First Bank & Trust 1Q earnings grow

New Orleans CityBusiness, May 29, 2006 by CityBusiness Staff Report

First Bank and Trust reported first-quarter earnings of $2.58 million, a 13.6 percent increase compared with $2.27 million for the same period in 2005.

As of March 31, the bank reported total assets of $615.14 million.

With a strong balance sheet, good liquidity and improved asset quality, First Bank is poised for the region's rebuilding needs, said J. Michael Brown, president and CEO of First Bank. We have a strong loan pipeline and are aggressively seeking new loan opportunities.

First-quarter highlights include: total interest income up 8.9 percent or $795,000 and total deposits up $78 million or 17.2 percent over 2005.

First Bank and Trust also set up an account for New Orleans police officer Andreas Gonzales, a five-year veteran critically wounded during a routine traffic stop in Algiers May 22. Donations can be made to the account at any First Bank and Trust branch.

First Bank and Trust is the second-largest independent bank headquartered in New Orleans, operating seven branches in New Orleans, Jefferson Parish and Baton Rouge.