The Chairman’s Corner is the Deloitte Center for Banking Solutions’ periodic newsletter addressing some of the key risks we see for bankers. The articles offer advice and solutions to help you find the very best path to eventual success and improved profitability.

Volume V – A Better Way to Cut Costs
U.S. banks are shedding plenty of costs these days, with little choice. They’re responding to fallout from a housing crisis that is taking no prisoners and a credit crunch that has slammed economic growth. U.S. banks are currently on course to cut costs by an estimated $20 billion or more. No one knows for certain what lies ahead.

Volume IV – Preventing the Next Subprime Lending Crisis  
What is remarkable about the crisis in housing finance is that even in the face of continuing bad news, the economy is proving resilient. We added 94,000 new jobs in November, according to the U.S. Labor Department, keeping the unemployment rate at a respectable 4.7 percent. The global economy, too, is showing signs of weathering the crisis.

Volume III – Basel II: Early Preparation Is the Best Strategy
Creating and implementing financial standards internationally has never been an easy or seamless process. Whether creating agreements to fight illegal money launderers or to develop international accounting standards, the process is usually drawn out and difficult. Financial institution differences, national interests and global concerns must all be balanced and, to the extent possible, accounted for. Basel II has been no exception.

Volume II – Reassessing What We Expect from Directors
It’s not your father’s boardroom anymore, as anyone close to banking has observed. We all know that the regulatory burden has become even greater in the past few years. So, in an attempt to assess just how extensive this makeover has been, we met with banking chief executive officers and looked at the changing makeup of board committees at the 20 largest U.S. banks.

Volume I – Viewpoint: Issues that Need Immediate Attention on The Hill
The honeymoon was probably overrated, anyway. Now a somewhat anxious marriage between the Bush administration and the Democratic-led 110^th Congress is under way. Will we see more disagreements between the White House and Congress? Will the president use his veto power more often? Will party maneuvering before the 2008 primaries make it hard to pass legislation? Yes, yes and yes.