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| Technology Topics |
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Bankers, vendors get
better at meeting tech challenges. An annual report on bank
automation paints a generally upbeat picture of improved capabilities
and realistic expectations. Consultant Art Gillis assesses the overall
cost of bank automation last year and explains the continuing shift
toward outside computer services.
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| Asset/Liability Management |
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New rule marks major
shift in investment policy. The fed's move away from the scrutiny of
mortgage-backed securities will force banks to assess the impact of rate
changes on cash flows. And for good reason, given all the "optionality"
on balance sheets.
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| Departments |
 Compliance
Clinic/Mailbox. By Jeffrey J. Roth. "Dear Regulator, my bank
messed up my account and I can't get them to fix it..." How you handle
complaints when they first come in can do a lot to keep customers from
writing to a "higher authority." |
 Web
Notes. By Bill Orr. Understanding Web banking's bell curve. |
| Cover Story |
Banking's Top
Performers.By Mark P. Suter and Marissa A. Barnes. In the sixth annual ABA Banking Journal/Furash &Co. rankings of top performing banks, we rank the best of the best in three asset-size categories of 50 banks each. While there were some repeat winners, 1997 saw the largest turnover in the rankings that we've seen so far. The authors identify several broad industry trends.
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| Feature |
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Three routes to
the top. By Steve Cocheo. The three best performing banks in
the country have little in common other than an enviable five-year
return on assets. One is a one-location bank in rural Texas, another is
a unit of a finance company, and the third specializes in Trust and
private banking.
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