GROTON, Conn. – The Waterford Planning and Zoning Commission approved an application from Charter Oak FCU to build a new, 60,000-square foot, $16-million corporate headquarters at 1055 Hartford Turnpike.

Investors are now willing to put money into community lenders with credible business plans, sufficient scale, and executives who show "courage" and "fortitude," says Greg Mitchell, CEO of First PacTrust.

Hans Morris, who left Visa in 2009 and joined private-equity firm General Atlantic, shared his payments investing philosophy with bankers and former colleagues on Monday night.

QNB Bank in Quakertown, Pa., announced Tuesday that its longtime chief executive is retiring at the end of this year and that its board has elected the bank’s president to succeed him.

Zynga's social games — especially its hit Facebook game FarmVille — are a big deal in digital payments. Its games are the key to the success of Facebook Credits, and they may provide a similar boost to American Express' Serve.

The Virginia company will have a retooled ownership, a new director and more capital after a private placement and rights offering. While Hampton Roads' private equity investors will own 90% of the company following those moves, early indications are that those companies are content with management's progress purging bad loans and cutting costs.

Northeast Community Bancorp (NECB) in White Plains, N.Y., is opening a fourth branch in Massachusetts as part of its continued expansion in the suburbs surrounding Boston.

The Federal Reserve has lifted a written agreement with Guaranty Bancorp and its bank, which could free the Denver company to retire some of its more costly debt.

Many bank buyers will stay on the sidelines until Dodd-Frank rules are written and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's agenda is clearer, industry experts say.

The San Francisco bank has found that, with a few clever tweaks, its retail-focused business model can create sustainable earnings in a lackluster economy and position the bank for a broader recovery, executives said Tuesday.

Umpqua Holdings (UMPQ) in Portland, Ore., continues to ramp up in commercial real estate lending at a time when many other banks are shying away from the sector.

Robin Zager has spent more than a decade on a bank board in New Jersey. Earlier this week, she discussed why there is a lack of female directors and how she handles being a part of a male-dominated board.

Former Salomon Brothers trading star Valerie Thompson used investment banking as the backdrop to her steamy new novel.

The Alabama company’s management team used a conference appearance to discuss plans to expand in credit cards and auto lending, while assuring investors that it has turned the corner in the Southeast.

For the first time in nine months, fewer homeowners are making their monthly mortgage payments on time.

Three prominent private-equity groups that already own significant stakes in Hampton Roads Bankshares (HMPR) have agreed to pump another $50 million into the Norfolk, Va., company.

The announcement is surprising as it follows so soon after hefty penalties were assessed against many other banks for their overdraft programs.

The federal agencies treat PE players as "slippery" characters, impose "draconian" limits on them and make the troubled European economy more appealing for bank deals, investor Ross says.

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