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The Justice Department said Friday that it will not challenge Hancock Holding's deal to acquire Whitney Holding of New Orleans as long as the companies sell eight branches.

Lawmakers in state capitals across the country are increasingly intrigued by arguments for public banks. With the financial crisis fueling disdain for the banking industry in general, some view these banks as an appealing alternative to a system they consider to be broken. But Eric Hardmeyer, president and chief executive of the Bank of North Dakota, is not so sure.

The $7.4 billion-asset company said its board has also approved a plan to sell about $293 million in substandard and nonperforming loans and $142 million in foreclosed properties.

A seemingly solid lending relationship can get dangerously big. Chris Myers, president and chief executive of CVB Financial Corp., learned this lesson the hard way.

MoneyGram International said it has hired former DolEx Dollar Express Inc. head George Zelinski as its vice president for Central America, South America and the Caribbean regions.

Loomis Fargo & Co. announced plans to acquire the cash-handling business of Pendum LLC to add to its automated teller machine servicing operations.

Home Bancorp Inc. in Lafayette, La., has agreed to buy GS Financial Corp. of Matairie, La.

Park Sterling Corp. in Charlotte, N.C., said Thursday that it has agreed to buy Community Capital Corp. of Greenwood, S.C.

MB Acquisition Bancorp agreed to buy $20 million to $30 million of newly issued common stock to help the $201.2 million-asset bank meet the minimum capital ratio requirements in its regulatory orders.

The $4.5 billion-asset Chicago company said Tuesday that it raised $25 million in a private placement with investors such as Harrison Steans, a former chairman of LaSalle National Bank; Jennifer Steans, the chairman of USAmeribancorp Inc. in Largo, Fla.; and Bruce Taylor, chairman of Taylor Capital. Investors also included other members of the Steans family and Prairie Capital.

First Defiance Financial Corp. in Defiance, Ohio, has $19.6 million of fresh equity. The $2.04 billion-asset company said Tuesday that it sold 1.6 million shares, including 208,800 shares for over-allotments, at $13.25 a share.

Center Bancorp Inc. in Union, N.J., said Wednesday that it promoted an insider to become its chief financial officer.

Hawthorn Bancshares Inc. in Lee's Summit, Mo., reported a loss of $5.5 million for 2010 after posting a profit a year earlier.

The Federal Reserve has ordered First American International Corp. to serve as a source of strength to its Brooklyn, N.Y., bank.

American Airlines Federal Credit Union announced on Wednesday a remote deposit capture service.

CVB Financial Corp. in Ontario, Calif., said late Monday that it had sold the vast majority of the problem loans related to what had been its largest borrower.

Lawrence Seidman, the activist investor who has waged a series of successful proxy battles to force banks to sell, has increased his holdings in a bank that can't sell itself for at least two years.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said last week it had issued prompt corrective action orders to four of Capitol's 24 banks, including its three largest, in February. The directive to each was clear: Sell stock to raise capital to adequate levels, or find a buyer.

Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union, a 15-year-old community development credit union in Ohio, is asking the public for a helping hand, an unusual request to keep the struggling credit union alive.

Community Bank System Inc. in DeWitt, N.Y., said Monday that it has received shareholder and regulatory approval to acquire Wilber Corp.