Lafayette, La., and Washington are over 1,000 miles apart, but Rusty Cloutier keeps the nation's capital top of mind.

The founder and chief executive of MidSouth Bancorp (MSL) lived up to his reputation for colorful, homespun commentary during his talk at American Banker's M&A Symposium — "One problem with starting a banking company is you can't blame your predecessor for anything," he joked. But he was serious when he urged bankers — especially those active in M&A — to pay strict attention to regulators and Congress.

Bank buyers and sellers have to make sure their counterparts have a good rapport with their supervisors, he said. "The No. 1 question if you are looking at bank M&A you should ask is: 'What's their relationship with their regulators?' If they don't have a good relationship with their regulators, they are not going to be in the M&A business very long."

He underscored the point when channeling recent remarks by Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry — who oversees national banks like MidSouth — that operational risk had recently replaced credit risk as a top concern.

"My new boss Tom Curry over at the OCC — see, I recognize him as being one of my bosses — said he is more concerned about operations than he is about loan losses, particularly at small banks. That was a big statement. If you didn't hear it, and you're not paying attention to him, you should."

He also said institutions should pay special attention to congressional action this year on whether to renew the Bush tax cuts, raise the debt ceiling or make budget cuts that could hurt small bankers and their markets. They will affect whether banks decide to be buyers or sellers, he said. "The changes in the law are what's coming. We've got a crisis in this country, and it's not over yet."

Greg Gonzales, the commissioner of the Tennessee Financial Institutions Department, is the new chairman of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors.

Gonzales, a 26-year veteran of the Tennessee department who has served as its commissioner since 2007, was elected at the annual meeting this past week of the CSBS in Savannah, Ga.

In a speech to attendees, Gonzales stressed the importance of preserving community banks, as well as better coordination between federal and state regulators.

"There is no greater goal than the effort to ensure the viability of the community bank model," Gonzales said. "I fear without honest and constructive coordination, the community banks we so heavily rely upon as a nation will fall victim to the recovering economy and to regulatory schemes designed to mitigate risk at our nation's largest and most complex institutions."

Gonzales succeeds Louisiana Commissioner of Financial Institutions John Ducrest as chairman of the CSBS board.

CSBS also announced other officer appointments to the group's executive committee. They include Chairman-elect Charles A. Vice, Kentucky commissioner of financial institutions; Vice Chairman Candace A. Franks, Arkansas state bank commissioner; Secretary David J. Cotney, Massachusetts commissioner of banks; and Treasurer Charles G. Cooper, Texas banking commissioner.

Gary Gensler may have given an unexpected boost Tuesday to the economy of the tiny island nation of Mauritius.

Gensler, a financier-turned-chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, was speaking at a congressional hearing about the cat-and-mouse game between the agencies that write financial rules and the firms that always seem to find loopholes.

One way firms typically try to get around U.S. rules is through offshore legal entities. Although authorities are busily trying to close regulatory gaps, Gensler said that in several years U.S. regulators may still look back and realize, "They figured out something in the Mauritius islands or something."

A nation of 1.3 million people off the east coast of Africa, Mauritius reportedly offers numerous tax advantages — as well as favorable confidentiality policies — to businesses that form there. As of 2011, nearly 25,000 global business companies were licensed in Mauritius, according to the website of the country's Financial Services Commission.

Plus, the daily high temperature on the islands is almost always between the low 70s and the mid 80s.

A founding director of Santa Clara Valley Bank has been elected as chairman.

Scott K. Rushing replaces Ralph Rueda De Leon, who has served as chairman for the last three years. Additionally Elias F. Valdes was elected as vice chairman.

The bank's board customarily rotates its leadership, the Santa Paula, Calif., company said Thursday. De Leon, who served as interim president and chief executive from August to November, will continue to serve as a director of the bank. Rushing owns Rushing Real Estate & Investment and has been a licensed broker since 1979.

Santa Clara Valley Bank was founded in 1998 and now has three branches and $132 million of assets.

MidSouth Bancorp (MSL) has drafted a NFL quarterback to help its bank.

The Lafayette, La., company said Thursday that Jake Delhomme has joined the board of MidSouth Bank as an advisory director. Delhomme has strong ties to the area; he played college ball for the University of Louisiana Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns when they won the Big West Conference twice in the 1990s. His pro career started with the New Orleans

Delhomme's collegiate career certainly made an impression on Rusty Cloutier, MidSouth Bancorp's president and chief executive and a big sports fan. "The 29-22 victory Jake led the Cajuns to over Texas A&M in 1997, during his senior year, is still the biggest moment in UL history for so many of us diehard fans," Cloutier said in a press release. "The goal posts came down, and the entire city celebrated for what seemed like months."

Delhomme also played in the Super Bowl as a member of the Carolina Panthers. His career also includes stints in Cleveland and Houston.

MidSouth didn't recruit Delhomme just to get his autograph. He will serve as a consultant to the bank's board, acting as a "goodwill" ambassador in the market. "Jake is an accomplished athlete and avid horseman who has a tremendous following and network of contacts," Will Charbonnet, the bank's chairman, said in a release. "We could not be more proud to have someone of his caliber represent our financial institution in every community we serve."

Delhomme is the latest in a series of interesting appointees at banks. Earlier this month, Berkshire Hills Bancorp (BKBK) tapped University of Connecticut women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma to the boards of the company and its bank. In 2009, Regions Financial (RF) recruited former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice as a senior adviser to its board.