Small lenders across the country filled leadership positions, including The Peoples Savings Bank in Ohio, which promoted from within to name its first woman CEO.

Catastrophic weather events illustrate the risks and opportunities for banks.

The Rutherford-based Blue Foundry Bancorp reported an eighth consecutive quarter of red ink, but a widening margin and positive loan growth trends hint at better times ahead.

The Reno, Nevada-based buyer said it would pay $64.6 million in cash and stock for Cornerstone Community Bancorp, and it expects to close the transaction in the second half of the year.

Effective bank leaders recognize that the success of any team relies not just on those in the spotlight but also on the numerous unsung heroes working behind the scenes.

Executives at the Wilmington Delaware-based bank are optimistic about 2025. Its results in the final three months of last year were hurt by an "isolated" incident in its 26-year-old ATM servicing business.

Analysts say the termination of a 2022 consent order with the CFPB is a sign that the bank's days under an asset cap may be numbered. But the consumer bureau, still led by Director Rohit Chopra, says Wells is still being scrutinized as a repeat offender.

USAA claims to have developed the mobile capture deposit technology and has already successfully sued Discover and Truist, among others.

John Asbury, who is CEO of Atlantic Union Bankshares, said credit unions that compete head-to-head with for-profit banks should lose their tax-exempt status. He also called for bank regulation based on complexity rather than size.

A partnership with fintech Apiture will give the bank new online and mobile banking services by the end of 2025.

Asheville, North Carolina-based HomeTrust Bancshares is pulling back from the region, selling its two Knoxville branches for an undisclosed sum. Apex will assume the branches' deposits, valued at an estimated $42 million.

Financial services providers in the region say they're ready to do their part rebuilding Southern California after a series of devastating fires. For many regional and community banks, initial fire-damage surveys identified limited impact.

The acquisition adds mortgage warehouse lending to Minnesota's Stearns Bank, the latest to offer the service during a multiyear period that has seen several new entrants and exits.

The Green Bay, Wisconsin bank lost $164 million after selling $2 billion of loans and securities for a loss. Asset quality remains strong while the balance-sheet restructuring tees Associated up for a strong rebound this year, executives say.

The Bethesda, Maryland, company projects increases in loans and deposits as its C&I lending strategy gears up. Criticized and past-due loans appear to be declining even with a jump in nonperforming assets.

The Virginia-based bank said the Federal Reserve signed off on its acquisition of Sandy Spring Bancorp in Maryland. The transaction was the third-largest bank deal announced in 2024. It could be finalized as soon as April.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found that auto lenders' use of reposession agents spiked to nearly 70% in 2022, up from 31% in 2018, resulting in higher costs for consumers.

Mercantile Bank Corp. in Grand Rapids achieved a 20% increase in deposits in 2024, an amount that was ample enough to fund robust loan growth and scale back reliance on costlier wholesale funding.

Frontwave Credit Union said it would acquire Community Valley Bank in a deal that would expand its footprint in San Diego and nearby counties. It comes on the heels of a record year for CU-bank combinations.

The Cleveland-based parent company of KeyBank is forecasting net interest income growth of about 20% for 2025, even as it predicts that average loan balances will decline by low-to mid-single digits year-over- year.