A dysfunctional culture can harm banks' long-term viability and share value growth. Luckily, these problems can be fixed by encouraging team accountability, empowering employees to make decisions, and showing appreciation for staffers.

Bank of America pops up in Friday's news for several reasons, including an article revealing the bank and JPMorgan Chase agreed to scrape debts discharged in bankruptcy from consumers' credit reports within the next three months. The move comes in response to a set of lawsuits.

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.

Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase have agreed to update their customers' consumer credit reports to eliminate debts that have been legally extinguished, providing relief for more than a million Americans, the New York Times reported.

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

Lending and access to banking services in distressed neighborhoods has risen as a result of "mission-oriented" banks, according to a new report from the National Community Investment Fund, an advocacy organization.

Green Dot reported higher first-quarter earnings Thursday, thanks partly to the revenue generated by a recently acquired tax refund processing business.

Fannie and Freddie will have more room to finance affordable rental housing, but it is unclear if it's enough to prevent possible disruptions later this year.

First Citizens BancShares in Raleigh, N.C., reported higher earnings on the backs of two acquisitions.

A community development venture in the District of Columbia supported by Citigroup, government officials and local financial institutions has partnered with loan marketplace Biz2Credit to facilitate loans to small businesses.

American Banker readers share their views on the most pressing banking topics of the week. Comments are excerpted from reader response sections of AmericanBanker.com articles and from our social media platforms.

Mercury Network, the mortgage lender and appraisal management company software unit of a la mode, was acquired by private equity firm Serent Capital, the companies announced Thursday.

The company recently completed its purchase of Central Bancshares. Following a methodically spaced-out integration, management expects it will be in a special position to do more deals in the state because MidWestOne is publicly traded.

Wells Fargo and other banks are testing the use of mobile devices to authenticate consumers in the drive-through lane. The pilot, designed to expedite service and improve security, serves as the latest example of a growing trend: preordering banking services via digital devices.

The Patriot Center at George Mason University is about to be renamed EagleBank Arena.

One more quick illustration of why bank customers and regulators are demanding that the U.S. move to a real-time payments system.

Trans Pacific National Bank in San Francisco has named ex-Chicago banker Bob Lussier its president and chief executive.

Elmira Savings Bank in New York has repurchased a warrant from the federal government that had been issued as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program during the financial crisis.

New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced Thursday the introduction of a newly expanded Abandoned Property Neighborhood Relief Act, legislation aimed at curbing the number of abandoned foreclosed homes, also known as zombie foreclosures.