Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 11:46:47 -1000
From: lambda@aloha.net (Martin Rice)
Subject: AMERICAN BANKER, May 16, 1997

Aloha awakea kakou.

This was just posted by kaikua`ana Don.


"With Few Exceptions, Small Banks Shy Away From Gay-Lesbian Market"
American Banker (05/16/97) P. 1; 
Sullivan, Joanna
     
Banks, particularly community banks, trail much of the
corporate world in marketing products and services to the gay and
lesbian communities.  The reason, according to marketing
consultant Kevin Tynan, is that smaller banks fear that a link to
the gay and lesbian world will result in negative repercussions.
"We see that not just among gender issues," said Tynan.  "A lot
of banks don't want to or hesitate to market to Hispanics because
they are afraid of offending the general population."  Wainwright
Bank and Trust, which began catering to gays and lesbians in
1993, offers a credit card that gives 1 percent of charges to
various causes, including the AIDS Action Committee of
Massachusetts.  Lauding Wainwright's efforts in the gay and
lesbian market, Peter Erbland, communications manager for the
AIDS Action Committee, says the bank has also taken a leadership
role in providing housing for people with AIDS.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  "Marriage has long been recognized as one of the 
  vital personal rights essential to the orderly 
  pursuit of happiness by free men."
                       --Loving v. Virginia (1967)
                             (via Bob Summersgill)
                        ~~~~~
                   Fred and Martin
                      24 years,
                 yet strangers before
                       the law
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~