ATLANTA - As Wells Fargo Bank fights a federal lawsuit that contends it has been preying on blacks and the poor communities; one smaller and local bank is continuing to be the little man's friend.

After almost 15 years in business, Capitol City Bank is still focusing on lending money to small businesses - even in the slumping economy.
"It's been hard on the small businesses person, and we are working with them on making their situation better in these extenuating circumstances," said Capitol City president George Andrews.
The Atlanta-based Capitol City Bank & Trust Company opened in October of 1994, and serves customers from seven locations, including Albany. It was organized to serve the inner city of Atlanta and its customer base is primarily the Black community in Southwest and Downtown Atlanta.

Andrews said the bank has made a big difference in the black business community, focusing on using resources from the community in the form of deposits and re-channeling them back into the community, allowing business to prosper.

"We're being very progressive in marketing our product to the community in which we serve," Andrews said.
Andrews' hard work has made it a regular on Black Enterprise's yearly list of top black businesses and bank. But the president still considers himself a people's person, and doesn't mind chatting it up with staff and customers.

"If you regularly talk with staff and customers, you can better serve," he said.

Andrews added his bank is financially health enough not to be desperate for bailouts, but he would accept them if he qualifies.
As Capitol Bank continues to bank success while working with the community, one bank has made recent headlines on allegations of taking away from the community. The New York Times reported last month that the nation's fourth largest bank, Wells Fargo, was accused of systematically singling out Blacks in Baltimore and suburban Maryland for high-interest sub-prime mortgages.

The article added that these loans, Baltimore officials have claimed in a federal lawsuit against Wells Fargo, tipped hundreds of homeowners into foreclosure and cost the city tens of millions of dollars in taxes and city services.

While Capitol caters to the little man, Andrews did say his bank issues mortgages only to people who are qualified. And, he has some advice to cure a slumping economy.
"We as a county need to start learning to save, instead of excess spending," he said.