If you look closely at the chilly, choppy waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, you might catch a glimpse of sleek black fins—the telltale sign of J pod, the extended family of orcas who haunt the inland waters between Washington state and British Columbia. Like all orca pods, J pod is matriarchal, made up of descendants of four matrilines. The pod sticks together; … Continue reading Leader of the Pod
Imagine a consultant based in Puerto Rico. She deposits mostly checks from her different clients, and she wants to open an account at a Great Lakes area bank. Would the bank consider her risky as a customer, and if so—how risky? It all depends on how the consultant and her business fits into the bank’s broader customer risk framework. To start with, the system would … Continue reading Avoiding a Risky Customer Conundrum
Here we are, three adults, sitting in toddler-sized chairs in a former church basement. High-pitched laughter and kid chatter wafts in from the next room, where snacks are about to be served. I’m in the pre-K classroom of Energy Capital Cooperative Child Care, a new daycare center in Mercer County, N.D., and I’m chatting with Dana Santini, who manages the center, and local bank leader … Continue reading The Bank in the Background
In March, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development filed a landmark lawsuit against Facebook, alleging that the Silicon Valley giant was violating the Fair Housing Act by filtering housing-related advertising to potential viewers based on protected characteristics, such as race, sex and disability. In the case, which is still pending, HUD alleged that Facebook enabled housing advertisers to exclude—for example—parents, foreign-born individuals and customers interested in … Continue reading Compliant Digital Marketing: Making the Most of Today’s Tools
Earlier this week, George Mason University economist Tyler Cowen asked a provocative question on his popular economics blog: “Should we ban bicycles in major urban areas?” You might think calling for a new regulatory prohibition to be an odd question for someone who also leads a libertarian research organization known as the Mercatus Center. Mr. Cowen was calling attention to recent figures showing that 14 … Continue reading Confessions of a Conservative Cyclist
Voice in banking isn’t exactly a new concept. After all, we’ve engaged with bankers using our voices since the first borrowers approached Renaissance Italy’s 15th-century “mounts of piety” to ask for loans. When, 500 years later, telephone banking became an option, bank customers embraced that channel too. But while using our voice to connect with banks isn’t new, digital voice technology has been accelerated by … Continue reading Can You Hear Me Now?
A casual observer might be forgiven for thinking that when Congress passed—and President Trump signed—the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act, or S. 2155, in 2018, that financial institutions were being “deregulated.” That’s what hundreds of news headlines and ledes said. “What’s in the Bank Deregulation Bill” —Wall Street Journal “Senate Bill Part of Deregulation Wave” —Bloomberg “The House easily cleared the Senate … Continue reading What We Talk About When We Talk About ‘Deregulation’
Here’s a financial trivia question: What does Tupelo, Miss., have that some of America’s largest metro areas, including Atlanta, Phoenix and San Diego, don’t? The answer: at least two midsize or larger banks headquartered there. Tupelo—a town located in the gently rolling hills halfway between Memphis, Tenn., and Birmingham, Ala., and with a population a little shy of 40,000—is the smallest U.S. city to have … Continue reading Bank City USA
Banks have done a lot to become less physically intimidating over the decades. The Doric stone edifices and teller cages have been replaced by floor-to-ceiling glass windows and roving universal bankers who work on a tablet. Some banks have even turned branches into coffeehouses. But for someone who has never had a bank account, a bank can still be an intimidating place. Financial products and … Continue reading High School Branches Pay Dividends for Banks and Students
Well over 100 million Americans are expected to tune into the gridiron action and funny ads during Super Bowl LIII on Sunday night, but amid the fun is a dark side that often accompanies major live sporting events: a local surge in sex trafficking. While estimates are uncertain—and advocacy organizations note that events like the Super Bowl don’t correlate with increases in the number of … Continue reading At Super Bowl, U.S. Bank Tackles Human Trafficking
Evan Sparks 