Columbia Bank

The Columbia Bank announced the hiring of Michael J. Nieberding as vice president of commercial banking. In his new position, Nieberding, of Ellicott City, will be responsible for business development in the Howard County market. A graduate of Loyola University Maryland with a master's degree in business administration, Nieberding is a member of The Walters Art Museum, Maryland/Israel Development Center, Loyola College Alumni Association, Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, BRAC Business Initiatives and Howard County Tech Council.

The Maryland Bankers Association announced its 2011 Financial Education Award winners and, for the first time, The Columbia Bank placed in all three categories. The bank won first place in the Adults and Seniors category, and second place in both the Young Adults and School-Age Children categories. This past year marked the eighth year where members of the Maryland Bankers Association could showcase their banks' efforts by participating in Maryland Bankers Association's Financial Education Awards Program.

The Maryland Bankers Association announced its 2011 Financial Education Award winners and, for the first time, The Columbia Bank placed in all three categories. The bank won first place in the Adults and Seniors category, and second place in both the Young Adults and School-Age Children categories. This past year marked the eighth year where members of the Maryland Bankers Association could showcase their banks' efforts by participating in Maryland Bankers Association's Financial Education Awards Program.

The Columbia Bank announced the hiring of Michael J. Nieberding as vice president of commercial banking. In his new position, Nieberding, of Ellicott City, will be responsible for business development in the Howard County market. A graduate of Loyola University Maryland with a master's degree in business administration, Nieberding is a member of The Walters Art Museum, Maryland/Israel Development Center, Loyola College Alumni Association, Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, BRAC Business Initiatives and Howard County Tech Council.

It wasn't your traditional bank heist, but thieves recently got away with more than $90,000 from Columbia Bank by using a scheme called "skimming. " The thieves implanted a device in October on an ATM at the bank's Long Gate Parkway branch in Ellicott City, collecting account information each time a customer used the machine over two weekends, officials say. Armed with this information, they were able to withdraw money from customers' accounts —...

Howard County police are still searching for a man who robbed a Columbia bank Friday morning, a department spokeswoman said yesterday. The man entered Farmers & Mechanics Bank in Hickory Ridge Village Center about 10:15 a.m. and handed a teller a note demanding money, said Officer Denise Walk, a police spokeswoman. The man, described as black and in his late 20s to early 30s with a mustache, fled after receiving an undisclosed amount of cash. No weapon was displayed and no one was injured.

Fueled by a rise in noninterest income and deposits, Columbia Bancorp, parent company of Columbia Bank, reported yesterday net income of $1.176 million for the quarter that ended June 30, a 17.7 percent increase over the $999,165 reported for the corresponding period last year.Net income in the quarter was 25 cents per diluted share, up from 22 cents in the year-earlier period."The 10th anniversary of the company was in May, and we thought it was appropriate we had a record quarter," said John M. Bond Jr., president and chief executive of Columbia Bancorp, which is based in Columbia.

In the button-down world of banking, Columbia Bank has an attitude.Outside its offices in Ellicott City on U.S. 40, where streams of cars race by at blazing speeds, it recently slung a green and white plastic sign between the light poles blaring: "Ready to switch. Welcome."The bank hardly needs such advertising. In just eight years since it opened its doors, Columbia Bank has brought in 25,000 customers and captured 12 percent of Howard County's estimated $1.4 billion deposit market -- ranking third behind NationsBank and First National Bank of Maryland.

When last we checked in with Old Line Bancshares, the financial hurricane of 2008 was full-blown. Bankers everywhere were washed out. But the Bowie-based lender was barely ruffled, like the guy in the old commercials sipping Baltimore-brewed Colt 45 amid danger and mayhem. Old Line Bank hasn't emerged from the storm unscratched. That would have required divine guidance. But it's doing what good companies always do in a downturn: It's taking advantage of rivals' errors and building market share.

Columbia Bancorp. and Fairview Federal Savings & Loan Association plan to merge, an agreement that would make The Columbia Bank the thirdlargest commercial bank in Howard County.Columbia Bancorp is theparent company of The Columbia Bank. Fairview Federal Savings & Loanis based in Ellicott City.Federal regulators must still approve the plan. A decision is expected before summer.In November, the financial institutions announced Columbia Bank's intention to acquire Fairview Federal, a federalthrift established in 1916, with assets of about $108 million.

The following individuals have been named by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as the first Howard County's Finest 39 Under 39, presented by Mercedes-Benz of Baltimore: Joe Alcodray , Mercedes-Benz of Baltimore; Catherine Bedolla , Berkshire Associates; Kelly Bruns , JHU/APL; Laura Clark , Kenneth Clark Company; Tom Coale , Goodell, DeVries, Leech & Dann, LLP; Thomas Cornellier , TSI Exterior Wall Systems; Candace Dodson-Reed...

Lauren Groft , of Ellicott City, is a recipient of the Fulton Financial Coporation 2011 Scholarship Award. She will attend theUniversity of Maryland. The following individuals have been named by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as the 1st Annual Howard County's Finest 39 Under 39, presented by Mercedes-Benz of Baltimore. They will be given the opportunity to display their community involvement and highlight their achievements in the business world, while raising funds for CF research.

National Night Out The Wilde Lake Community Association, Howard County Police, Columbia Bank, Pizza Boli's and Family Services, co-sponsor a family pizza party for Wilde Lake residents from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 2 on the Village Green — rain or shine. The event will feature free pizza, drinks, ice cream, prizes, entertainment and more. Children younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Information: 410-730-3987. Concert A jazz concert featuring Sounds Good will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, July 17, at The Other Barn, 5851 Robert Oliver Place.

Manekin Construction LLC hired John Brown Jr. as its chief estimator. Working from the firm's Columbia headquarters, the 15-year industry veteran provides constructability reviews, budgeting of preliminary designs and value engineering. He instructs estimating classes for Howard Community College, the Small Business Resource Center and the American Subcontractors Association, as well as the American Society of Professional Estimators, where he earned his professional estimator certification and served as president.

When last we checked in with Old Line Bancshares, the financial hurricane of 2008 was full-blown. Bankers everywhere were washed out. But the Bowie-based lender was barely ruffled, like the guy in the old commercials sipping Baltimore-brewed Colt 45 amid danger and mayhem. Old Line Bank hasn't emerged from the storm unscratched. That would have required divine guidance. But it's doing what good companies always do in a downturn: It's taking advantage of rivals' errors and building market share.

Howard County police were searching for two men who robbed a bank Thursday afternoon in Columbia. The suspects, one armed with a handgun, entered the Columbia Bank in the 10400 block of Little Patuxent Parkway about 2:45 p.m. and demanded money, according to police. They fled after a teller gave them cash, and no one was injured, police said. A reward of up to $500 has been offered for information. liz.kay@baltsun.com Text BUSINESS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun Business text alerts

Israel promoted to executive VP by Columbia Bank Brian K. Israel has been promoted to executive vice president of commercial lending by Columbia Bank, a full-service commercial bank with headquarters in Howard County. The Ellicott City resident will oversee business development activities for small- to medium-sized businesses in Howard, Anne Arundel and Carroll counties. A former senior vice president of commercial banking, Israel has been with Columbia Bank since 1997. Johnson joins PCA Group as a staff accountant Sharon Kathryn Johnson has joined the PCA Group as a staff accountant in the accounting and auditing division.

Columbia Bank celebrates anniversary with new logoThe Columbia Bank has adopted a new corporate logo to be used through 1998 in celebration of its 10th anniversary.The logo features the caption "Celebrating a Decade of Community Service," which temporarily replaces the slogan "You're Among Friends."The logo will be incorporated into all of the bank's marketing materials.The bank announced earnings of more than $4.1 million in 1997, or $1.82 per share, and assets of more than $373 million.

It wasn't your traditional bank heist, but thieves recently got away with more than $90,000 from Columbia Bank by using a scheme called "skimming. " The thieves implanted a device in October on an ATM at the bank's Long Gate Parkway branch in Ellicott City, collecting account information each time a customer used the machine over two weekends, officials say. Armed with this information, they were able to withdraw money from customers' accounts —...

A 67-year-old woman lost control of her car Thursday morning around 10 a.m. and crashed into the brick wall of a bank. According to Howard County police, Sharon Buck's Honda Accord jumped a curb "at a very low speed" and hit the side of the Bank of America in the 6200 block of Old Dobbin Lane in Columbia. Police said that there were no injuries to Buck or anyone inside the bank. Though a county building inspector deemed that the property was safe, the bank remains closed while bank officials give their report to corporate headquarters.