Isabella Bank Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Isabella Bank that provides a broad array of banking and wealth management services to businesses, institutions, individuals, and their families.
The company has offices located throughout Bay, Clare, Gratiot, Isabella, Mecosta, Midland, Montcalm, and Saginaw counties. The area includes significant agricultural production, manufacturing, retail, gaming and tourism, and several colleges and universities.
Lending activities inclu...
Isabella Bank Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Isabella Bank that provides a broad array of banking and wealth management services to businesses, institutions, individuals, and their families.
The company has offices located throughout Bay, Clare, Gratiot, Isabella, Mecosta, Midland, Montcalm, and Saginaw counties. The area includes significant agricultural production, manufacturing, retail, gaming and tourism, and several colleges and universities.
Lending activities include loans for commercial and agricultural operations and real estate purposes, residential real estate loans, and consumer loans. The company limits lending activities primarily to local markets and purchased loans from the secondary market are minimal. The company’s general lending philosophy is to limit concentrations to individuals and business segments.
Deposit services offered include checking accounts, savings accounts, certificates of deposit, direct deposits, cash management services, mobile and internet banking, and ATMs. The company also offers full service investment management, trust and estate services.The company provides group life, health, accident, disability, and other insurance programs as well as a number of other employee benefit programs.
Loans
The company grants commercial, agricultural, residential real estate, and consumer loans to customers situated primarily in Bay, Clare, Gratiot, Isabella, Mecosta, Midland, Montcalm, and Saginaw counties in Michigan. The ability of the borrowers to honor their repayment obligations is often dependent upon the real estate, agricultural, manufacturing, retail, gaming, tourism, health care, higher education, and general economic conditions of this region. Substantially all of the company’s consumer and residential real estate loans are secured by various items of property, while commercial loans are secured primarily by real estate, business assets, and personal guarantees. A portion of loans is unsecured.
Commercial and agricultural loans include loans for commercial real estate, commercial operating loans, advances to mortgage brokers, farmland and agricultural production, and loans to states and political subdivisions. Repayment of these loans is dependent upon the successful operation and management of a business. Commercial and agricultural real estate loans commonly require loan-to-value limits of 80% or less.
The company offers adjustable rate mortgages, construction loans, and fixed rate residential real estate loans which have amortization periods up to a maximum of 30 years. The company’s lending policies generally limit the maximum loan-to-value ratio on residential real estate loans to 100% of the lower of the appraised value of the property or the purchase price. Private mortgage insurance is typically required on loans with loan-to-value ratios in excess of 80% unless the loan qualifies for government guarantees.
Consumer loans include secured and unsecured personal loans. Loans are amortized for a period of up to 15 years based on the age and value of the underlying collateral. The underwriting emphasis is on a borrower’s perceived intent and ability to pay rather than collateral value.
Investment Portfolio
As of December 31, 2023, the company’s investment portfolio included U.S. Treasury; states and political subdivisions; auction rate money market preferred; mortgage-backed securities; collateralized mortgage obligations; and corporate.
Supervision and Regulation
The company, as a financial holding company, is regulated under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, and is subject to the supervision of the Federal Reserve Bank. The company is registered as a financial services holding company with the Federal Reserve Bank and is subject to reporting requirements and inspections and audits.
In accordance with Section 302(a) of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, written certifications by the company’s principal executive, financial, and accounting officers are required. The company has also implemented a program designed to comply with Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which included the identification of significant processes and accounts, documentation of the design effectiveness over process and entity level controls, and testing of the operating effectiveness of key controls.
The bank is supervised and regulated by Department of Insurance and Financial Services and the Federal Reserve Bank. The company’s deposits are insured up to applicable limits by the Deposit Insurance Fund of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and are subject to deposit insurance assessments to maintain the Deposit Insurance Fund.
History
Isabella Bank Corporation was founded in 1903. The company was incorporated in 1988 under Michigan law.