Banking & Finance

Study data suggest money goes farther here

Spokane ranks favorably in cost-of-living analysis

August 27, 2015

Residents of the Spokane-Spokane Valley area can make their money last longer than residents of many other major metropolitan areas, according to data from a New York company's cost-of-living and inflation analysis. In an evaluation of more than 220 me

Met, Summit trusts OK'd for one last extension

Beneficiaries could reap close to $60 million in all

August 27, 2015

Kim Crompton

Investors hoping to recoup a larger portion of the money they had tied up in Metropolitan Mortgage & Securities Co. and Summit Securities Inc. before those affiliated companies here shut down 11 years ago have received some encouraging news. Based on the

Bank of America tabs Kurt Walsdorf for broader role

Longtime executive will still lead Spokane market

August 13, 2015

Chris Street

Bank of America Merrill Lynch has appointed Kurt Walsdorf to head up business banking in much of the western U.S.Â

Spokane Federal sees membership growth spurt

Credit union reports strong gains in consumer loans

August 13, 2015

LeAnn Bjerken

Spokane Federal Credit Union began in 1956 with just a few hundred dollars and only seven employees who also served as its first members.Â Today, it has approximately 11,500 members, and about $137 million in assets.

SBA touts 504 financing tool

Overlooked loan program promotes job growth, retention here

August 13, 2015

Mike McLean

A U.S. Small Business Administration financing program is helping businesses expand and better position themselves for the economic turnaround, and Ted Schinzel, the SBA's Spokane branch administrator, says more businesses here could benefit from SBA 50

Taking Inland Northwest Bank to the next step

New CEO expects bank to strengthen its position in the Inland Northwest

August 13, 2015

New Inland Northwest Bank president and CEO, Russell Lee, is excited by what he sees for the bank's future.

Home-loan closing changes set to go into effect this fall

New rules said to benefit consumers, slow process

July 16, 2015

Mike McLean

New mortgage rate and fee disclosure requirements set to go into effect this fall are meant to help borrowers understand the terms of their home loans before they sign their mortgage contracts, but the rules also likely will slow the process or lead to de

Inland Northwest stock composite dips sharply in second quarter

Red Lion Hotels performs strongest during period

July 16, 2015

Kim Crompton

Hart Capital Management Inc.'s Inland Northwest Composite, which tracks the aggregate market value of 11 publicly traded companies in the region, fell by $736.5 million, or 8.8 percent, in the second quarter, to $7.64 billion, the company says. That'

Pawnbrokers see no letup in demand despite improved economy

Managers report default rate at 15 percent

July 16, 2015

Double Eagle Pawn district manager Brian Wegner believes he's in an industry that is in demand regardless of the economic times around him. Larry Carlson, the owner of Axel's Pawnshop, agrees. 'People always need to borrow money, both in good tim

INB parent to acquire Bank of Fairfield

Transaction valued at about $20.75 million

June 24, 2015

Staff Report

Northwest Bancorporation Inc., the Spokane-based parent of Inland Northwest Bank, has agreed to acquire Fairfield Financial Holdings Corp., which owns Bank of Fairfield, in a transaction valued at about $20.75 million. Based in Fairfield, Wash., a smal