Page 272 - BWM March 2013

272 | Business World Magazine | March 2013
area of our nation,” says Fine.
There are some 7,000 community banks
in America which collectively employ more
than 300,000 people. Data indicates that
40% of all loans made to small business, as
well as 60% of all loans to the agricultural in-
dustry, come from community banks. At the
same time, the assets of community banks
represent only 11% of the total assets held in
the banking industry.
Fine says community banks are the foun-
dation on which Main Street America has
been built, and adds that two out of every
three jobs created by small business accom-
plishes that with support from a community
bank.