Derivatives and Hedging Activities

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

General Discussion of Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities [Abstract]

Derivatives and Hedging Activities

Derivatives and Hedging Activities

The Company periodically enters into certain commercial loan interest rate swap agreements in order to provide commercial loan customers the ability to convert from variable to fixed interest rates. Under these agreements, the Company enters into a variable-rate loan agreement with a customer in addition to a swap agreement. This swap agreement effectively converts the customer’s variable rate loan into a fixed rate. The Company then enters into a corresponding swap agreement with a third party in order to offset its exposure on the variable and fixed components of the customer agreement. As the interest rate swap agreements with the customers and third parties are not designated as hedges under the Derivatives and Hedging topic of the FASB ASC, the instruments are marked to market in earnings.

The following table presents the fair value of derivative instruments at September 30, 2011 and 2010:

	Asset Derivatives						Liability Derivatives
As of September 30,	2011			2010			2011			2010
(in thousands)	Balance Sheet Location	Fair Value		Balance Sheet Location	Fair Value		Balance Sheet Location	Fair Value		Balance Sheet Location	Fair Value
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments
Interest rate contracts	Other assets	$	16,463	Other assets	$	13,623	Other liabilities	$	16,463	Other liabilities	$	13,623