Chris Cumming

Jacksonville Bancorp in Florida has raised $1 million through a rights offering.

Ocwen Financial in Atlanta has retired approximately $159 million of debt held by a private-equity backer.

Sandler O'Neill included several new additions to its annual ranking of top-performing small banks and thrifts, suggesting that small lenders are slowly returning to pre-crisis health.

Sterling Financial in Spokane, Wash., has gone ahead with rebranding its California operations as Argent Bank despite its recent merger announcement.

Webster Financial in Waterbury, Conn, said Gerald Plush, its president and chief operating officer, will step down at the end of the month.

Financial technology firm FIS has released a suite of analytics applications to help banks improve their marketing, pricing and special offer programs.

Investar Bank in Baton Rouge, La., is getting ready to go public.

New York state regulators have proposed a sweeping set of rules to reform the force-placed insurance industry, in the latest sign that the government is taking steps to correct what critics call an abusive industry practice that overcharges homeowners.

Tracy Grooms, formerly of Bank of America, did not stay retired long. Queens University has hired her to teach undergraduates about banking at its business school, which is named after the most famous B of A exec of all.

James Watson, the bank's president, will become CEO on Oct. 1, the $1.1 billion-asset company said Thursday.

MidSouth Bancorp in Lafayette, La., plans to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday. It will keep its current ticker symbol, MSL.

Chemung Financial (CHMG) in Elmira, N.Y., has lured John Battersby out of retirement to serve as interim chief financial officer.

Bank card originations increased sharply last quarter, reaching their highest level since the financial crisis as more creditworthy customers took out new cards.

S.Y. Bancorp in Louisville, Ky., plans to redeem $30 million of trust-preferred securities.

Umpqua Holdings in Portland, Ore., and Sterling Financial in Spokane, Wash., have set a $75 million penalty for terminating their planned merger.

Emclaire Financial in Emlenton, Pa., has partly redeemed preferred stock it issued through the Small Business Lending Fund.

A Detroit private-equity firm affiliated with the mortgage originator Quicken Loans has acquired Rapid Financial Services, an online lender to small businesses.

The American Bankers Association has formed a group to lobby on behalf of rural lenders.

The business-to-business data company Accuity has launched an application to help banks access counterparty information.

Community Valley Bank in El Centro, Calif., has hired a new chief executive.