Paul Davis

The $34 million acquisition is expected to strengthen Central Valley's banking operations in northern California.

The Louisiana company also said that credit quality in its energy portfolio improved during the first quarter.

City National Capital Finance is a nationwide platform with a focus on large and midsize clients. The unit has offices in Florida, Texas, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and New York.

The Delaware company reported loan growth and, for the first time in months, no charges tied to an outstanding regulatory order.

Doug Bowers will serve as the permanent replacement for Steven Sugarman, who resigned in January.

Joseph Evans will step down as CEO on June 1, though he will remain the company's chairman. Thomas Wiley, a longtime associate of Evans, is set to take the helm.

MidSouth also removed Cloutier's son as part of what it called a "transition plan already under way to improve” performance.

The acquisition will provide South State with more than $3 billion in assets and a larger operation in North Carolina.

TowneBank's acquisition of Paragon Commercial Bank would give it access to several North Carolina markets.

The biggest bank M&A agreement of the year might not have happened if the buyer, Sterling Financial, had refused to prove to Astoria Financial that it had thoroughly vetted the deal with regulators.