BUSINESS MEMOS: SEMO BANK HAS WEB SITE

Steve Ketelsen, president of South East Missouri Bank of Cape Girardeau, has announced that his bank has developed a web site on the Internet. "It's another first for us," said Ketelsen. "We were the first area bank to offer free checking, the first to offer no closing cost home equity loans, and now the first to have a home page on the World Wide Web."

Ketelsen said a home page on the Internet means anyone with access to a computer and a modem anywhere in the world will be able to "dial up" the bank site at "www.semobank.com" and obtain information on products and services, special promotions, specific employees to contact to open various accounts, etc. "We'll even have information on how to balance your checking account," Ketelsen said.

In the beginning, Ketelsen noted, the site will be "static" meaning that a visit to the site will not enable the viewer to do anything but read information off the computer screen. "But as certain security issues are solved, as I'm sure they eventually will be, potential bank customers will be able to have an interactive relationship. They will be able to check account balances, transfer funds, apply for a loan, things they can only do now over our Hometown Helpline."