Laura Alix is a reporter at American Banker.
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Associated Banc-Corp in Green Bay, Wis., said Wednesday that it will close 17 branches as part of a previously announced deal to buy 32 branches from Huntington Bancshares.
By Laura AlixJanuary 10 -
More consumers fell behind on their loans in the third quarter of 2018, even as average wages rose and the unemployment rate fell to a 50-year low.
By Laura AlixJanuary 8 -
Investments in software can speed up decision-making and help traditional lenders better compete with fintechs for creditworthy customers who want their loans quickly.
By Laura AlixJanuary 7 -
New CEO John Turner hasn't fully laid out his vision for the future, but it clearly will involve hiring specialized lenders, balancing labor-saving AI with old-fashioned relationship building, and more streamlining.
By Laura AlixJanuary 2 -
A state-backed bank would not be financially feasible because capital requirements would be too high and it likely wouldn’t return profits to the state for at least 30 years, consultants concluded.
By Laura AlixDecember 28 -
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.
December 25 -
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.
By Laura AlixDecember 24 -
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.
By Laura AlixDecember 20 -
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.
By Laura AlixDecember 14 -
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.
By Laura AlixDecember 12 -
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.
By Laura AlixDecember 12 -
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?
By Laura AlixDecember 12 -
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.
By Laura AlixDecember 10 -
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.
By Laura AlixDecember 5 -
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.
By Laura AlixNovember 30 -
The Bridgeport, Conn., company is developing a specialty in banking technology businesses. Like so many other small regionals with ambitious growth plans, it faces a tricky balancing act: how to take creative risks without getting in over its head.
By Laura AlixNovember 28 -
Zack Bishop has experience in blending the systems of merged banks, according to Synovus, which this summer announced its first whole-bank deal in more than a decade.
By Laura AlixNovember 26 -
There is a surprising amount of pessimism in the air among bankers, including fears of another recession and House Democratic activism. But there are lots of reasons financial institutions should be feeling good.
By Andy PetersNovember 21 -
Christopher Kay will oversee the Buffalo, N.Y., bank's branch and ATM networks as well as development of products and services that seek to mimic the cutting-edge offerings of other industries.
By Laura AlixNovember 20 -
Efforts to create city- or state-owned banks in Los Angeles, Seattle and New Jersey have suffered setbacks of late, but public banking advocates are taking the long view.
By Laura AlixNovember 19




















