Paul Davis

Harvard Illinois Bancorp, which has struggled with persistent activist pressure and exposure to a fraud scheme, is preparing to wind down its operations.

Isabella Bank in Mt. Pleasant, Mich., has agreed to buy a branch from Independent Bank in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Seacoast Banking Corp. of Florida in Stuart has acquired First Growth Capital, a firm that handles receivables funding.

Prudential Bancorp in Philadelphia is setting the stage for a new chief executive.

WashingtonFirst Bankshares in Reston, Va., has agreed to buy direct mortgage lender 1st Portfolio Holding Corp. in Fairfax, Va.

Flushing Financial in Uniondale, N.Y., has sold three branch properties in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Investors have varied expectations of how banks should build and deploy capital. Ultimately, management teams need to stick to their growth plans rather than serve the whims of specific shareholders.

Baylake Corp. in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., has agreed to buy New Bancshares in Kewaunee, Wis.

Hanmi Financial in Los Angeles is planning to close four branches.

Premier Financial Bancorp in Huntington, W.Va., has completed its exit from the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Parkway Bancorp in Harwood Heights, Ill., has agreed to buy Park Bancorp in Chicago.

Bank of the Ozarks in Little Rock, Ark., has agreed to buy Bank of the Carolinas in Mocksville, N.C.

Simmons First National in Pine Bluff, Ark., has agreed to buy Ozark Trust and Investment Corp. in Springfield, Mo.

Pinnacle Financial Partners in Nashville, Tenn., has agreed to buy Magna Bank in Memphis, Tenn.

Signature Bank in New York is poised to start lending to city governments. The move is well-timed; the wind-down of GE Capital removes a competitor and provides Signature with a chance to buy assets and hire salespeople.

Heritage Commerce in San Jose, Calif., has agreed to buy Focus Business Bank. The $1.7 billion-asset Heritage Commerce will pay about $55 million for the $391 million-asset Focus, which is also based in San Jose.

The growth-minded regional bank is biding its time until rates rise and its M&A deals close by slowing riskier types of lending and diversifying its income sources.

United Community Banks in Blairsville, Ga., has agreed to buy Palmetto Bancshares in Greenville, S.C.

Rep. Patrick McHenry said Democrats' resistance to passing certain regulatory relief measures is due to a leftward shift.

Rep. Patrick McHenry said Democrats' resistance to passing certain regulatory relief measures is due to a leftward shift.