The trade group's leader touted progress in areas such as qualified mortgages and flood insurance, but he also encouraged members to keep speaking out against overzealous supervision.

HomeTrust Bancshares created a special call center and encouraged tellers to invite ATM customers inside the branches to answer questions and to differentiate the company from Bank of America in terms of fees.

There was plenty for banks to be encouraged about in the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s most recent Quarterly Banking Profile, which reported comprehensive industry earnings for the fourth quarter and all of 2014. Community bank lending is showing steady growth, capital levels keep rising and the FDIC's insurance reserves are stabilizing. But the numbers also contained worrisome signs. Here are key takeaways from the report.

The Wisconsin bank's cautious approach to technology and other innovations says a lot about its overall philosophy. It is treading carefully on Apple Pay, marketplace lending and other cutting-edge items while it is encouraged by its customers' switch to electronic banking.

JPMorgan Chase has agreed to a $50.4 million settlement with the Justice Department for robo-signing documents sent to homeowners in bankruptcy and for related abuses.

The $691 million-asset Howard will pay $10.1 million, or $5.09 a share, in cash and stock for the $226 million-asset Patapsco.

Unique Management Services is handling collections for the Hamilton Township Free Public Library in New Jersey, which is owed an estimated $200,000 in unpaid fines for overdue books and materials. The collection agency contracts with large public libraries nationwide.

Investors taking over delinquent mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac must work harder to reach deals allowing borrowers to keep their homes, according to new rules that are a nod to housing advocates who complain that investors often treat homeowners unfairly.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency released a set of new rules for the sale of troubled mortgages by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The California company has poached lenders from larger rivals, while expanding into specialty finance lines. Those moves have positioned Opus for a growth spurt that should outpace organic growth at most other community banks.

Banks have to invest in mobile technology in order to keep up with millennials. But bankers also need opportunities to rub shoulders with young customers — and small, conveniently situated branches give them an opportunity to do so.

Cambridge Bancorp in Massachusetts will soon have a new president and chief executive.

Springleaf Holdings Inc., the U.S. consumer lender that sold stock to the public in 2013, agreed to buy Citigroup's subprime lender OneMain Financial for $4.25 billion in cash.

Sterling Bancorp in Montebello, N.Y., has acquired payroll funding firm Damian Services Corp.

WSFS Financial in Wilmington, Del., has agreed to buy Alliance Bancorp Inc. of Pennsylvania in Broomall.

Wintrust Financial in Rosemont, Ill., has agreed to buy Community Financial Shares in Wheaton, Ill.

Ocwen Financial Corp. recorded an additional $50 million expense tied to a settlement with New York’s financial regulator and expects to take a non-cash goodwill charge of as much as $420 million in the fourth quarter.

PacWest needed deposits to fuel its lending machine. Square 1 was drowning in liquidity. Similar deals could be in the works as low-cost deposits become more valuable in light of likely interest-rate increases.

A hedge fund is pressuring Webster Financial in Waterbury, Conn., to consider spinning off its health savings account division.

The U.S. Education Department, citing "inaccurate representations" to student-loan borrowers, will end debt-collection contracts with Navient and four other companies.