The first bank to target a national homosexual market has opened its doors in Pensacola and will begin doing business Oct. 11 on the Internet. Its sole walk-in office began operating last week.
Many banks think a couple needs to have a marriage certificate to show that they are creditworthy.
The Internet operations will be open around the clock, seven days a week. Bank investors David Richbourg and Norman Ricks, both retired businessmen, were the first same-sex couple to open a joint account. He and Ricks have been together for 26 years. About 9.2 million gays and lesbians regularly use the Internet. Copyright 1999 The Associated Press.