Growth strategies

The combination of CCF Holding, Heritage Bancorp. and Providence Bank will create a $1 billion-asset institution. Veteran bank investor Kenneth Lehman will be its chairman.

Earlier this year CUNA announced a new push to better educate consumers about credit unions. The Northwest Credit Union Association is asking its members to contribute to the effort.

Student loan debt — now at $1.5 trillion in the U.S. — is arguably the greatest pain point for consumers in their 20s and 30s. To court that demographic, banks are increasingly offering help with refinancing and repayment.

Stock Yards will remove a competitor in Louisville, Ky., and enter two markets outside of the city.

In the last two years, the Georgia-based institution has returned $25 million to members.

Colony will also gain a loan production office in Atlanta when the transaction closes.

The two institutions had to change their names after a law passed in the Hawkeye State that forbid CUs from using a state university in their names.

Ameris has agreed to pay $751 million for Atlanta-based Fidelity; the combined company would have $16 billion in assets.

Live Oak Bancshares became an SBA juggernaut by making loans, selling them and making more. With economic conditions changing, it is retaining more credits.

The North Carolina-based institution distributed more than $624,000 with some members receiving as much as $500.