Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses and Unfunded Commitments and Letters of Credit

We maintain an allowance for loan and lease losses (“ALLL”) to absorb losses inherent in the loan portfolio. The size of the ALLL is determined through quarterly assessments of the probable estimated losses in the loan portfolio. Our methodology for making such assessments and determining the adequacy of the ALLL includes the following key elements:


1.	General valuation allowance consistent with the Contingencies topic of the FASB ASC.


2.	Classified loss reserves on specific relationships. Specific allowances for identified problem loans are determined in accordance with the Receivables topic of the FASB ASC.


3.	The unallocated allowance provides for other factors inherent in our loan portfolio that may not have been contemplated in the general and specific components of the allowance. This unallocated amount generally comprises less than 5% of the allowance. The unallocated amount is reviewed quarterly based on trends in credit losses, the results of credit reviews and overall economic trends.

The general valuation allowance is systematically calculated quarterly using quantitative and qualitative information about specific loan classes. The minimum required level an entity develops a methodology to determine its allowance for loan and lease losses is by general categories of loans, such as commercial business, real estate, and consumer. However, the Company’s methodology in determining its allowance for loan and lease losses is prepared in a more detailed manner at the loan class level, utilizing specific categories such as commercial business secured, commercial business unsecured, real estate commercial land, and real estate income property multifamily. The quantitative information uses historical losses from a specific loan class and incorporates the loan’s risk rating migration from origination to the point of loss.

A loan’s risk rating is primarily determined based upon the borrower’s ability to fulfill its debt obligation from a cash flow perspective. In the event there is financial deterioration of the borrower, the borrower’s other sources of income or repayment are also considered, including recent appraisal values for collateral dependent loans. The qualitative information takes into account general economic and business conditions affecting our market place, seasoning of the loan portfolio, duration of the business cycle, etc. to ensure our methodologies reflect the current economic environment and other factors as using historical loss information exclusively may not give an accurate estimate of inherent losses within the Company’s loan portfolio.

When a loan is deemed to be impaired, the Company has to determine if a specific valuation allowance is required for that loan. The specific valuation allowance is a reserve, calculated at the individual loan level, for each loan determined to be both, impaired and containing a value less than its recorded investment. The Company measures the impairment based on the discounted expected future cash flows, observable market price, or the fair value of the collateral less selling costs if the loan is collateral dependent or if foreclosure is probable. The specific reserve for each loan is equal to the difference between the recorded investment in the loan and its determined impairment value.

The ALLL is increased by provisions for loan and lease losses (“provision”) charged to expense, and is reduced by loans charged off, net of recoveries. While the Company’s management believes the best information available is used to determine the ALLL, changes in market conditions could result in adjustments to the ALLL, affecting net income, if circumstances differ from the assumptions used in determining the ALLL.

We have used the same methodology for ALLL calculations during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010. Adjustments to the percentages of the ALLL allocated to loan categories are made based on trends with respect to delinquencies and problem loans within each class of loans. The Company reviews the ALLL quantitative and qualitative methodology on a quarterly basis and makes adjustments when appropriate. The Company continues to strive towards maintaining a conservative approach to credit quality and will continue to prudently adjust our ALLL as necessary in order to maintain adequate reserves. The Company carefully monitors the loan portfolio and continues to emphasize the importance of credit quality while continuously strengthening loan monitoring systems and controls.

The following table shows a detailed analysis of the allowance for loan and lease losses for noncovered loans as of the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011:



(in thousands)	Beginning Balance		Charge-offs			Recoveries		Provision			Ending Balance		Specific Reserve		General Allocation
Three months ended September 30, 2011
Commercial Business
Secured	$	22,320	$	(1,904	)	$	420	$	2,462		$	23,298	$	54	$	23,244
Unsecured	573		(42		)	40		167			738		—		738
Real Estate:
One-to-four family residential	847		(53		)	78		70			942		—		942
Commercial & multifamily residential
Commercial land	894		(4		)	—		(130		)	760		—		760
Income property multifamily	14,709		(339		)	10		(5,407		)	8,973		297		8,676
Owner occupied	6,479		(100		)	—		311			6,690		408		6,282
Real Estate Construction:
One-to-four family residential
Land and acquisition	2,852		(169		)	63		269			3,015		175		2,840
Residential construction	1,704		(14		)	56		(222		)	1,524		—		1,524
Commercial & multifamily residential
Income property multifamily	43		(145		)	—		157			55		—		55
Owner occupied	34		—			—		(7		)	27		—		27
Consumer	2,748		(2,102		)	70		2,985			3,701		32		3,669
Unallocated	854		—			—		(155		)	699		—		699
Total	$	54,057	$	(4,872	)	$	737	$	500		$	50,422	$	966	$	49,456
(in thousands)	Beginning Balance		Charge-offs			Recoveries		Provision			Ending Balance		Specific Reserve		General Allocation
Nine months ended September 30, 2011
Commercial Business
Secured	$	21,811	$	(6,025	)	$	749	$	6,763		$	23,298	$	54	$	23,244
Unsecured	738		(126		)	408		(282		)	738		—		738
Real Estate:
One-to-four family residential	1,100		(717		)	78		481			942		—		942
Commercial & multifamily residential
Commercial land	634		(660		)	—		786			760		—		760
Income property multifamily	15,210		(979		)	65		(5,323		)	8,973		297		8,676
Owner occupied	9,692		(723		)	31		(2,310		)	6,690		408		6,282
Real Estate Construction:
One-to-four family residential
Land and acquisition	3,769		(1,347		)	1,831		(1,238		)	3,015		175		2,840
Residential construction	2,292		(1,068		)	92		208			1,524		—		1,524
Commercial & multifamily residential
Income property multifamily	274		(1,710		)	—		1,491			55		—		55
Owner occupied	70		—			—		(43		)	27		—		27
Consumer	2,120		(3,298		)	178		4,701			3,701		32		3,669
Unallocated	3,283		—			—		(2,584		)	699		—		699
Total	$	60,993	$	(16,653	)	$	3,432	$	2,650		$	50,422	$	966	$	49,456

The three and nine months changes as of September 30, 2011 and 2010 are summarized as follows:



	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
(in thousands)	2011			2010			2011			2010
Beginning balance	$	54,057		$	59,748		$	60,993		$	53,478
Provision charged to expense	500			9,000			2,650			37,500
Loans charged off	(4,872		)	(7,540		)	(16,653		)	(31,466		)
Recoveries	737			1,126			3,432			2,822
Ending balance	$	50,422		$	62,334		$	50,422		$	62,334

Changes in the allowance for unfunded commitments and letters of credit are summarized as follows:



	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 30,				September 30,
(in thousands)	2011		2010		2011		2010
Beginning balance	$	1,460	$	815	$	1,165	$	775
Net changes in the allowance for unfunded commitments and letters of credit	—		350		295		390
Ending balance	$	1,460	$	1,165	$	1,460	$	1,165

Risk Elements

The extension of credit in the form of loans to individuals and businesses is one of our principal commerce activities. Our policies and applicable laws and regulations require risk analysis as well as ongoing portfolio and credit management. We manage our credit risk through lending limit constraints, credit review, approval policies and extensive, ongoing internal monitoring. We also manage credit risk through diversification of the loan portfolio by type of loan, type of industry, type of borrower and by limiting the aggregation of debt to a single borrower.

The monitoring process for the loan portfolio includes periodic reviews of individual loans with risk ratings assigned to each loan. Based on the analysis, loans are given a risk rating of 1-10 based on the following criteria:


•	ratings of 1-3 indicate minimal to low credit risk,


•	ratings of 4-5 indicate an average credit risk with adequate repayment capacity when prolonged periods of adversity do not exist,


•	rating of 6 indicate higher than average risk requiring greater than routine attention by bank personnel due to conditions affecting the borrower, the borrower's industry or economic environment,


•	rating of 7 indicate potential weaknesses that, if left uncorrected, may result in deterioration of the repayment prospects for the asset or in the Company's credit position at some future date,


•	rating of 8 indicates a loss is possible if loan weaknesses are not corrected,


•	rating of 9 indicates loss is highly probable; however, the amount of loss has not yet been determined,


•	and a rating of 10 indicates the loan is uncollectable, and when identified is charged-off.

Loans with a risk rating of 1-6 are considered Pass loans and loans with risk ratings of 7, 8, 9 and 10 are considered Special Mention, Substandard, Doubtful and Loss, respectively. Loans with a risk rating of Substandard or worse are reported as classified loans in our allowance for loan and lease losses analysis. We review these loans to assess the ability of our borrowers to service all interest and principal obligations and, as a result, the risk rating may be adjusted accordingly. Risk ratings are reviewed and updated whenever appropriate, with more periodic reviews as the risk and dollar value of loss on the loan increases. In the event full collection of principal and interest is not reasonably assured, the loan is appropriately downgraded and, if warranted, placed on non-accrual status even though the loan may be current as to principal and interest payments. Additionally, we assess whether an impairment of a loan warrants specific reserves or a write-down of the loan.

The following is an analysis of the credit quality of our noncovered loan portfolio as of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010:



	September 30, 2011:			December 31, 2010:
(dollars in thousands)	Weighted- Average Risk Rating	Recorded Investment Noncovered Loans		Weighted- Average Risk Rating	Recorded Investment Noncovered Loans
Commercial Business
Secured	4.95	$	916,290	4.96	$	757,372
Unsecured	4.25	58,836		4.23	41,175
Real Estate:
One-to-four family residential	4.91	63,672		4.96	49,436
Commercial & multifamily residential
Commercial land	5.64	48,132		5.75	24,956
Income property multifamily	4.98	526,531		5.07	406,711
Owner occupied	5.08	391,804		5.12	366,284
Real Estate Construction:
One-to-four family residential
Land and acquisition	6.61	25,978		6.79	37,054
Residential construction	6.07	25,945		6.63	31,293
Commercial & multifamily residential
Income property multifamily	5.39	13,801		6.38	18,296
Owner occupied	4.45	10,358		4.93	11,990
Consumer	4.27	176,552		4.31	182,624
Total recorded investment of noncovered loans		$	2,257,899		$	1,927,191