SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): October 29, 1999
000-24478 38-3073622
(Commission File No.) (IRS Employer Identification No.)
DEARBORN BANCORP, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
22290 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
48124
(Zip Code)
(313) 274-1000
(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
Item 4. Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant
On October 29, 1999, the Registrant dismissed the firm of Grant Thornton LLP
as independent certified public accountants of the Registrant.
The change in independent certified public accountants was approved by the
Board of Directors on October 21, 1999.
Grant Thornton LLP performed audits of the financial statements for the five
years ended December 31, 1998. Their reports did not contain an adverse
opinion or disclaimer of opinion and were not qualified or modified as to
uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles.
During the two years ended December 31, 1998 and from December 31, 1998
through the effective date of the Grant Thornton LLP termination, there have
been no disagreements between the Registrant and Grant Thornton LLP on any
matter of accounting principles or practice, financial statement disclosure,
or auditing scope of procedure, which disagreements would have caused Grant
Thornton LLP to make reference to the subject matter of such disagreements in
connection with its report.
During the two years ended December 31, 1998 and from December 31, 1998 until
the effective date of the dismissal of Grant Thornton LLP, Grant Thornton LLP
did not advise the Registrant of any of the following matters:
1. That the internal controls necessary for the Registrant to develop
reliable financial statements did not exist;
2. The information had come to Grant Thornton LLP's attention that had
lead it to no longer be able to rely on management's representations,
or that had made it unwilling to be associated with the financial
statements prepared by management;
3. That there was a need to expand significantly the scope of the audit of
the Registrant, or that information had come to Grant Thornton LLP's
attention that if further investigated (i) may materially impact the
fairness or reliability of either a previously issued audit report or
underlying financial statements, or the financial statements issued or
to be issued covering the fiscal periods subsequent to the date of the
most recent financial statements covered by an audit report (including
information that may prevent it from rendering an unqualified audit
report on those financial statements) or (ii) may cause it to be
unwilling to rely on management's representation or be associated with
the Registrant's financial statements and that, due to its dismissal,
Grant Thornton LLP did not so expand the scope of its audit or conduct
such further investigation;
4. That information had come to Grant Thornton LLP's attention that it had
concluded materially impacted the fairness or reliability of either (i)
a previously issued audit report or the underlying financial statements
or (ii) the financial statements issued or to be issued covering the
fiscal period subsequent to the date of the most recent financial
statements covered by an audit report (including information that,
unless resolved to the accountant's satisfaction, would prevent it from
rendering an unqualified audit report on those financial statements),
or that, due to its dismissal, there were no such unresolved issues as
of the date of its dismissal.
Grant Thornton LLP has furnished a letter to the SEC dated November 1, 1999
stating that it agrees with the above statements, and is attached hereto as
Exhibit 1.
On October 29, 1999, the Registrant engaged the firm of Crowe, Chizek and
Company LLP as independent certified public accountants for the Registrant.
During the two years ended December 31, 1998 and from December 31, 1998
through the engagement of Crowe, Chizek and Company LLP as the Registrant's
independent accountant, neither the Registrant nor anyone on its behalf had
consulted Crowe, Chizek and Company LLP with respect to any accounting or
auditing issues involving the Registrant. In particular, there were no
discussions with the Registrant regarding the application of accounting
principles to a specified transaction, the type of audit opinion that might
be rendered on the financial statements or any related item.
Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits
(a) Exhibits
1. Letter of Grant Thornton LLP dated November 1, 1999.
Exhibit 1
Grant Thornton LLP [logo]
26911 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 400
Southfield, MI 48034
TEL: 248 262-1950 FAX: 248 350-3581
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November 1, 1999
Securities and Exchange Commission
450 5th Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Re: Dearborn Bancorp, Inc.
File No. 0-24478
Dear Sir or Madam:
We have read Item 4 of the Form 8-K of Dearborn Bancorp, Inc dated October
29, 1999, and agree with the statements contained therein.
Very truly yours,
/S/ GRANT THORNTON LLP
cc: Mr. Michael J. Ross, Dearborn Bancorp, Inc.
