Comptroller of Currency to Recognize NBC's Innovative Investment as First in
the Nation
MEMPHIS, Tenn., Dec. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- A successful national crime
prevention program for nursing homes that has achieved an 84.3 percent
reduction in the average number of reported crime incidents will be made
available at no cost to all 26 nursing homes throughout Shelby County,
compliments of a $5.5 million investment by National Bank of Commerce (NBC).
With NBC's investment, approximately 4,850 Shelby County nursing home
residents stand to benefit from "The Senior Crimestoppers Program" that
provides benefits to long-term care facilities across the country, featuring
personal lock boxes, on-going education and a confidential 800 number "Tip
Line" offering substantial cash rewards for information about incidents that
have occurred. The program will be administered through the Senior Housing
Crime Prevention Foundation whose board members represent the nursing home,
senior care, and banking industries.
"Crime in nursing homes is a sad but very real problem throughout our
nation," said Charles C. King III, president of USI Alliance Corp. which
provides the Senior Crimestoppers Program to long-term care facilities across
the country. "NBC views this investment as an opportunity to make a
significant positive impact within our community. In fact, The Office of the
Comptroller of the Currency has recognized its importance by making the
investment eligible for Community Reinvestment Act credit throughout the
banking industry. This is a prime example of a successful joint effort
between the private and public sector that benefits the residents of our
community. In launching this initiative, we encourage the entire banking
community to join with us in making nursing home safety a top objective in
their community investment priorities."
"Having the Senior Housing Crime Prevention Foundation provide the Senior
Crimestoppers Program to every nursing home in Shelby County is a huge 'win-
win' for all concerned," said Richard A. Sadler, executive director of the
Tennessee Health Care Association. "By adding Senior Crimestoppers, these
facilities are making a statement that they have a 'zero tolerance' for crime
of any kind and are doing everything they can to enhance quality of life and
to protect patients."
According to bank President William C. Menkel, NBC is the first bank in
the United States to make this innovative new type of community service
investment to support crime prevention, enhanced safety and security for low-
to moderate-income nursing home residents. The $5.5 million that National
Bank of Commerce has invested will be considered by the Office of the
Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) as a qualified investment under the
Community Reinvestment Act. "This represents a meaningful investment in NBC's
primary assessment area, but, more importantly, this will positively impact
nursing home residents in Shelby County," said Menkel. He added that the OCC,
the federal agency that oversees and regulates nationally chartered banks,
provided guidance in structuring this unique Community Reinvestment Act
qualified investment.
NBC's innovative funding, the first of its kind in the nation, is also
significant for the banking industry. So much so that The Hon. John D. Hawke
Jr., Comptroller of the Currency, will be among those in attendance Monday,
December 18, to recognize National Bank of Commerce for its investment.
Others expected to attend the 11:30 a.m. luncheon at The Peabody Hotel include
Betty Cantrell, founder of TRIAD, which works through 650 chapters to enact
local programs to protect senior citizens against crime; administrators of
Shelby County's 26 nursing homes; state and local dignitaries; and officials
from AARP, the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging and
the American Health Care Association, whose members comprise 95 percent of all
nursing home facilities in the United States.
"Wherever you have vulnerable people in any setting, there will always be
those who want to take unfair advantage of the situation," said Bertha Pruitt,
whose father is a Shelby County nursing home resident. "The Senior Housing
Crime Prevention Foundation, through the generous investment made by NBC bank,
is making sure that the playing field is level in preventing crime against
nursing home residents. Praise the Lord!"
About USI Alliance Corp./Senior Crimestoppers
Senior Crimestoppers, winner of the 2000 Housing and Urban Development
"Best Practices" award, is a nationally acclaimed program that utilizes
personal lock boxes, on-going education and a confidential 800 number "Tip
Line" to reduce and prevent nursing home crime and fraud. The Senior
Crimestoppers Program is operated by USI Alliance, a subsidiary of National
Commerce Bancorporation.
About National Bank of Commerce
National Bank of Commerce is a subsidiary of
National Commerce Bancorporation (Nasdaq: NCBC), a $16.4 billion-asset sales
and marketing organization that delivers select financial and consulting
services through a national network of banking affiliates and non-banking
affiliates. NCBC is headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., and maintains operations
headquarters in Durham, N.C.
SOURCE National Commerce Bancorporation
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Related links:
http://www.ncbccorp.com
CONTACT:
Charles C. King III of USI Alliance Corp.,
901-529-4783, or Eileen Sarro of National Commerce
Bancorporation, 919-683-7642
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