Players to Watch

The banking industry constantly is changing. And, as new technologies enable institutions to serve their customers better and improve their bottom lines, banking will continue to evolve. So, what—and who—will define 2006 for the banking industry? Many of the most significant change agents for the coming year are not new—including information security, service-oriented architecture and check imaging—but are likely to reach critical mass in the next 12 months; other trends, such as the targeting of the unbanked/underbanked market, only now are beginning to get the attention they deserve.

Fortifying Online Banking
Last October, the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) issued guidance to the financial services industry for data security in the online banking environment.

New Faces in Payment Cards
What if they changed the portraits on the $5, $10 and $20 bills to William Henry Harrison, Franklin Pierce and Warren Harding—and nobody noticed?

Vicious Hurricane Cycle
Although one can hope that the upcoming hurricane season will defy the predictions that have accompanied the start of the decades-long hurricane cycle, the banks in the Gulf Coast must do more than hope. They must plan, and plan for the worst.

BAI Redirects Focus
In an era of e-mail, blogs, podcasts and mobile communications what do bank executives want from a trade show?

Mix-and-Match Applications
Service-oriented architectures (SOAs) create a technology environment in which organizations theoretically can mix and match applications among legacy systems and new systems, custom in-house code and off-the-shelf software, in-house systems and outsourced service bureaus, and competing technology providers.

Imaging the Future
This November's gutsy alliance between two of the largest image exchange networks is just the kick in the rear the industry's fence-sitters needed to embrace Check 21.

Banking for the Masses
As a whole, the underbanked and unbanked account for more than 30 million Americans.