The Greenville, S.C., company hired John Poelker as interim CEO and ousted its top executives less than two weeks after allegations of financial mismanagement surfaced. Poelker, known for stabilizing struggling banks, could be tasked with cleaning Certus up for a buyer.

Insight, based in Ohio, wanted to raise capital to expand its operations. Instead, it ended up talking to suitors and agreeing to sell to First Financial in Cincinnati.

BancorpSouth (BXS) in Tupelo, Miss., has acquired Knox Insurance Group in Lafayette, La.

Wintrust Financial (WTFC) in Rosemont, Ill., has agreed to buy 11 branches in Wisconsin from Talmer Bancorp (TLMR) in Troy, Mich.

MBT Financial (MBTF) in Monroe, Mich., has extended the expiration date for its rights offering.

The Independent Community Bankers of America is taking issue with Wall Street's opinion that banks need scale to survive. The group has urged members to tune out "defeatist talk" about smaller banks.

CertusBank has terminated its top executive team, effective immediately, the $1.7 billion-asset bank announced Wednesday.

Continuing its expansion in Michigan, Huntington Bancshares (HBAN) in Columbus, Ohio, has agreed to purchase 11 branches in the eastern part of the state from Bank of America (BAC).

Toronto-Dominion Bank Chief Executive Officer Ed Clark is showing Canadian rivals that you can bet on the U.S. without risking your stock.

National Bank Holdings (NBHC) in Greenwood Village, Colo., is losing its executive in charge of acquisitions.

Care deeply about the price at which you make an investment, whether it's in your own shares or another company's. Don't delude yourself about how great the future will be. And look for empirical evidence that you have an "edge", rather than simply assuming it.

F.N.B. Corp. (FNB) in Hermitage, Pa., has agreed to buy OBA Financial Services (OBAF) in Germantown, Md.

MainSource Financial (MSFG) in Greensburg, Ind., has agreed to buy MBT Bancorp in West Harrison, Ind.

Barney Frank, Maxine Waters and nine other Democrats urged financial regulators in 2010 to consider Certus' charter as a way to create a large minority-run bank headed by managers of "unquestioned character." That bank's big problems since suggest that, at minimum, the vote of confidence was misguided.

Wintrust Financial (WTFC) in Rosemont, Ill., has agreed to buy the Pewaukee, Wis., branch of The National Bank.

An big investor in SWS Group (SWS) has objected to the Dallas company's planned sale to Hilltop Holdings (HTH).

Four Oaks Fincorp (FOFN) in Four Oaks, N.C., could purge up to $50 million in assets with help from its newest investor.

Solera National Bancorp (SLRK) in Lakewood, Colo., says it tried unsuccessfully to resolve a dispute with its biggest shareholder.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended April 5.

UniCredit, an Italian banking and financial services company, wants to sell a large portion of its non-performing loans along with its debt collection unit.