earlier this month. Capital One Financial Corp. is seeking "a senior vice president of acquisition readiness."
According to the posting, the position is part of the branch operations team. The primary focus of the job will be "to provide proactive leadership with broad, strategic planning for branch and branch operations acquisitions" and to "create a repeatable playbook for acquisition due diligence and integration activities." Ultimately, "this exciting opportunity will help shape the evolution of Capital One's banking business," the ad said.
When asked about the job posting and what it might signal for Capital One, spokeswoman Shelley Solheim wrote in an email: "We are always looking for talented candidates for positions across the company. Our hiring strategies for positions like these are not generally driven by imminent projects or plans. Our goal is really to have the best teams in place as we look ahead and consider future programs and plans."
Just in case, inquire within if you are someone interested in going on a shopping spree.
Barrow Gang Lives
Retirees Nancy Kinder and Ray Harrison could be considered a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde. But unlike those notorious Depression-era gangsters, the
Hailing from Fowlerville, Mich., the couple has been traveling around the state, tracking down ATMs that neglect to post notices about surcharges for nonbank customers and filing lawsuits against the banks for violation of the Electronic Fund Transfer Act.
According to news reports, Kinder and Harrison seek out ATMs that don't have a notification sign. When they find one, they withdraw cash, take a picture of the ATM and file suit. The couple has sued 36 banks in the past two years for failing to display a surcharge notice, according to reports.
Such lawsuits have been on the rise, with similar cases filed in California, Texas and Illinois, a recent article in
Geoffrey Bestor, the attorney representing Kinder and Harrison, told the newspaper that his clients receive $1,000 or $2,000 per winning case. He also said they've donated to charity $100,000 from the ATM suits, some of which haven't been finalized.
Tennessee Shuffle
First Tennessee Bank, the main banking subsidiary of First Horizon National Corp. announced the retirement of three executives, and other organizational changes.
The bank said late Wednesday that Charles Burkett, the president of banking at First Tennessee, plans to step down from his post in June and retire at the end of the year. Frank Schriner Jr., president of the Southeast market for First Tennessee in Chattanooga, and Newt Raff, president of the northeast market, will retire this summer.
In conjunction with the retirements, the Memphis bank is streamlining its organizational structure. First Tennessee will be divided into three main regions of Tennessee — west, middle and east — instead of five. Additionally, First Tennessee has combined its business banking and commercial banking divisions. The changes are part of the bank's efforts to improve productivity and efficiency, First Tennessee said.
Burkett's responsibilities will be divided among three executives. Chief Operating Officer David Popwell stressed in an interview Thursday that the retirements were "normal, course-of-business" changes and that reducing the number of regions will alleviate the administrative duties of management in charge of certain markets within those regions, leaving them more time to focus on customers.
The three regional presidents are Pam Fansler in the east; Doyle Rippee in the central part of the state; and in the west, Bruce Hopkins.
Continental Op
Kevin Cronin was appointed general manager and head of U.S. corporate banking for the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd.
Cronin was most recently managing director and head of U.S. corporate banking for Banco Santander SA of Spain. He previously spent 20 years at Bank of America Corp. and its predecessors, working in corporate banking and treasury management sales.
At Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi he is in charge of relationship and portfolio management in the U.S., with a focus on adding more customers.
