Small Business-Friendly Banks Small businesses are in the best shape they've ever been in when it comes to obtaining microloans ($100,000 or less), according to a recent study by the SBA Office of Advocacy. In fact, according to Jere Glover, the Advocacy Office's chief counsel, the number of loans approved in this category jumped 26.8 percent over a one-year period. One reason for the rise is the increased use of business credit cards, which banks consider to be a revolving line of credit; this helps establish a credit history with the bank. "The other reason is credit-scoring," says Glover. "If you have a good personal credit record, banks are [more] willing to make you a small-business loan." The use of credit-scoring reduces paperwork and speeds up the loan process, resulting in lower costs for banks—and a greater willingness to lend. The increase in the number of micro-loans is occurring even in the face of an industry seemingly consumed by mergers. "As the bank industry consolidates into fewer and fewer hands, a few people could make decisions to cut back [on small-business lending], and the effect on the business sector could be dramatic," Glover says, noting that so far the impact has been minimal. Glover acknowledges that one reason small-business credit hasn't been affected may be the increasing number of smaller banking institutions setting up shop. Another trend to watch is the increasing availability of loans online. But this will only work in certain situations warns Glover. "It works for small amounts, when you can get a credit loan," he says. The SBA's annual bank study shows an improving landscape for small-business lending, but with all the new forces being brought to bear on the industry, vigilance continues to be the watchword. The following lists the SBA's top two microbusiness-friendly banks in each state (where there were two) by the percentage of microbusiness loans per total assets. The list also includes banks whose microloans-to-assets ratio was 40 percent or higher. The four variables measured are: Microbusiness loans-to-assets ratio. Microbusiness loans-to-total-business-loans ratio. Dollar volume of microbusiness loans. Total number of microbusiness loans. Alabama Independent Bank of Oxford, P.O. Box 3363, Oxford, AL 36203, (205) 835-1776 West Alabama Bank & Trust, P.O. Box 310, Reform, AL 35481, (205) 375-6261 Alaska First National Bank, P.O. Box 100720, Anchorage, AK 99510, (907) 276-6300 Arizona Bank of Casa Grande Valley, 1300 E. Florence Blvd., Casa Grande, AZ 85222, (520) 836-4666 Frontier State Bank, P.O. Box 1030, Show Low, AZ 85901, (520) 537-2933 Arkansas Caddo First National Bank, P.O. Box 47, Glenwood, AR 71943, (870) 356-3196 Fidelity National Bank, 330 W. Broadway, West Memphis, AR 72301, (870) 735-8700 California Cupertino National Bank & Trust, 20230 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014, (408) 996-1144 Kings River State Bank, P.O. Box 997, Reedley, CA 93654, (209) 638-8131 Colorado Cheyenne Mountain Bank, 1580 E. Cheyenne Mountain Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO 80906, (719) 579-9150 Bank of Grand Junction, 2415 F Rd., Grand Junction, CO 81505, (970) 241-9000 Connecticut Lafayette American Bank, 130 N. Main St., Southington, CT 06489, (860) 620-5000 The Equity Bank, 1160 Silas Deane Hwy., Wethersfield, CT 06109, (860) 571-7200 Delaware PNC National Bank of Delaware, 300 Delaware Ave., Wilmington, DE 19899, (302) 429-2274 NationsBank of Delaware, P.O. Box 7028, Dover, DE 19901, (302) 741-1000 District of Columbia Franklin National Bank, 1722 Eye St. NW, Washington, DC 20006, (202) 429-9888 Florida Northside Bank of Tampa, 12233 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, FL 33612, (813) 933-2255 Fidelity Bank of Florida, P.O. Box 540160, Merritt Island, FL 32954-0160, (407) 452-0011 Georgia The Coastal Bank, P.O. Box 529, Hinesville, GA 31310, (912) 368-2265 Community Trust Bank, P.O. Box 1700, Hiram, GA 30141, (770) 445-1014 Hawaii City Bank, 201 Merchant St., Honolulu, HI 96813, (808) 535-2500 Idaho Panhandle State Bank, P.O. Box 967, Sandpoint, ID 83864, (208) 263-0505 D.L. Evans Bank, 397 N. Overland Ave., Burley, ID 83318, (208) 678-9076 Illinois First National Bank-Employee Owned, 485 Lake St., Antioch, IL 60002, (847) 838-2265 The State Bank of Geneva, 22 S. Fourth St., Geneva, IL 60134, (630) 232-3200 Indiana Peoples Trust Co., P.O. Box 190, Linton, IN 47441, (812) 847-4457 Scott County State Bank, P.O. Box 158, Scottsburg, IN 47170, (812) 752-4501 Iowa Hartford-Carlisle Savings Bank, 100 First St., Carlisle, IA 50047, (515) 989-3255 Peoples Bank & Trust, P.O. Box 158, Rock Valley, IA 51247, (712) 476-2746 Kansas The First National Bank of Conway Springs, 214 W. Spring Ave., Conway Springs, KS 67031, (316) 456-2255 First National Bank, 402 Main St., Palco, KS 67657, (785) 737-2311 Peoples Bank & Trust, P.O. Box 1226, McPherson, KS 67460, (316) 241-8450 Kentucky Bank of Mt. Vernon, P.O. Box 157, Mt. Vernon, KY 40456-0157, (606) 256-5141 South Central Bank, 208 S. Broadway, Glasgow, KY 42141, (502) 651-7466 Louisiana Community Bank of La Fourche, 3160 Hwy. 1, Raceland, LA 70394, (504) 537-6402 Community Trust Bank 3921 Elm St., Choudrant, LA 71227, (318) 768-2531 Maine United Bank, 145 Exchange St., Bangor, ME 04401, (207) 942-5263 Katahdin Trust Co., P.O. Box I, Patten, ME 04765, (207) 528-2211 Maryland Maryland Permanent Bank & Trust Co., 9612 Reisters Town Rd., Owings Mills, MD 21117, (410) 356-4411 Bank of the Eastern Shore, 301 Crusader Rd., Cambridge, MD 21613, (410) 228-5800 Massachusetts Luzo Community Bank, 1724 Acushnet Ave., New Bedford, MA 02746, (508) 999-9980 Bank of Western Massachusetts, 29 State St., Springfield, MA 01103, (413) 781-2265 Michigan 1st Bank, P.O. Box 335, West Branch, MI 48661, (517) 345-7900 MFC First National Bank 1205 Ludington St., Escanaba, MI 49829, (906) 786-5010 Minnesota Pioneer National Bank of Duluth, 331 N. Central Ave., Duluth, MN 55807, (218) 624-3676 State Bank of Delano, P.O. Box 530, Delano, MN 55328, (612) 972-2935 Mississippi Pike County National Bank, P.O. Box 1666, McComb, MS 39649, (601) 684-7575 First Bank P.O., Box 808, McComb, MS 39648, (601) 684-2231 Missouri First Midwest Bank of Dexter, 20 W. Stoddard, Dexter, MO 63841, (573) 624-3571 First State Bank of Joplin, 802 Main, Joplin, MO 64801, (417) 623-8860 Montana Mountain West Bank of Helena, 1225 Cedar St., Helena, MT 59601, (406) 449-2265 Bitterroot Valley Bank, Lolo Shopping Center, P.O. Box 9, Lolo, MT 59847, (406) 273-2400 Mountain West Bank of Great Falls, 12 Third St. NW, Great Falls, MT 59404, (406) 727-2265 Nebraska Sapp City Bank, 9003 S. 145th St., Omaha, NE 68138, (402) 891-0003 Dakota County State Bank, 2024 Dakota Ave., South Sioux City, NE 68776, (402) 494-4215 Nevada First National Bank of Ely, 595 Aultman St., Ely, NV 89301, (702) 289-4441 BankWest of Nevada, 2700 W. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89102, (702) 248-4200 New Hampshire Community Bank & Trust Co., 15 Varney Rd., Wolfeboro, NH 03894, (603) 569-8400 Bank of New Hampshire, 300 Franklin St., Manchester, NH 03101, (603) 624-6600 New Jersey Panasia Bank, 183 Main St., Ft. Lee, NJ 07024, (201) 947-6666 Minotola National Bank 1748 S. Lincoln Ave., Vineland, NJ 08361, (609) 696-8100 New Mexico Peoples Bank, 1356 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, Taos, NM 87571, (505) 758-4500 Norwest Bank of New Mexico, P.O. Box 1107, Tucumcari, NM 88401, (505) 461-3602 New York Olympian Bank, 512 86th St., Brooklyn, NY 11209, (718) 748-3500 Champlain National Bank, Court St., Elizabethtown, NY 12932, (518) 873-6347 North Carolina Wilkes National Bank, 1600 Curtsbridge Rd., Wilkesboro, NC 28697, (336) 903-0600 Yadkin Valley Bank & Trust Co., P.O. Box 888, Elkin, NC 28621, (910) 526-6371 North Dakota Kirkwood Bank & Trust Co., P.O. Box 6089, Bismarck, ND 58506, (701) 258-6550 Citizens State Bank, P.O. Box 127, Mohall, ND 58761, (701) 756-6365 Ohio First National Bank of Pandora, 102 E. Main St., Pandora, OH 45877, (419) 384-3221 Citizens Banking Co., 10 E. Main St., Salineville, OH 43945, (330) 679-2321 Oklahoma Bank of Cushing, P.O. Box 951, Cushing, OK 74023-0951, (918) 225-2010 Bank of Kremlin, P.O. Box 197, Kremlin, OK 73753, (580) 874-2244 Oregon Community First Bank, P.O. Box 447, Prineville, OR 97754, (541) 447-4105 Security Bank, P.O. Box 1350, Coos Bay, OR 97420, (541) 267-6611 Pennsylvania Pennsylvania State Bank, 2148 Market St., Camp Hill, PA 17011, (717) 731-7272 Old Forge Bank, 216 S. Main St., Old Forge, PA 18518, (717) 457-8345 Rhode Island Washington Trust Co., 23 Broad St., Westerly, RI 02891, (401) 351-6240 South Carolina Bank of Walterboro, 1100 N. Jefferies Blvd., Walterboro, SC 29488, (803) 549-2265 First National South, 307 N. Main St., Marion, SC 29571, (803) 431-1000 South Dakota F & M Bank, P.O. Box 877, Watertown, SD 57201, (605) 886-8401 First National Bank in Garretson, P.O. Box G, Garretson, SD 57030, (605) 594-3423 Tennessee Volunteer Bank & Trust, 728 Broad St., Chattanooga, TN 37402, (423) 265-5001 First Bank of Rhea County, P.O. Box 99, Spring City, TN 37381, (423) 365-9551 Texas Navigation Bank, P.O. Box 228, Houston, TX 77001, (713) 223-3400 First Commercial Bank, 1336 E. Court St., Seguin, TX 78155, (830) 379-8390 Midland American Bank, 401 W. Texas, 100, Midland, TX 79701, (915) 687-3013 Woodhaven National Bank, 6750 Bridge St., Fort Worth, TX 76112, (817) 496-6700 Utah Advanta Financial, 11850 S. Election Rd., Draper, UT 84020, (801) 523-0858 First USA Payment Tech., P.O. Box 57510, Salt Lake City, UT 84157, (801) 281-5800 Vermont Union Bank, P.O. Box 667, Morrisville, VT 05661, (802) 888-6600 Citizens Savings Bank & Trust Co., P.O. Box 219, Saint Johnsbury, VT 05819, (802) 748-3131 Virginia Benchmark Community Bank, P.O. Box 569, Kenbridge, VA 23944, (804) 676-8444 Chesapeake Bank, P.O. Box 1419, Kilmarmock, VA 22482, (804) 435-1181 Washington First Heritage Bank, P.O. Box 550, Snohomish, WA 98291-0550, (360) 568-0536 First National Bank of Port Orchard P.O. Box 2629, Port Orchard, WA 98366, (360) 895-2265 West Virginia West Bank of Paden City, P.O. Box 178, Paden City, WV 26159, (304) 337-2205 First National Bank in Marlington, P.O. Box 58, Marlington, WV 24954, (304) 799-4640 Wisconsin Stephenson National Bank & Trust, P.O. Box 137, Marinette, WI 54143-0137, (715) 732-1650 First National Bank Fox Valley, P.O. Box 339, Menasha, WI 54952, (920) 729-6900 Wyoming Western Bank of Cheyenne, P.O. Box 127, 1525 E. Pershing Blvd., Cheyenne, WY 82001, (307) 637-7333 First Interstate Bank of Commerce, 4 S. Main St., Sheridan, WY 82801, (307) 674-7411