Mercantile Bank

Mercantile Bankshares Corp., Maryland's largest independent bank, reported yesterday that its net income climbed 25 percent as its loan portfolio and deposits grew. The bank earned $71 million during the third quarter that ended in September, or 86 cents a share, compared with $56.8 million, or 71 cents a share, in the corresponding period last year. Those results beat Wall Street estimates by 3 cents, according to a survey of analysts by Thomson Financial. Mercantile stock slipped 45 cents, or less than 1 percent, to close at $54.80 on the Nasdaq stock market.

John C. "Jack" Haigh, a career banker who had been president and CEO of Baltimore Bancorp, died of gall bladder cancer Sunday at Stella Maris Hospice in Timonium. The former longtime Towson resident, who had lived for the past several years in New Freedom, Pa., was 79. Born and raised in Abington, Pa., Mr. Haig was a 1952 graduate of Villanova University. He began his banking career that year with Commercial Credit Corp., where he remained for the next two decades. He later worked for Mercantile Bank and the First Chicago Bank before joining the Savings Bank of Baltimore in 1975.

On March 2, 2003 LEN ENGWALL, 95, loving husband of the late Margaret G. Engwall; beloved father of Linda M. Engwall and Thomas L. Engwall; loving grandfather of Jeffrey Thomas Engwall (1984-1987) and Meredith Lee Engwall. A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 Thursday, March 6 at Glen Meadows Retirement Community, 11630 Glen Arm Road, Glen Arm, MD 21057 - 410-592-5310. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the B & O Railroad Museum, The Roundhouse Restoration Fund, c/o Mercantile Bank & Trust Co., 409 Washington Ave., Suite 100, Towson, MD 21204 or the American Cancer Society.

When Jan Darrah chose a place to do her banking about 10 years ago, she picked Provident Bank because it was small and was based right here in town. "I like to do my business locally as much as possible," the Butchers Hill art teacher said, "because I like to give my money to local business people." Yesterday, however, she learned that her bank is no longer as small or as local, after Buffalo, N.Y.-based M&T Bank Corp. agreed to purchase Provident Bankshares Corp., the largest remaining Baltimore-based banking company, in a deal worth $401 million.

Thirty Baltimore banks have been robbed in 1993, five times more than at this time in 1992, police said.The latest robbery occurred at 10:30 a.m. yesterday at the Mercantile Bank & Trust in the 200 block of E. Redwood Street, police said.The robber, a man about 20 to 25 years old, approached a teller, opened his long brown coat revealing a handgun in his waistband and said, "Give me all your money."The teller handed the man an undisclosed amount of money, which he stuffed into a small black bag he had with him and fled, police said.

A former Baltimore schools employee who admitted stealing more than $200,000 from the financially ailing school system was sentenced in federal court yesterday to 18 months in prison and ordered to forfeit two luxury cars. Lewis E. Williams, 61, of Baltimore had pleaded guilty in both U.S. District and Baltimore Circuit courts to charges related to the theft of rental payments he had collected on behalf of the system between April 2002 and September last year. Williams, who was in charge of renting school buildings and facilities to outside groups, accepted checks totaling more than $220,000 that were made out to the school board but then deposited that money into a Mercantile Bank and Trust account he controlled, prosecutors said.

Morton B. "Sonny" Plant, a retired metal recycling executive and philanthropist, died Wednesday from head injuries after falling on stairs at a friend's home in Baltimore. The lifelong city resident was 70. Mr. Plant, who preferred using his childhood nickname, started his career in the scrap metal industry at H. Klaff and Co. in Baltimore, his family's business. He retired in 1998 as chairman of the board of Keywell Corp. During his career, he served as president of the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel, the industry's trade organization, which two years ago gave him its lifetime achievement award.

On April 10, 2003 DALLAS ELIZABETH POLEK (nee Baker) beloved wife of John W. Polek; devoted mother of Janet Polek Ries and her husband Wayne and Dorothy Polek. Also survived by six grandchildren, one step-grandson, five great-grandchildren and 2 step-great-grandchildren. A Funeral Service will be held in the family owned Ruck Towson Funeral Home, Inc., 1050 York Road (Beltway Exit 26A) on Monday at 11 a.m. Entombment Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens Mausoleum. Family will receive friends on Sunday 1 to 3 and 5 to 7 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Chesapeake Bay Foundation, 6 Herndon Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21403 or B & O Railroad Restoration Fund, c/o Mercantile Bank & Trust, 409 Washington Avenue, Suite 100, Towson, MD 21204.

Suddenly on March 4, 2006 JAMES "Jim" LEASE beloved and devoted fiance of Gina M. Tamberino, beloved father of Jonathan and Erin Lease, beloved partner of Sheila Lease, devoted friend of Lauren and Jimmy Amos, Brittany Tamberino and Max. Also survived by his parents, siblings and numerous family and friends. Friends may call at family owned Henry W. Jenkins & Sons Funeral Home, 16924 York Rd, (Hereford/Monkton) on Wednesday 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 P.M. A Prayer service will be held at 7:30 P.M. Please omit flowers.

Suddenly, on November 8, 2005 JOSEPH DAVID BASEMAN, beloved son of James and Judith Baseman, devoted brother of James, Douglas and Katherine Lynn Baseman. Also survived by his grandmother Helen Powell Friends may call at family owned Henry W. Jenkins & Sons Funeral Home, 16924 York Rd. (Hereford/Monkton) on Friday and Saturday 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 PM. A funeral service will be held at Gunpowder Baptist Church, 20074 Middletown Road, on Sunday at 1 PM. Interment following at Lakeview Memorial Park.

Lois K. Pilla, a former bank employee and longtime Homeland resident, died of breast cancer Sept. 8 at Gilchrist Hospice Care. She was 65. Lois K. Yates was born in Philadelphia and raised in Merion, Pa. After graduating from Harriton High School, she earned a bachelor's degree in English from Cedar Crest College in Allentown, Pa. After her 1965 marriage to Kenneth J. Pilla, an attorney, the couple settled in Homeland. Mrs. Pilla worked as a credit investigator for Household Finance and later was a sales associate at Hess Shoes.

A former Westminster bank teller pleaded guilty yesterday to embezzling between $400,000 and $1 million from her bank over nine years and using the money to buy a Hummer, a Corvette and snowmobiles, according to the Maryland U.S. attorney's office. Karen L. Baer, 46, admitted committing bank fraud and faces a maximum prison sentence of 30 years and a $1 million fine, federal prosecutors said. She is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 3 in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. Prosecutors said Baer worked as a teller from 1998 to Oct. 25 last year, when she was fired.

Two office towers in the heart of downtown Baltimore's business district have been sold for $78.9 million, handing a Norfolk, Va., investment group an $11 million profit in less than three years. Harbor Group International LLC said yesterday that it sold the Mercantile Bank and Trust Building, a 21-story tower at 2 Hopkins Plaza, and the 16-story W. R. Grace Building, at 10 E. Baltimore St., to USA Realty Fund. Harbor Group International bought the buildings, just a block apart, in 2004, paying $67.6 million - $51.2 million for the Mercantile building and $16.4 million for the W.R. Grace building at Baltimore and Charles streets.

Frederick J. Davis Sr., a retired banker who enjoyed winemaking and woodworking, died Friday of complications from a broken hip at his Bel Air home. He was 93. Mr. Davis was born in Baltimore and raised on East 28th Street and in Hamilton. He attended City College until leaving to help support his family during the Depression. He began his banking career in 1929 as a runner for Mercantile Bank & Trust Co., and later rose to teller and loan officer. In 1942, he enlisted in the Navy and served as a chief in naval communications in Washington and Hawaii.

Morton B. "Sonny" Plant, a retired metal recycling executive and philanthropist, died Wednesday from head injuries after falling on stairs at a friend's home in Baltimore. The lifelong city resident was 70. Mr. Plant, who preferred using his childhood nickname, started his career in the scrap metal industry at H. Klaff and Co. in Baltimore, his family's business. He retired in 1998 as chairman of the board of Keywell Corp. During his career, he served as president of the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel, the industry's trade organization, which two years ago gave him its lifetime achievement award.

A car driven by an 89-year-old man jumped the curb outside Mercantile Bank & Trust in Roland Park yesterday, injuring a security guard and causing minor damage to the building, police and a bank official said. Gary Williams, an employee of Abacus Security Services, was outside the bank in the 5100 block of Roland Ave. shortly before noon when a 2003 Honda Accord driven by Jacob Radin jumped the curb, and struck and ran over him, according to a police report. Police Sgt. Wanda Campbell said Radin, of the 3000 block of Fallstaff Road, intended to drive forward but put his car in reverse instead and lost control of it. Police said Williams sustained cuts to his face and head and was in good condition at Sinai Hospital.

A former city schools employee pleaded guilty yesterday in Baltimore Circuit Court to stealing more than $200,000 from the cash-strapped system, three months after he pleaded to similar charges in federal court stemming from the same scheme. Lewis E. Williams, 61, pleaded guilty yesterday to one charge of felony theft in connection with a 16-month spree in which he took school money and deposited it into his personal account. He spent money on luxury cars, credit card bills, and tuition so his daughter could attend a private school in Baltimore County, according to prosecutors.

Lois K. Pilla, a former bank employee and longtime Homeland resident, died of breast cancer Sept. 8 at Gilchrist Hospice Care. She was 65. Lois K. Yates was born in Philadelphia and raised in Merion, Pa. After graduating from Harriton High School, she earned a bachelor's degree in English from Cedar Crest College in Allentown, Pa. After her 1965 marriage to Kenneth J. Pilla, an attorney, the couple settled in Homeland. Mrs. Pilla worked as a credit investigator for Household Finance and later was a sales associate at Hess Shoes.

City firefighter killed A veteran Baltimore firefighter responding to a rowhouse blaze was killed in a flashover - a phenomenon that occurs when a fire gets so hot that nearby items burst into flame. Allan M. Roberts, 40, a father of four, was the first city firefighter in 11 years to die battling a blaze. Officer convicted in Smoot case A former correctional officer was convicted of second-degree murder in a stomping death at the city jail. Jurors deliberated for five days before convicting Dameon C. Woods of killing Raymond K. Smoot, 51, in 2005.