Steven Sugarman, chief executive at Banc of California, recently completed a large branch acquisition after a public battle with an advocacy group. In a recent interview, he discussed that process as well as the bank's busy year — both the good and the bad.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended Nov. 15.

John Hairston, set to become the Mississippi company's sole CEO, said Carl Chaney was not forced out as co-CEO. Still, he said the departure allows Hancock to streamline operations and become more efficient.

MSB Financial Corp., a mutual thrift firm in Millington, N.J., plans to reorganize into a fully stock-owned company.

Wells Financial in Wells, Minn., has agreed to buy St. James Federal Savings and Loan Association in St. James, Minn.

BNC Bancorp in High Point, N.C., has agreed to buy Valley Financial in Roanoke, Va.

John A. Allison writes in his new book that he feared for years that predecessors of Wachovia or Bank of America would try and force BB&T to sell itself. In this excerpt, he explains how he kept the banking giants at bay. Part 5 of 5.

The Connecticut company just recaptured its deferred-tax asset, which padded third-quarter earnings. Still, some observers believe Patriot National's improved health, and presence in affluent markets, could lure suitors.

New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer's creative effort to give shareholders more power to nominate board candidates will be an uphill battle, but community banks are taking it seriously — and larger banks may ultimately have to do so, too.

Nonbank acquisitions require a certain level of expertise, John Allison writes in his new book. In this excerpt, he discusses how BB&T views the insurance business and why he stuck with subprime auto finance when others bailed. Part 4 of 5.

John Hairston will stay in the newly combined role, while Carl Chaney plans to retire on Dec. 31. Hancock has been pressed by Wall Street in recent years to get more aggressive cutting costs after buying Whitney Bank.

Royal Financial in Chicago has agreed to buy PNA Bank in Chicago.

New York financial regulator Benjamin Lawsky held up the deal shortly after it was announced in January, and regulatory and legal concerns had mounted since then.

Iberiabank Corp. in Lafayette, La., was initially willing to pay up to $24 million more than what it eventually agreed to pay for Florida Bank Group in Tampa.

J. Thomas Wiley will become chief executive of the company's banking unit. The move could free up Joe Evans, the company's CEO, to focus on deploying capital, which could include more acquisitions.

BB&T successfully bought a number of thrifts in the aftermath of the S&L crisis. Retired BB&T CEO John Allison explains his company’s success while discussing how he sold deals to leaders of target institutions. Part 3 of 5.

Sturgis Bancorp in Sturgis, Mich., has agreed to buy West Michigan Savings Bank in Bangor.

Kelly King of BB&T is an M&A trailblazer, but he isn't doing so intentionally. In announcing plans to buy Susquehanna Bancshares, King said he believes more bankers are becoming more confident maneuvering the choppy regulatory environment.

Richard Davis, asked during a conference about BB&T's $2.5 billion purchase of Susquehanna Bancshares, made it clear that his company has no interest in large, out-of-market acquisitions.

While banks have spent tens of billions of dollars to settle investigations related to the sale of faulty mortgages, probes into everything from foreign-exchange trading to subprime automobile lending are forcing many of them to continue adding to their legal reserves.