A. William Schenck, who resigned last month as Pennsylvania's secretary of banking, is starting a Pittsburgh bank that will cater to midsize businesses, professionals, and high-net-worth individuals.

Dearborn Bancorp Inc. in Michigan announced plans to purchase the $248 million-asset Fidelity Financial Corp. of Michigan for $70 million.

A former community banker running for Illinois treasurer has pledged to put more of the state's money in community banks - but he has also made a pledge not to take campaign contributions from banks.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has hit Amcore Financial Inc. with a cease-and-desist order requiring the Rockford, Ill., company to strengthen its Bank Secrecy Act compliance.

Add Park National Corp. in Newark, Ohio, to the growing roster of Midwest banking companies buying their way into Florida.

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Willow Grove Bancorp Inc. in Wayne, Pa., said in a restatement of its fiscal fourth-quarter results that it earned about $1.5 million less than it initially reported.

BankUnited Financial Corp.'s stock has taken its lumps in the last month as investors have grown leery of its reliance on option adjustable-rate mortgages in a cooling real estate market.

Community Banks Inc. in Harrisburg, Pa., has struck its second bank acquisition deal in a week.

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria is counting on its name recognition in Mexico to woo unbanked Hispanic immigrants in southern California.

NEW ENGLAND

Bryn Mawr Bank Corp. in Pennsylvania is forming an equipment leasing subsidiary that will do business nationwide.

Panhandle State Bank, a unit of the $781 million-asset Intermountain Community Bancorp in Sandpoint, Idaho, has acquired Premier Financial Services, a private investment firm in Priest River.

Former First Community Capital Corp. chief executive Nigel Harrison is wasting no time building a new Texas banking company.

Beverly Hills Bancorp Inc.'s foray into construction and development lending is not going as smoothly as planned.

Beacon Federal in East Syracuse, N.Y., is using its old ties to the credit union industry to fuel its growth.

Nexity Financial Corp. of Birmingham, Ala., has mapped out an ambitious expansion plan in its quest to become a multibillion-asset company.

* OCTFCU, Santa Ana, Calif., plans to open new branches in Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands and San Bernardino.

The "Dead Zone" isn't just a paranormal television show-it's also that wasted space in your branch that isn't contributing to your ROA. But you can vanquish these vacuums, according to several facilities experts.