Laura Alix

It was a year to remember for women executives at SunTrust and Amex’s new CEO, and one to forget for Wells Fargo and investors in bank stocks.

As head of Santander Bank’s retail network, Colleen Canny will be in charge of more than 600 branches and over 4,100 employees across eight states.

Student loan debt — now at $1.5 trillion in the U.S. — is arguably the greatest pain point for consumers in their 20s and 30s. To court that demographic, banks are increasingly offering help with refinancing and repayment.

The San Diego bank has agreed to assume $225 million in deposits at no premium from Modern Woodmen of America, which is shuttering MWABank, its direct bank subsidiary.

Synovus has given CFO Kevin Blair the additional title of COO. He will oversee three business lines, plus tech, operations and product and treasury management.

The U.S. subsidiary of the Royal Bank of Canada has added bankers from MUFG Union Bank and Bank of America to its Orange County, Calif., team that serves the aerospace and defense industry.

Owners of firms that employ only themselves would prefer to use loans or lines of credit, but more often than not they resort to credit cards, according to a new Fed report. Is this a missed opportunity for banks?

Nearly 60% of people thinking about switching banks would be open to banking with a big tech company if they ever get that option. Cash incentives or existing savings accounts are big factors in consumer decisions — and things that banks could keep in mind in their efforts to recruit or retain customers.

Speaking at an investor conference Wednesday, John Turner said that sellers’ asking prices are too high and that Regions would prefer to buy a nonbank that could help boost fee income.

The Midwest regional recently announced a referral partnership with the fintech lender CommonBond. By offering customers an option to refinance student loans at more favorable terms, the bank is hoping to cultivate their loyalty.