Mergers and Acquisitions

My first opportunity to learn the banking industry came while I was searching for my third, six-month cooperative education experience while attending Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business. My first two cooperative education experiences had placed me with large corporate companies and I was seeking a localized experience. I chose to work at Roxborough Manayunk Bank (RMB) because the position allowed me to gain exposure to the loan underwriting process and work directly with the Bank’s Chief Credit Officer. At RMB I learned how to calculate industry standard ratios and underwrite basic commercial loans, but RMB’s sale to Citizens Bank within my first week of working is what solidified the experience for me.

The merger provided me an opportunity to learn first hand how employees of a small community Bank act as their employer is merged with an international banking conglomerate. I watched as employees slowly left the company, seeking oportunities with other community banks. I observed managers tried their best to keep loyal employees motivated while workload dwindled and decisions were being made elsewhere. And I remember the sinking feeling I had when I left the basement office of RMB’s main branch for the last time.

But the acquisition and merging process is not entirely cold. My colleagues from the credit side of RMB that stayed throughout the acquisition, were all offered positions with Citizens Bank. I personally served out the remaining month and a half of my cooperative education experience at one of the Bank’s regional offices in Center City Philadelphia, where I learned the difference between offering customers small mortgages and credit lines and offering customers industry-specific loan products and interest rate risk management products. And as my cooperative education experience neared its end, I moved into a teller position so that I could continue my banking industry education.

Posted on June 4th, 2008 | By: bootstrap economist | Filed under Banking

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