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Finance execs increasingly are pessimistic, uncertain

Poll results show lingering concern about double-dip recession, jobless recovery

July 29, 2010

Continued concerns about the possibility of a "double-dip" recession and a slow jobs recovery, together with increasing economic uncertainty, have a growing number of finance professionals reporting pessimism about the economic picture and outlook

Changes to make federal student loan processing faster

New legislation effective July 1 ends bank-based federal student loans

July 29, 2010

Chey Scott

For college students looking to apply for federal financial aid, the process of securing a federal loan this school year will be faster and more streamlined, but despite big changes in how the U.S. government runs the program, impacts on students a

SNEDA takes strides to be bigger force in microlending

Spokane nonprofit joined with Seattle lender, hopes to get SBA authorization

July 29, 2010

Paul Read

A Spokane nonprofit that provides microloans and other assistance to small and startup businesses says it's taking major steps to rekindle its efforts, including a quest to become an SBA lender, the hiring of a full-time loan officer, and a planned

Most vacationing CFOs say they stay in touch with office

Survey findings suggest, though, that more now are trying not to do so

July 29, 2010

While most financial executives can't resist calling work when they're on summer vacation, it appears that more might be making an effort to avoid doing so.Sixty-nine percent of chief financial officers interviewed for a new Robert Half survey a

Equipment-finance activity survey shows biggest decline

New business volume plummeted 30 percent in 2009, association says

July 29, 2010

New business volume among a sampling of companies that belong to the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association fell an unprecedented 30.3 percent last year, says a newly released annual survey conducted by the association.That drop-off compared

Bank loyalty weakens, new survey shows

Decline most noticeable among customers of larger institutions, data indicate

July 29, 2010

For a fourth consecutive year, customer loyalty and perceptions of brand image among retail banking customers continue to decline, while satisfaction has leveled off, says an annual J.D. Power & Associates retail banking satisfaction study released

Bankers here foresee financial reform bill repercussions

Stacks of new regulations said to mean higher costs for consumers

July 29, 2010

Kim Crompton

Spokane-area bankers have widely varying opinions on the merits of the recently approved legislation to revamp the nation's financial regulatory system. One belief at least several of them share, though, is that the thousands of pages of coming new

New U.S. Bank executive here looks to boost bank's market share

Now regional president, Linda Elkin says she will stress community involvement

July 29, 2010

Kim Frlan

Although its name might suggest otherwise, Linda Elkin wants Minneapolis-based U.S. Bank to become known as a community bank here. Recently promoted to Northeast Washington region president, Elkin oversees 21 U.S. Bank branches in Spokane and a

Cheney street work slated to begin at end of this month

Shamrock Paving, Spokane Rock Products bid $842,000 for arterial, residential streets

July 29, 2010

Kim Frlan

Twelve short sections of street in Cheney soon will undergo renovation. Shamrock Paving Inc. is the apparent low bidder for a residential street project, with a bid of $435,000, and Spokane Rock Products Inc. is the apparent low bidder for an a

Small Business Watch

July 29, 2010

New eye clinic opens in Indian Trail community Dr. Thomas A. Meyers, a Spokane optometrist, has opened Pacific EyeCare & Optical, at 5011 W. Lowell, in the Indian Trail neighborhood.Meyers says he opened his own practice, located in