IXE Grupo Financiero has mucho places to stash your dinero. IXE is a financial group whose main subsidiary, Banco Ixe, has more than 100 branches across Mexico. The holding company also owns brokerage firms Ixe Casa de Bolsa and Ixe Securities, mutual fund manager Ixe Fondos, investment advisors IPATI, and pension fund manager Ixe Afore. IXE controls a majority interest in mortgage lender Fincasa Hipotecaria (Deutsche Bank owns the remaining 49%) and auto financing company Ixe Automotriz, which is comprised of Ixe Fleet and Ixe Equipamiento. New York-based private equity firm Brysam Global Partners bought 28% of IXE Grupo Financiero in 2007 for $228 million.

Hawthorn Bancshares keeps a hawk eye on its customers' money. It is the indirect holding company for Hawthorn Bank, which operates some two-dozen branches in central and west-central Missouri. Originally founded in 1932, the bank offers traditional commercial banking services including deposit accounts, CDs, and lending. Its loan portfolio includes commercial and industrial loans, consumer installment loans, and commercial and residential mortgages. The bank also offers trust and brokerage services. Hawthorn Bancshares owns Hawthorn Bank through subsidiary Union State Bancshares.

Agricultural Bank of Greece S.A, known as ATEbank, provides retail and commercial financial services to individuals and businesses. Pursuant to its original mission, it also offers credit and other services to the agricultural community. ATEbank has about 960 ATMs and some 480 offices in Greece and nearly 30 branches abroad in places such as Romania and Germany. Subsidiaries offer credit cards, insurance, leasing, and investment products. The Greek government owns some 77% of the company's shares. The bank's charter requires that the state own at least 51% of its shares.

Xenith Bankshares, formerly First Bankshares, is the holding company of SuffolkFirst Bank, a community bank with three offices in southeastern Virginia. The bank targets commercial customers, wealthy individuals, and investors. It offers traditional products and services including checking and savings accounts, CDs, debit cards, and merchant card processing. Its lending portfolio is primarily made up of real estate loans, namely residential and commercial mortgages. Xenith Bankshares was created in late 2009 through the merger of the six-year-old First Bankshares and Xenith Corporation, which had originally been established to open a new banking institution.

Rome Bancorp is the holding company for The Rome Savings Bank. Originally chartered in 1851, the bank serves residents and businesses of central New York's Oneida County through about five branches. One- to four-family mortgages make up more than half of the company's loan portfolio; commercial real estate, consumer, home equity, and business loans round out the bank's lending activities. Rome Savings' deposit products include checking, money market, and savings accounts; certificates of deposit; and IRAs. Rome Bancorp is being acquired by Massachusetts-based Berkshire Hills Bancorp (which is also buying Legacy Bancorp in a separate transaction) for $74 million.

Sekerbank provides banking services for the residents of Turkey and abroad. The company focuses on providing a variety of corporate and commercial, retail, and small business banking services and products. Sekerbank has more than 200 branches and more than 200 ATMs in about 60 cities throughout Turkey. Its subsidiaries include Seker Yatirim (investment banking), Seker Leasing (leasing), Seker Bilisim (information technology services), and Seker Off-Shore (off-shore banking). The company was founded as Seker Pancari Kooperatifleri Bankasi in 1953. Sekerbank's pension fund owns more than 50% of the company. Sekerbank plans to continue to develop new products for its customers.

Established in 2001, Tokyo Star provides a range of retail banking and corporate finance services. Its retail operations boast about 35 domestic branches and more than 2,300 ATMs throughout the country. Non-recourse loans and mortgages, as well as loans to the health care, environmental, and shipping markets, are among its most popular offerings. Japan-based buyout outfit Advantage Partners bought Tokyo Star Bank, including the nearly 70% stake held by US-based Lone Star Funds, in 2008.

Jefferson Bancshares is the holding company for Jefferson Federal Bank, which has about a dozen locations in eastern parts of the Volunteer State. Founded in 1963, the bank serves individuals and businesses in Hamblen, Knox, Sullivan, and Washington counties, offering standard services such as checking and savings accounts, CDs, and IRAs. Lending activities primarily consist of commercial real estate loans and one- to four-family residential mortgages, which together account for a majority of the company's loan portfolio. In 2008 Jefferson Bancshares acquired State of Franklin Bancshares, a community bank hurt by the national mortgage crisis.

Sterling Financial is doing what it can to prevent its reputation from being tarnished. It is the holding company for Sterling Savings Bank, which provides standard banking and lending services in the Pacific Northwest. Sterling Savings operates about 180 branch locations in California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Its wealth management division markets stocks, bonds, mutual funds, annuities, and other investments to bank customers. Mortgage and construction loans account for more than half of the company's portfolio. Bank subsidiary INTERVEST issues commercial mortgages throughout the West. Under orders from regulators, Sterling Financial is working to raise its capital levels.

Korea Exchange Bank (KEB) is Korea's largest foreign exchange bank, providing trades in approximately 40 global currencies. The consumer-oriented bank also offers loans and deposits, credit cards, insurance, investments, and private banking services. Its corporate banking services include futures trading, lease financing, and lending. KEB has some more than 300 domestic branches, plus more than 30 locations abroad. Founded in 1967 as a government-owned institution, the bank is controlled by US-based Lone Star Funds, which acquired a majority stake in 2003. Lone Star, which had been thwarted in two previous attempts, is selling its interest to another Korean financial institution, Hana Bank.

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