Tanaya Macheel

Opus Bank in Irvine, Calif., has created a formal division for lending to municipal governments and has promoted executive Debbie McLeod to lead the venture.

Ally Financial in Detroit has promoted David Shevsky to chief risk officer, after its previous executive in that role left for Santander Bank's holding company.

The $467 million-asset mutual thrift appointed Patricia Stetler to the role this week.

The $5.6 billion-asset multibank holding company hired Fontaine to replace Ed Hooks, who has been its counsel since 1992 and who will retire at the end of the year.

Salisbury Bancorp. in Lakeville, Conn., has issued $10 million in subordinated debt and plans to exit the Small Business Lending Fund.

JPMorgan Chase's Eileen Serra is giving up her CEO title (for a very interesting reason); CIT Group's Ellen Alemany is getting to work sooner than expected with a big housecleaning; and Meredith Whitney resurfaces with an insurance company. Plus, inclusion confusion, the "Person of the Year" (it's a woman for the first time in 29 years), and Saudi Arabia.

CIT Group will pay about $60 million in severance to 14 executives who have been dismissed or left the company, as it continues to shuffle its executive lineup following its August acquisition of OneWest Bank.

Carolina Financial in Charleston, S.C., plans to raise $30 million in a public offering of its common stock.

Bank of Lancaster in Kilmarnock, Va. has promoted Susan Pittman to the newly created position of chief lending officer.

Bank of the Ozarks in Little Rock, Ark., which has made 15 bank deals since 2010, has raised $110 million in an offering of its common stock.

Enterprise Financial Services in Clayton, Mo., has reached an agreement to end loss-share agreements tied to the four failed banks it acquired during the financial crisis.

First Republic Bank in San Francisco has promoted Jason Bender to chief operating officer.

First Republic Bank in San Francisco has promoted Mike Selfridge to the newly created role of chief banking officer.

The $241 billion-asset unit of Toronto-Dominion Bank has allegedly lent $300 million to Smith & Wesson, the maker of the guns found in last week's shooting in San Bernardino, Calif., according to Letitia James, the New York City Public Advocate.

Codorus Valley Bancorp in York, Pa., plans to sell $30 million of stock to fund its exit from the Small Business Lending Fund program.

California Bank & Trust in San Diego has given its chief financial officer the additional titles of president and chief operating officer.

First National Bank of Orwell in Vermont has named Bryan Young chief executive. Young, 38, will succeed his father, Mark Young, as CEO of the $56.1 million-asset bank beginning Jan. 1.

Goldman Sachs is seeking to create its own cryptocurrency for post-trade settlement, according to a recently released patent filing.

A bank goes pink to attract women, Blythe Masters sticks with her startup despite a big Barclays offer, Sallie Krawcheck reflects on life as an entrepreneur, Ana Botin talks strategy and Margaret Keane offers leadership advice. Plus some Barbie news.

Lloyds Banking Group in the U.K. has made Deborah McWhinney its third nonexecutive director. She joined the board at Lloyds Monday and also serves on its audit and risk committees.