Keeping Account - 04.21.11
Bank Announced Loss
Suffolk Bancorp, the parent company of Suffolk County National Bank, announced a loss for the first quarter of 2011, with a loss-per-share of $1.33, in comparison to earnings of 16 cent during the same period last year. The net loss was $12.8 million, compared to the net income in 2010’s first quarter of $1.53 million, according to a press release issued by the company last week.
The Riverhead-based bank believes that the key reason for the change in performance is a provision for loan losses of $29.7 million, an increase of just over 236 percent from the first quarter of 2010. This was a result of a mix of stalled construction projects, reflecting the unstable local economy, and internal refinement and standardization of the credit risk rating and classification system, it said.
“I am disappointed by these results,” J. Gordon Huszagh, Suffolk’s president and chief executive officer, said in the release. He said that to restore the bank to profitability it is hiring a new loan administrator and additional underwriting staff, reappraising commercial real estate to secure loans, changing its credit policy, exploring asset sales, and hiring a new chief lending officer.
Notwithstanding the quarterly loss, the bank said that it remains well capitalized and “continues to meet the individual minimum capital ratios as determined previously in agreement with regulators.” R.F.
Two New Companies
Ana P. Grijalva and Judy Slopnick have launched two companies, Family Value Planning Group in East Hampton and Infinity Umbrella Group of Montauk.
Their Web site fvpgroup.com offers a look at life and health insurance possibilities, and iuginc.com gives options for property and casualty plans. The budding companies also offer help with discount drug plans and other products, like pension planning.
A Perfect Wedding
Claudia Hanlin’s Wedding Library and Corinne Soikin Strauss’s Hampton Wedding announced a formal business partnership last week, bringing together wedding and event planning services with offices in Manhattan and Wainscott.
The team styles itself as the perfect wedding, so to speak, of experienced New York and East End event planners, with tent, private house, vineyard, and beach weddings in the Hamptons as its primary focus. “The strength of our combined companies is much greater than its parts; having offices in New York City and the Hamptons is a brilliant convenience for our clients,” said Ms. Strauss.
To Address Small Businesses
Representative Tim Bishop will be the guest speaker at the April meeting of the Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce next Thursday.
The dinner meeting at Page, the new restaurant at 63 Main Street, will begin at 6:30 p.m. with networking and a cash bar. A three-course dinner will follow, with a talk by Mr. Bishop focusing on passed and pending legislation affecting small businesses. All business owners will be welcomed, whether they are members of the chamber or not.
The cost is $31 per person, including tax and tip. Reservations are a must and can be made by calling 838-4945 or e-mailing [email protected].