p17tbuc00v1bq3551kc73g3l0vd.jpg
The most notable quotes from American Banker stories of the previous week. Readers are encouraged to add their own observations in the Comments fields at the bottom of each slide.

(Image: Shutterstock)

p17tbuc00vjej1jac1hl215ll1n6tc.jpg

On the Federal Housing Finance Agency hiring a force-placed insurance lobbyist Charles Landgraf to advise it on force-placed market reform:

"This is a broken market, full of kickbacks doing damage to both homeowners and investors. Seeing the FHFA bring in someone like [Landgraf] makes me very skeptical that the FHFA can do the right thing."

—Ira Rheingold, one of several consumer advocates who spoke at the FHFA's closed-door meetings last week.

Related Article: FHFA Hires Insurance Lobbyist as Insurance Consultant

(Image: Fotolia)

p17tbuc00tri81adshp91op71e7q8.jpg

JPMorgan Chase (JPM) boss Jamie Dimon, with renewed vigor, defending his bank's handling of the London Whale affair:

"There was no lying, there was no bull----ing, period."

Related Article: Jamie Dimon, Unleashed

(Image: Bloomberg News)

p17tbuc00vska1l7iddbejn1b5g.jpg

Barry Sommers, new consumer bank CEO at JPMorgan Chase, on why he plans to move ahead with the bank's retail strategy as is:

"The plan was built by many people at this organization. I was part of that, I continue to execute on that plan ... and not put a stamp on anything for the sake of putting a stamp on something."

Related Article: Chase's Sommers Brings Wealth of Experience to Consumer Banking

(Image: Bloomberg News)

p17tbuc00t1eb68tn7t8kir7b25.jpg

Goldman Sachs (GS) CEO Lloyd Blankfein arguing that the federal government would let a big bank fail:

"Anybody who thinks there is a political will to rescue failing financial institutions is not reading the same papers I'm reading."

Related Article: Feds Are Prepared to Let Dying Banks Fail, Goldman's Blankfein Says

(Image: Bloomberg News)

p17tbuc00v1cenqeafv317cr4dme.jpg

On the ideal number of bank charters to maintain:

"There isn't a science to this. It's a fine balance of being able to deliver to the customers you serve, but by the same token, you have to treat shareholders fairly."

—Craig Roda, senior executive vice president at Fulton Financial (FULT)

Related Article: Cost-Cutting Prompting More Banks to Consolidate
p17tbuc00v1gr51nbsci9q1b1g6tb.jpg

Newly appointed Hanmi Financial (HAFC) CEO C.G. Kum jokingly discussing his fluency in Korean:

"My verbal skills are probably adequate to maybe a little bit less than adequate. But I can speak. I can order food at restaurants."

Related Article: Hanmi's New CEO Plots Diversification Strategy
p17tbuc00t101b1os8tm318h1118i6.jpg

On the millions of unbanked Americans who may have trouble paying for health care due to a provision in the Affordable Care Act that lets insurers refuse payments from debit and prepaid cards:

"It's an urgent issue but the insurers are in a pickle… [I]f they eliminate the ability to take debit cards, they may exclude as many as one in four [eligible] Americans from getting health insurance."

—Brian Haile, a senior vice president for health policy at Jackson Hewitt

Related Article: Obamacare Gap Leaves Unbanked in the Lurch

(Image: Shutterstock)

p17tbuc00tgg418en1abs1480133ra.jpg

On why nonbanks like Ocwen Financial (OCN) are expanding their subprime servicing portfolios as banks pull back:

"Someone like Ocwen is not ashamed to foreclose like some bank managements might be."

—David Stephens, chief financial officer at United Capital Markets

Related Article: Nonbanks Like Ocwen Embrace Subprime as Banks Flee

(Image: Thinkstock)

p17tbuc00t1671rbojpp1v2d194c7.jpg

Carl Chaney, co-CEO of Hancock Holding (HBHC), explaining the decision to move to New Orleans from Gulfport, Miss.:

"The Mississippi coast is very stable but there's not a lot growth. But when you look at southeast Louisiana … boy, the market here is just exploding."

Related Article: Hancock Co-CEO Moves to New Orleans
p17tbuc00v1olmaht19bm153rtv6h.jpg

On the of training of bank branch employees to be jacks of all trades:

"I want to move to a place where every employee can do a transaction, and every employee can open an account."

—Andy Harmening, senior executive vice president at Bank of the West in San Francisco

Related Article: Reinventing the Branch Employee: a How-To Guide

(Image: Thinkstock)

p17tbuc00tkqp3b1pd7193k1eib4.jpg

On what it takes to get an M&A deal done these days:

"You just have to keep working at it."

—G. William Beale, CEO of Union First Market Bankshares (UBSH)

Related Article: Reaction to Virginia Deal Signals Shift in M&A Attitudes
p17tbuc00tl9en01s4j96u1pkg9.jpg

On community banks' prospects for raising capital:

"Capital raising for community banks is getting better - but not easier,"

—Lee Bradley, senior managing director of Community Capital Advisors

Related Article: Atlantic Coast Investors Still Far Short of Victory After Defeating Deal

(Image: Shutterstock)

p17tbuc00vvi9n2h5u11ge1ikuf.jpg

On the market's positive reaction to UnionFirst's planned merger with StellarOne (STEL), which suggests that investors are less concerned with stock dilution than with earnings potential:

"This could be the start of the market lightening up on the fear of tangible book value dilution."

—Chris Marinac, FIG Partners

Related Article: Reaction to Virginia Deal Signals Shift in M&A Attitudes

(Image: Shutterstock)

MORE FROM AMERICAN BANKER