2021 CSBS Community Bank Case Study Competition Journal

FIRST PLACE: The University of Tennessee at Martin to work with small businesses. Commercial and industrial loans grew 15.6% on average from 2016–2019; however, in 2020 commercial and industrial loans grew by $24.0 million, an increase of 138.0% in a single year (Institutional Reports, FFIEC ). Commercial and industrial TriStar’s total loan portfolio growth increased its interest income from loans, which grew 11.7% from 2015–2020. The most significant growth occurred in the year 2018 at 24.8%. Income

growth resulted from total loan portfolio growth of 14.0% during 2018. The two loan categories that earned the most interest income during the five-year period were real estate and other consumer loans. Consumer loans grew 21.3%. Real estate loans grew 11.0% except for 1–4 family residential loans, which grew 6.1%. From 2015–2020, TriStar served its communities and achieved growth. Part II: Serving the Community in a Pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 changed the way many businesses conducted operations. TriStar’s business was no exception. The following section of the paper explains and analyzes how TriStar reacted to changes the pandemic presented as it worked “to provide quality banking products for . . . clients with superior service in a secure environment” (“About TriStar,” Mission Statement ). TriStar’s Participation in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) As stated in the Loan Portfolio Analysis, TriStar lent approximately $24.0 million in commercial and industrial loans, most of which were PPP loans (D. Sanders and C. Goatz, Zoom, February 25, 2021). PPP was created in early 2020 by the United States Treasury and the Small Business Association (SBA) with the purpose of providing relief to small businesses across the U. S.

loans increased from 7.3% of the total loan portfolio in 2019 to 16.1% in 2020. This growth was due primarily to Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, which will be discussed in Part II: Serving the Community in a Pandemic (p. 8). The growth in commercial loans during 2016– 2019 provides evidence that TriStar achieved its objective of focusing on small businesses and demonstrates how management decisions influence bank growth as the Bank serves the community. TriStar realized its ambition to “be a good community corporate citizen by investing in [its] communities” (“About TriStar,” Statement of Values) .

As stated in the Loan Portfolio Analysis, TriStar lent approximately $24.0 million in commercial and industrial loans, most of which were PPP loans. (D. Sanders and C. Goatz, Zoom, February 25, 2021)

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