FDIC Federal Register Citations

From: McQueen, Pat [mailto:pat@privatebank.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2004 9:03 AM
To: Comments
Cc: psmith@aba.com
Subject: RIN no. 3064AC50

Greetings:

I am writing to support the FDIC’s recent proposal to increase the Community Reinvestment Act threshold for small banks to $1 billion. The proposal would increase the threshold for the small bank streamlined CRA examination from under $250 million in assets to under $1 billion, without regard to the size of a bank’s holding company.

Our Bank is approximately $290 million in assets; we are a small bank! This is not about banks shying away from their obligations, in fact this is about community banks focusing on serving their community; that is what we do, and we do it very well. I believe it is very good public policy to support community banks in their efforts to serve their communities. The complexities in our world continue to grow; we have new challenges, new rules, new regulations and new competition. Allowing for streamlined CRA reviews for small banks is a meaningful effort to help us in balancing the community’s interests with the interests of our depositors, our borrowers, our employees and our shareholders. All of this, of course, in a fashion that is consistent with safe and sound banking practices.

Thank you

Patrick M. McQueen | The Private Bank 38505 Woodward, Suite 1300, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304

Direct: 248.540.0381 | fax: 248.644.7107