Paul Davis

The Riverhead, N.Y., company is profitable again and playing offense after purging bad loans and raising capital in recent months

The New Jersey company is well capitalized but was challenged making bigger loans to its commercial clients, an issue that could lead other small banks to seek buyers.

Lakeland Bancorp in Oak Ridge has agreed to buy Somerset Hills Bancorp in Bernardsville, N.J.

Loan-loss reserves will soon reach a point of equilibrium with the size and risk profile of loan portfolios, making it harder for banks to reduce provisions.

Philip Wenger believes Fulton Financial is well-positioned to court small businesses and consumers, though he is open to acquisitions to help the Pennsylvania company expand.

Wintrust Financial (WTFC) announced another small acquisition to expand its operations in Illinois, saying it would buy First Lansing Bancorp, which has seven branches, $370 million in assets and $325 million in deposits.

Tighter margins. Anxious commercial customers. Fresh memories of bad risks taken. These are a few of the limitations acting on Fifth Third, BB&T, PNC and other regional banks as they try to improve on progress made last year.

Smith, who retired this month after seven years as CEO of Fulton Financial in Pennsylvania, gives the cold, hard truth about leadership and puts it in historical terms.

BB&T in Winston-Salem, N.C., posted an increase in quarterly earnings on higher mortgage fees and loan growth.

The unexpected departure of the CEO of the nation's biggest Korean-American bank moves comes just days after rival Hanmi Financial announced plans to sell itself.

Go Banking Rates named Sofia Vergara, the star of the ABC comedy "Modern Family," its "Best Celebrity Saver," giving her a consolation prize of sorts after she fell short at the Golden Globes.

Analysts will also pay close attention to what bankers says about cost cutting and fallout from the fiscal cliff compromise.

Hanmi Financial (HAFC) has hired an investment bank to help it explore options that could include the sale of the Korean-American bank.

November marked the first time in months that bankers reported increased momentum for staffing, despite the fact that some Northeastern banks were dealing with Hurricane Sandy's aftermath.

The Greenville, S.C., bank will acquire Resource Financial Services, which has eight offices in five states. CertusBank did not disclose the price it will pay for the four-year-old company.

A large shareholder recently sold most of her holdings in First Citizens, giving her uncle's family a majority stake in the family owned company.

Every banker is under scrutiny, but last year we pegged 10 executives as potential news makers for 2012. Most of those bankers delivered big headlines in the past year.

First Citizens BancShares has lost a piece of its history with the resignation of a long-time director.

CEO Victor Karpiak will resign as chairman, and Stilwell Group will add a representative to the Washington company's board.

Six months after settling a legal battle with Capital One, John Kanas is eager to start hiring employees and opening branches in the Big Apple.