Paul Davis

A rush of bank M&A is welcome news to activist investors, who typically make money when banks make improvements and sell to bigger institutions. Here is a look at six firms that have stood out in recent years for pressuring management teams and boards to enhance value for shareholders.

Pinnacle Financial Partners in Nashville, Tenn., has agreed to buy Avenue Financial Holdings in Nashville.

C.K. Hong used his resignation letter to issue a scathing rebuke of the Los Angeles company's $1 billion acquisition, while claiming that he had been on a "dysfunctional board … characterized by factionalism and a lack of transparency." BBCN strongly disagreed, claiming that Hong was upset that plans were already in place to remove him from the board.

Centrue Financial in Ottawa, Ill., has agreed to sell three branches in Illinois.

ServisFirst Bancshares in Birmingham, Ala., has entered the Florida’s Tampa Bay area after hiring the former chief executive of Bay Cities Bank.

CVB Financial in Ontario, Calif., has agreed to sell a branch Sierra Bancorp in Porterville, Calif.

Chemical Financial in Midland, Mich., has agreed to buy Talmer Bancorp in Troy, Mich.

Huntington Bancshares in Columbus, Ohio, has agreed to buy FirstMerit in Akron, Ohio.

United Community Financial in Youngstown, Ohio, has agreed to buy James & Sons Insurance.

Opus Bank in Irvine, Calif., has agreed to buy Pensco Trust Co. in San Francisco from Pensco Services.

The ouster of Cardinal Bankshares' chief executive helped set into motion events that led to the Floyd, Va., company’s merger with another banking company.

John Kanas, BankUnited's CEO, said the business never turned a profit, and there were no indications that it would. The company, meanwhile, remains committed to other residential lending operations while focusing on expanding its other businesses across Florida.

At least five regional banks on Thursday discarded concerns about the global economy, stocks, interest rates and credit quality, forecasting loan growth for the rest of this year.

Aquesta Financial Services in Cornelius, N.C., has acquired an insurance portfolio from James E. Moore Agency in Wilmington, N.C.

BB&T in Winston-Salem, N.C., plans to shut down an auto leasing business it inherited after buying Susquehanna Bancshares in Lititz, Pa.

BB&T in Winston-Salem, N.C., posted lower quarterly results that largely reflected lower fee income and costs tied to recent acquisitions.

Cullen/Frost Bankers in San Antonio said it plans to report a large increase in its loan-loss provision because of issues in the energy sector.

TotalBank in Miami said it has promoted Jay Pelham to president, succeeding Luis de la Aguilera, who left the company in December to lead U.S. Century Bank in Doral, Fla.

Mackinac Financial in Manistique, Mich., has agreed to buy First National Bank of Eagle River in Wisconsin.

Royal Financial in Chicago has agreed to buy Park Bancorp in Chicago.