First Niagara Financial Group Inc. in Lockport, N.Y., said Monday that it has hired J. Lanier "Lanny" Little as its executive vice president of consumer banking.

Richard P. Chapman, Brookline Bancorp’s chairman and chief executive officer, is not going to let one bumpy quarter sour him on automobile lending.

Capitol Federal Financial of Topeka, Kan., said Monday that earnings for its fiscal first quarter, which ended Dec. 31, fell 10.7% from a year earlier, to $9.1 million.

First Financial Bankshares Inc. in Abilene announced Monday that it has changed the name of its $127 million-asset First National Bank of Sweetwater to First Financial Bank.

For much of the past half-century Bank of Granite Corp. in Granite Falls, N.C., was a rock-solid performer.

In terminating its deal to buy Peoples Community Bancorp Inc. of West Chester, Ohio, Integra Bank Corp. in Evansville, Ind., might have gotten itself back into the good graces of its investors.

Shares of Franklin Bank Corp. plunged Friday after the beleaguered Houston company reported that it lost $66 million, or $2.64 a share, in the fourth quarter as a result of a $65 million goodwill impairment charge and a $23.5 million increase in its loan-loss allowance.

NORTH SYRACUSE, N.Y. - What may be the first indoor drive-through teller lanes in America are now operating at a new branch of SECNY FCU here.

ANGLETON, Texas - Is it really possible to build a totally “green” credit union branch?

GREENBELT, Md. - Open just over a month, NASA Federal Credit Union reports its “branch of the future” that includes many “green” features, is exceeding member service expectations.

HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Pennsylvania Credit Union Association is looking for volunteers to serve on a green advisory committee. Members will discuss how credit unions can be leaders in going green and protecting the environment. No travel will be required. (c) 2008 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.cujournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Community First Credit Union of Florida has broken ground on the first green-certified branch in the area.

DALLAS, Texas. - Credit Union Resources Inc., the wholly owned service corporation of the Texas Credit Union League, has partnered with Affiliated Power Purchasers International. The AAPI Savings Solution program assists TCUL members in reducing electricity and natural gas costs. (c) 2008 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.cujournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Redwood Credit Union here has earned a Top Commercial Real Estate Projects of 2007 award from the North Bay Business Journal. The award recognized the credit union for “Green Reuse,” or taking an existing commercial building and remodeling it to be environmentally responsible. (c) 2008 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.cujournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com

Branch sales boosted First Niagara Financial Group Inc.'s fourth-quarter net income by 33% from the year earlier, to $27.8 million, the company said Thursday.

With commercial real estate markets deteriorating, Comptroller of the Currency John Dugan urged bankers Thursday to take proactive steps — or face harsh treatment from examiners.

A recent conversation with the owner of an independent toy store reminded me of why we ask our branch managers to "act like owners" when running their businesses.

For more information on this data, visit Novantas LLC and Market Rates Insight.

Signature Bank Corp. in New York says it is postponing its fourth-quarter and full-year earnings report because it needs more time to determine the market value of asset-backed securities in its investment portfolio.

(The reader is responding to "Banks Urged to Take CRE Loan Initiative," which ran on Feb. 1, 2008)