Some lost their jobs while others made major missteps or faced serious challenges to their business plans. Here are the folks who had a rough 2015 and are looking forward to better times in 2016.

CalWest Bancorp in Irvine, Calif., has raised $14 million through a private offering to recapitalize and to retire its Troubled Asset Relief Program funds.

Ken Karels has guided the South Dakota company through an initial public offering and its first acquisition in three years. He is worth watching next year as ag lending comes under pressure and as Great Western continues hunting for acquisitions.

Customers Bancorp in Wyomissing, Pa., plans to raise $30 million in an aggregate offering of its common stock.

BB&T Corp. in Winston-Salem, N.C., has received approval from the Federal Reserve Board to buy National Penn Bancshares in Allentown, Pa.

BofI Holding's CEO Greg Garrabrants should be basking in the glow of his bank's record earnings growth and its potentially transformative acquisition of H&R Block Bank. Instead, he's fighting to regain the confidence of shareholders spooked by allegations that the online bank violated anti-money-laundering laws.

BNP Paribas is considering selling or spinning off one of its two U.S. banking subsidiaries as it aims to boost capital.

The $1 billion-asset holding company for Veritex Community Bank redeemed about $8 million worth of SBLF shares.

The Federal Reserve extended the public comment period for KeyCorp's proposed $4.1 billion takeover of First Niagara Financial Group until Jan. 31, after a lawmaker said communities affected by the deal need to weigh in.

Synovus Financial in Columbus, Ga., has offered to acquire up to $100 million of its outstanding subordinated debt.

Middleburg Financial in Middleburg, Va., plans to record a $3 million impairment charge tied to a participation loan in which the borrower has been accused of fraud.

Citizens & Northern in Wellsboro, Pa., has paid off a $24 million repurchase agreement and will record a loss on the prepayment.

Birmingham Bloomfield Bancshares in Birmingham, Mich., has redeemed its shares in the Small Business Lending Fund and exited the program.

BankMobile attracted 100,000 users in its first year and with the acquisition of a couple of business lines from collegiate servicer Higher One it is projecting it will have 2 million by July.

American Banker predicted these five community bankers would make news in 2015, and they did not disappoint. Some pursued M&A, one went public, and one even helped break up his bank.

Directors at credit unions used to work for free, but that is starting to change — and it's rankling banking industry officials who say it's another example of the nonprofit cooperatives mimicking banks without shouldering the same tax burden.

The $3.9 billion-asset holding company for Busey Bank redeemed all its remaining shares in the program at a total redemption price of about $72.8 million.

Another institution helped push New York Community Bancorp to add cash to its bid, a filing disclosed. While Astoria's board was concerned about NYCB's plans for an aggressive balance sheet restructuring and capital raise, management believed the other suitor's offer had more execution risk.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., has asked for more time for public comment on KeyCorp's proposed takeover of First Niagara Financial Group, and said more study is needed on the deal's potential economic impact on western New York.

Tri-Valley Bank in San Ramon, Calif., said that its largest individual shareholder is making a bid to double his stake.