Paul Davis

Wintrust Financial (WTFC) in Rosemont, Ill., has renegotiated a $100 million loan agreement with outside lenders.

The $1.7 billion-asset company said Thursday that it closed two branches last month, and that another four branches will close by next March.

The executive carousel keeps turning among Korean-American banks. BBCN Bancorp in Los Angeles has hired Daniel Kim as its chief planning officer. Kim is CFO and acting president at Saehan Bancorp, which is in the process of selling itself.

Consumer lending in September fell to its lowest point since early in the year, according to the latest American Banker Index of Banking Activity. Commercial lending provided a minor bright spot, but credit quality may be buckling amid intense competition.

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently lifted its ban on advertising private stock offerings, and it's just in time for community banks that are struggling to attract money from sophisticated investors to bolster capital and avoid selling out to other banks.

Reliance Bancshares in St. Louis was headed toward potential failure when a semi-retired banker, Tom Brouster, stepped in as an investor. Executives broke down their challenges into manageable tasks, focused intently on cleaning up bad loans and are now ready to start lending and pursuing M&A, he says.

Cascade Bancorp (CACB) in Bend, Ore., has outbid another company to snag Home Federal (HOME) in Nampa, Idaho.

The Salt Lake City company has long lagged in mortgages, and now is the time to get more aggressive as big rivals pull back and small competitors struggle with qualified-mortgage rules, CEO Harris Simmons says.

Bankers are devoting more attention than ever to regulatory compliance and cost-cutting, but they need to be careful not to let service suffer in the process, a panel of CEOs said Tuesday.

Northrim BanCorp (NRIM) in Anchorage, Alaska, has agreed to buy Alaska Pacific Bancshares (AKPB) in Juneau.

Heritage Oaks Bancorp (HEOP) in Paso Robles, Calif., has agreed to buy Mission Community Bancorp (MISN) in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Bankers must resist the urge to obsess over the hassles of QM and other new rules, says Jeff Plagge, the new chairman of the American Bankers Association and CEO of Northwest Financial in Iowa. Doing so distracts them from adequately serving customers and contributing to economic growth, he says.

CFPB director Richard Cordray told attendees at the American Bankers Association's annual conference that the bureau will be flexible with banks that make "good faith" efforts to comply by January.

SunTrust still wants to lower its efficiency ratio to 60%, but a mortgage slowdown and legal costs tied to alleged lending violations is making that goal harder to achieve.

SunTrust Banks (STL) in Atlanta reported lower quarterly earnings after it agreed to settle claims over various mortgage-related practices.

Some regional banks reported strong loan growth in the third quarter and are upbeat about the fourth. Others had a weak summer and expect this quarter to be the same. All claim their lending practices are sound and that rivals are taking risks. It doesn't add up.

BB&T reported lower quarterly earnings, as a large tax adjustment overshadowed the Winston-Salem, N.C., company's struggles to boost net interest income.

Valley Financial (VYFC) in Roanoke, Va., has exited the Troubled Asset Relief Program after issuing $11 million in subordinated debt to an unnamed accredited investor.

Malvern Bancorp (MLVF) in Paoli, Pa., expects to report another quarterly loss after selling a block of problem loans and repaying Federal Home Loan Bank advances.

Capitol Bancorp said late Monday that it will sell its four remaining banks to Talmer Bancorp in Troy, Mich.