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Nearly every man who develops an idea works it up to the point where it looks impossible, and then he gets discouraged. That's not the place to become discouraged.
Thomas Edison Categories
Monthly Archives: February 2009
Advance Directives
George Santayana, the noted philosopher, poet and novelist said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” It has been more than three and a half years since the legal battle concerning end-of-life decisions for Terri Schiavo made national headlines. Schiavo did not have a living will. The legal battle between her husband and parents over the withdrawal of a feeding tube used to keep Schiavo alive took almost 12 years and involved the governor of Florida, the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court and the president of the United States.
Unfortunately, after this well-publicized illustration of the need to have an advance directive, recent surveys indicate that the vast majority of adults in the United States still do not have one. (The term “advance directive” covers both a living will and a health care power of attorney.) Read More
Small Business Lending
At a time when media reports reflect concern over banks’ ability to lend during the credit crunch, Zions Bank has launched an aggressive advertising campaign to let small business owners know it has funds to help them succeed. The campaign includes radio spots on several stations throughout Utah and Idaho and print advertisements in major daily and weekly publications across the bank’s market area.
“In uncertain economic times, many people choose to go into business for themselves — to finally act on the business plan they’ve been hatching for years and to realize their dreams. These courageous entrepreneurs need not only the support of consumers, but also the help of financial experts at Zions Bank who know the ins and outs of business finance,” said Scott Anderson, president and CEO of Zions Bank. Read More
Contractor Quest
Even though it’s cold outside, it’s still a good time to start thinking about those home remodel projects on your New Year’s list. Even if you’re considering a warm weather upgrade such as replacing sprinklers or putting in new landscaping, contractors are happy to give estimates during the winter months.
“Homeowners can get a head start on researching contractors now, especially if you will be competing for their business during the spring season,” says Francine A. Giani, executive director of the Utah Department of Commerce. “Remember good contractors are always busy. Beware of those who go door-to-door with offers too good to be true. These can be scams where the homeowner loses money and the work is never finished.” Read More
CB&T Acquisition
California Bank & Trust (CB&T) officials announced February 6, 2009 that the bank has agreed to acquire the banking operations, including all of the deposits, of Alliance Bank in a transaction facilitated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC.) Alliance Bank operates five full service branches located in Irvine, Culver City, Woodland Hills, Burbank and West Los Angeles.
Bank branches previously owned and operated by Alliance Bank, headquartered in Culver City, will reopen on Monday morning as California Bank & Trust branches. Read More
2009 Outlook
THE AMERICAN ECONOMY…the recession continues
Domestic and global financial sector paranoia has contributed to major weakness within the U.S. economy. Enormous investment and lending losses have sharply curtailed the availability of credit.
Such financial sector weakness has led to creative and extremely costly government proposals to stabilize financial markets. These factors, combined with prior excesses in new home construction and existing home price appreciation, led to the current period of serious recession, which officially began in December 2007. Read More
Zions Bank Earnings
In the midst of this very challenging economic environment, Zions First National Bank (“Zions Bank”) had net earnings of $106.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2008. This level of earnings resulted even after Zions Bank reserved more than $163 million for potential future loan losses and approximately $90.4 million in valuation losses on securities. Read More
