Central Bancorp is the holding company for Central Co-operative Bank. Operating as Central Bank, it serves Middlesex County in the northwestern suburbs of Boston through about 10 bank branches and loan centers. The bank's primary business is gathering deposits by offering NOW, money market, checking, and savings accounts; CDs; and retirement savings plans. It primarily uses these funds to originate commercial mortgages (more than half of all loans in the company's portfolio, up from 20% in 2001). Residential mortgages have gone down from around 70% to less than 40% since then. The bank also offers construction, home equity, business, and consumer loans, as well as credit cards.

Municipal Mortgage & Equity (MuniMae) invests in tax-free municipal bonds issued by state and local governments. Those bonds are typically used to build multifamily housing, including units for low-income families, students, and the elderly. The disruption in world credit markets, coupled with a deterioration in the tax-exempt bond market hurt MuniMae. The commercial real estate market also tanked, driving down the values of the company's assets. The company was forced to drastically reduce the size of its business, cut its workforce by 80%, and sell off assets at a loss in order to stay afloat. MuniMae continues to look for ways to reduce debt and raise capital.

Los Alamos National Bank was established in June 1963 by a group of local investors who saw the need for a convenient, full-service community bank. Now one of the largest and strongest banks in the state, LANB continues to be locally owned and operated by Trinity Capital Corporation, a one-bank holding company. We are committed to our customers and to those activities that foster a better quality of life in the communities they serve.

Aozora (which means blue sky in Japanese) was the second Japanese credit bank nationalized in the wake of Asia's financial crisis after the Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan (now Shinsei Bank). Bad loans and Japan's "Big Bang" financial deregulation added to its troubles. Now a full-service commercial bank, Aozora has some 20 branches in Japan and three offices overseas. In addition to insurance and trust services, Aozora Bank provides a wide range of business loans for medium and large corporations, asset management, investment advisory services and securitization. Aozora and Shinsei called off their plans to merge in 2010.

Hua Nan Financial Holdings is a financial holding company with operations in commercial banking, securities brokerage, venture capital, asset management, fund management, and insurance. Its flagship subsidiary Hua Nan Commercial Bank (HNCB) is one of Taiwan's largest banks. Established in 1919, today the bank serves some 5 million customers from about 200 branches. It has overseas branches in Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, the UK, and the US. Other major arms of Hua Nan Financial include property/casualty firm South China Insurance, brokerage Hua Nan Securities, and investment manager Hua Nan Investment Trust.

Security Federal is the holding company for Security Federal Bank, which has about a dozen offices in southwestern South Carolina's Aiken and Lexington counties. It expanded into Columbia, South Carolina and eastern Georgia in 2007. The bank offers checking and savings accounts, credit cards, CDs, IRAs, and other retail products and services. Commercial business and mortgage loans make up more than 60% of the company's lending portfolio, which also includes residential mortgages (about 25%), and consumer loans. Security Federal also offers trust services, investments, and life, home, and auto insurance.

Sydbank serves some 345,000 retail banking customers and small-to-medium businesses, primarily in Denmark (where it is the fourth-largest bank, with about 105 branches). Sydbank's core geographical regions are Aarhus, Funen, and southern Jutland; it also has branches in Copenhagen, and its 2008 acquisition of bankTrelleborg boosted its operations in Zealand. In addition, the company has a handful of branches in Germany and Switzerland. Sydbank, which offers a range of private banking services and asset management, is part of the Sydbank Group, which holds DMK-Holding, SBK-Invest, Ejendomsselskabet, and Sydbank (Schweiz) AG. Sydbank was formed in 1970 after the merger of four local banks in southern Jutland.

New Century Bancorp is the holding company for the aptly named New Century Bank, which opened for business in 2000. The bank has about 10 branches in central North Carolina's Cumberland, Harnett, Johnston, and Sampson counties. Targeting individuals and small to midsized businesses, New Century Bank offers such services as checking and savings accounts, CDs, IRAs, and loans. Its loan book largely comprises real estate loans (75% of the portfolio); the remaining quarter includes business and consumer loans. The company merged its New Century Bank South subsidiary into New Century Bank in 2008.

Partners Realty Capital, L.L.C. company offers a range of financing options for commercial and residential properties, including hotels, industrial, office, and retail space, as well as multi-family residences and single-family housing tracts. Options include acquisition, bridge, construction, development, and permanent loans, as well as debt and equity lines of credit. Partners Realty Capital also offers litigation support and pre-acquisition finance support. Clients include Fremont Investment & Loan and UBS Warburg. The firm was established in 1994 by Paul Fruchbom.

Wescom, you're welcome. Through about 30th branches in Southern California, Wescom Credit Union provides checking, savings, and money market accounts, IRAs, savings certificates, home loans, reverse mortgages, auto loans, and Visa credit cards to more than 250,000 member-owners in seven counties. Its Wescom Financial Services division offers trust, investment, and financial planning services, while Wescom Insurance Services sells auto, and home coverage. Wescom’s service is just one of the many things that make us different from the typical banking experience. Whether you go to there branches, call there Member Service Center, or visit them online, we go above and beyond to make sure they’re meeting your needs.

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