Fulton Financial Corp. has given R. Scott Smith Jr. a million reasons to stick around for another year. The Lancaster-based financial holding company has awarded Smith, its chairman and chief executive officer, a $1.3 million retention bonus. If Smith stays at Fulton thro......

Fulton Financial Corp. said Tuesday it will raise its quarterly dividend by 1 cent again, the third increase of a penny to be announced this year. The new quarterly dividend of 6 cents per common share is payable Jan. 13 to shareholders of record Jan. 2. Lancaster-based Fulton Fin......

Fulton Financial has picked High Real Estate Group to manage the proposed expansion of its Penn Square headquarters. The bank holding company also disclosed that the project will be completed in 2014 — a year later than initially forecast. The additional space, to be constru......

A prominent local attorney and community advocate who for decades led the charge for economic revitalization in Lancaster city died Tuesday in Pittsburgh. John O. Shirk, 68, a former managing partner of Barley Snyder, died Tuesday afternoon, co-workers confirmed. The cause of death was no......

With so many people in need in the Lancaster area, it's "wonderful to be able to say to them, 'We have — please come in!' " Jennifer Eaton said Friday. A clothing-bank co-ordinator for the Lancaster County Council of Churches, Eaton on Friday was looking at head-high stacks of cloth......

The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce & Industry honored three business leaders at its 139th annual dinner held Wednesday at the Lancaster County Convention Center. Liz Martin was named Small Businessperson of the Year. Martin is president and owner of Martin Insurance Agency, a growing f......

Fulton Financial Corp. on Tuesday reported sharply higher net profits available to common shareholders in the fourth quarter and year. In the quarter, net profits available to common shareholders were $31.5 million (16 cents a share), up 62.9 percent from $19.3 million (11 cents a share) ......

  Homes in Lancaster County are still being foreclosed at a record clip. But the pace could slacken because of the still-mushrooming foreclosure crisis now being dubbed "foreclosuregate." The crisis has prompted four major lenders to suspend foreclosures as courts, lawmaker......

In a dramatic boost for downtown, Fulton Bank on Wednesday announced plans for a major expansion of its Penn Square headquarters. The project, which industry sources estimated at $15 million to $20 million, will provide space for 225 more employees. Fulton, the county's biggest ba......

For nearly two decades, the second Saturday in September has marked the kickoff to the United Way of Lancaster County's fundraising campaign with its Day of Caring projects. That's been changed. The "cool part" of this year's Day of Caring is that it spans two days for the first t......

Fulton Financial Corp. said Wednesday that it has repurchased the warrant it issued to the U.S. Treasury as part of the Capital Purchase Program. Fulton Financial and the Treasury agreed on a price of $10.8 million for the warrant, which had entitled the Treasury to buy 5.5 million shares......

John M. Buckwalter, the chairman of the board of Steinman Enterprises, died unexpectedly late Wednesday while on a family vacation in Bar Harbor, Maine.The 79-year-old Manheim Township resident, known to everyone as "Jack," was remembered Thursday for being a savvy businessman, a......

Fulton Financial has repurchased all 376,500 outstanding shares it issued to the U.S. Treasury as part of the federal TARP program.Fulton Financial voluntarily enrolled in the Treasury's Troubled Asset Relief Program in December 2008 and announced this spring that it would exit the pro......

Fulton Financial Corp. said Wednesday that it repaid the federal government $379.6 million for the bailout funds it received during the economic meltdown.The federal aid, which was given to Fulton at the end of 2008, was part of the government's $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief P......

Fulton Financial is pulling out of the federal TARP program, buying back the $376.5 million in preferred stock it sold to the U.S. Treasury.To fund the move, Lancaster-based Fulton Financial said Thursday, it will sell $230 million worth of common stock and draw on other funds.The r......

Fulton Financial Corp. got back in the black in the fourth quarter and year ended Dec. 31, the banking company reported Tuesday.Lancaster-based Fulton, the county's biggest banking company, said it had a profitable quarter and year largely due to a sharp reduction in impairment charges......

Most of the Top 10 local business stories in 2009 have a common cause.Their roots are in the recession, which created havoc for consumers and businesses alike.The feeble economy generated headlines every month as it made jobs, profits and peace of mind scarcer.Only three of 2......

The economic downturn continues to take its toll on the U.S. banking industry with the count of banks that have failed this year topping 120 and rising rapidly. The stresses that have caused those failures are also being felt at locally based banks, which have seen share prices plummet in th......

One question some local banking officials are pondering as the economy begins to recover is when to repay the federal government for the capital infusion they received last year. Both Lancaster-based Fulton Financial Corp. and Lititz-based Susquehanna Bancshares opted a year ago to participa......

For many people, George Orwell's greatest nightmare is coming true on the streets of Lancaster.A story featured prominently in the Sunday edition of the Los Angeles Times — "Lancaster, Pa., keeps a close eye on itself" — highlights the elaborate $3 million system ......

Saving Mother Nature can be hard, tedious work. Scott and Gloria Smith are already hiking up their sleeves. He's the president and CEO of Fulton Financial Corp. She's a biologist and organic gardener. Both are nature lovers volunteering to help the Lancaster County Con......

Fulton Financial Corp. Tuesday reported net income available to common shareholders of $8.1 million for the first quarter, an 80.6 percent decrease from the same period in 2008.Diluted net income per share for the quarter was 5 cents, a 79.2 percent decrease from the same period in 2008....

Turkey jerky, red and green peppers, horseradish pickles, celery, Utz pretzels and potato chips and a peanut butter milkshake.It wasn't millions of dollars pumped into the Lancaster County economy, but U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. did his small part with several purchases at Central Market ......

For a banking firm that has $16.2 billion in assets, the savings are small. But the symbolism is big. Fulton Financial Corp. is eliminating its traditional luncheon at its annual meeting this year, reducing the April 29 meeting's cost by more than $50,000. The cutback comes in ......

Local mortgage brokers, already busy because of low interest rates, are bracing to get even busier after Wednesday's announcement that the Federal Reserve is taking steps that will push rates even lower. "It's really done what they intended it to do," Jill Carson, president of Lancaster-based F......

Banker Dave Hanson will connect with about 40 new mover-and-shaker-type friends starting March 28. Not electronically. He's after flesh-and-blood dialogue. The kind Leadership Lancaster has offered through its Executive Orientation Series since 1990. The 2009 EOS program starts Sa......

Fulton Financial Corp., the county's largest banking company, on Tuesday slashed its quarterly common stock dividend by 80 percent. The cut, to 3 cents per share from 15 cents per share, will take effect with the dividend payable April 15 to shareholders of record March 27. With the mov......

Despite a last-hour tanking on Wall Street Monday, many local companies managed to hold on to the healthy share-price gains achieved over the past week.Leading the way was Manheim Township-based Herley Industries Inc., whose shares rose 68 percent last week. It opened March 6 at $7.76 and ......

R. Scott Smith Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Fulton Financial Corp., Tuesday announced promotions within Fulton Bank's senior management team.Craig A. Roda has been named chairman and chief executive officer of Fulton Bank. He will also serve as senior executive vice pre......

Fulton Financial Corp. Tuesday reported a net loss of $101.9 million in the fourth quarter, which left the company $6.1 million in the red for 2008.Lancaster-based Fulton reported last month that losses of significant items, including impairment charges of about $105 million in the final q......

E. Philip Wenger was promoted to president and chief operating officer of Fulton Financial Corp., the company announced Wednesday.Wenger, of Pequea, has served as senior executive vice president for the Lancaster-based financial holding company since 2006. He takes on the president role fr......

Tom Fasnacht's boyhood wish was to become a priest.After earning a bachelor's degree, Fasnacht began seminary studies. But he chafed at the strict seminary environment, and after a couple months he took time off to reassess his plans.He never went back.Today, even tho......

Fulton Financial Corp. shares fell almost 10.5 percent Wednesday after an announcement it would take charges of about $105 million and add about $65 million in reserves for loan losses in the fourth quarter.Fulton said Tuesday that the bulk of the charges are from a $90 million goodwill wr......

Fulton Financial Corp. announced Wednesday it has received preliminary approval from the U.S. Treasury Department to receive a cash infusion of about $375 million.Lancaster-based Fulton is the latest prominent bank in the area to gain approval for cash through the U.S. Treasury Capital Pur......

The Treasury Department's $700 billion rescue plan is best known for propping up wobbly financial institutions. But the plan also has a provision for healthy ones, figuring they can help guide the economy back on track. Fulton Financial Corp. said Thursday it has applied to get $375......

Locally based banks have not seen the large loan losses or plummeting stock prices that have afflicted banks in other regions, but the effects of the housing downturn and federal bailout are still being felt here. For one thing, local bank officials report spending a lot of time lately assuring......

The upheaval on Wall Street in New York City means little on Main Street in Lancaster County, local financial experts said today. Banks here can withstand any tremors triggered by the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, the acquisition of Merrill Lynch and the restructuring of AIG, they said. A......

Financial analysts have thought for some time that Lancaster-based Fulton Financial Corp. is an attractive takeover target.But an Aug. 25 article in Barrons financial magazine went beyond speculation and named a possible suitor for Fulton: People's United Financial Inc.of Bridgeport, C......

About 88,000 Fulton Financial Corp. credit-card holders soon will have a new company servicing their accounts.Jim Shreiner, Fulton Financial executive vice president, said Monday that the company has inked a deal with Elan Financial Services, which will service Fulton's $85 million cre......

Fulton Financial Corp. is selling its credit-card portfolio, saying the deal will lead to more programs and services for its card holders. Buying the $85 million portfolio for an undisclosed price is Elan Financial Services, one of the nation's five biggest credit-card companies. "......

Lancaster-based Fulton Financial Corp. reported Tuesday that fourth-quarter profits dropped 18 percent, primarily from a huge increase in its provision for loan losses.The company posted net income of $38.2 million, or 22 cents a share, compared to $46.6 million, or 27 cents per share, in ......

Dana A. Chryst, chief executive and owner of The Jay Group, has been named to the board of directors of Fulton Financial Corp.Chryst's new duties at Fulton Financial begin March 17. She is currently on the board of directors of Fulton Bank and will continue in that role.As a directo......

This is a critical time for the School District of Lancaster. The district needs to hire a superintendent, prepare for a $150-million districtwide improvement project and improve academics. Hoping to lead the district through these challenges are seven candidates for five seats on the scho......

The seven candidates for school board in the School District of Lancaster were in accord in several key areas during a candidates' forum Wednesday night at McCaskey High School.All agreed the role of the board is to oversee — not micromanage — and all touted the importance ......

A Fulton Financial Corp. subsidiary Tuesday agreed to drop a lawsuit against a rival bank it had accused of raiding its mortgage business.Virginia Beach, Va.-based Resource Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lancaster-based Fulton Financial, agreed to settle a suit against Monarch Bank and......

Litigation sparked by the mass defection of employees from the mortgage operation of Fulton Financial's Virginia subsidiary to a rival has been ended by an acquisition. Fulton Financial's subsidiary, Resource Bank, has sold a mortgage office in Rockville, Md., and other unspecified m......

Lancaster city Democrats on Thursday substituted a local finance attorney for Veronica Urdaneta in this fall's School District of Lancaster school board race.Barbara May Boben, 42, of 152 Wilson Drive, is the Democrats' choice to fill the open slot on their ticket. They will be run......

Fulton Financial Corp. said Tuesday its second-quarter profit fell 15 percent, on one-time charges and lower net interest income.Lancaster-based Fulton earned $39.8 million, or 23 cents per share, compared with $46.7 million, or 27 cents per share, for the same quarter in 2006.Secon......

Fulton Financial's subsidiary in Virginia is tangled in a legal dispute over the defection of nearly all of its mortgage company staff to a rival lender, according to published reports. In the process, the departing employees allegedly took boxes of confidential customer and prospect informatio......

A loan scandal that caused shares of Bank of Lancaster County's parent company to plunge nearly 40 percent last week compelled spokesman Pete Hudson to say, "It's obviously a serious situation."But just how serious?Many analysts believe Sterling Financial Corp. will be sold because ......

Two incumbents, a former school board member and six newcomers are vying for five open seats on the nine-member School District of Lancaster board.Seven Democrats and two Republicans are running in the May 15 primary, and most of them have cross-filed to appear on both parties' ballots......

Lititz-based Susquehanna Bancshares Inc. announced Tuesday it has agreed to purchase Blue Ball Bank-owner Community Banks Inc. in a deal worth $860 million.The deal will effectively eliminate the Blue Ball Bank name and create a combined bank with about $12 billion in assets.Eddie L......

Coins are scarce inside the modern American piggy bank. But they shouldn't be, banker R. Scott Smith Jr. told 20 kindergartners at Pequea Elementary School outside Willow Street on Tuesday morning. He held up a bank made out of a glass jar for all to see. "A penny doesn't......

Gov. Ed Rendell popped in at a local health care forum Wednesday to plug his mammoth "Prescription for Pennsylvania" plan, which he said could provide Pennsylvanians with affordable health care.The forum, sponsored by Progressives 4 Pennsylvania, included panelists detailing prob......

In a case of financial flip-flop, Fulton Bank withdrew Thursday from the private partnership that's helping to develop a controversial hotel/convention center in downtown Lancaster.Fulton Bank, however, is not out of the project completely.Officials say the bank is leaving the p......