Location Root Tag

Bank of America has promoted Merrill Lynch wealth management executive Paul Lambert to be the bank's Chicago market president.

FIS in Jacksonville, Fla., has partnered with the Venture Center to create an incubation lab to boost innovation in financial technology.

Citigroup has appointed Ellen Costello, former BMO Financial chief executive, and Intel President Renee James to its board.

TowneBank in Suffolk, Va., has agreed to buy Monarch Financial Holdings in Chesapeake, Va., for $220.6 million in stock.

Hanmi Financial in Los Angeles has withdrawn its proposal to merge with BBCN Bancorp. Hanmi said in a press release Thursday that its decision follows BBCN's agreement to buy Wilshire Bancorp.

First Bancorp in Southern Pines, N.C., has agreed to buy Bankingpoint, an insurance agency in Sanford, N.C.

The $933-million asset institution said in a press release Tuesday that the technology, provided by Louisville-based R.C. Giltner Services, will enable consumer and small-business customers to complete the loan application process in minutes.

HomeStreet in Seattle has bought a branch in Dayton, Wash., from Banner Corp. in Walla Walla, Wash.

Investors Bancorp in Short Hills, N.J., has hired a former Capital One Financial executive to head its enterprise risk management team.

TotalBank in Miami has returned Jorge Rossell to the position of chief executive, after Luis de la Aguilera departed to take the same position at U.S. Century Bank in Doral, Fla.

Opus Bank in Irvine, Calif., has created a formal division for lending to municipal governments and has promoted executive Debbie McLeod to lead the venture.

Ally Financial in Detroit has promoted David Shevsky to chief risk officer, after its previous executive in that role left for Santander Bank's holding company.

The $467 million-asset mutual thrift appointed Patricia Stetler to the role this week.

The $5.6 billion-asset multibank holding company hired Fontaine to replace Ed Hooks, who has been its counsel since 1992 and who will retire at the end of the year.

Customers Bancorp in Wyomissing, Pa., has agreed to buy the disbursements business of Higher One Holdings in New Haven, Conn.

An interbank loan market that was created for small and regional banks has begun operations, recording $15 million in transactions on its first day.

Dave Seleski founded Stonegate in 2005 and the decade since has built it into one of Florida's best-performing banks through a combination of prudent lending and opportunistic buying. Now he's got his sights set on Cuba and playing a key role in bringing that country's economy into the 21st century.

Southwest Bancorp in Stillwater, Okla., has hired a group of former National Bank Holdings commercial lenders to lead its Colorado market.

Frandsen Financial in Arden Hills, Minn., has agreed to buy Provincial Corp. in Lakeville, Minn.

Over the past three decades William Cooper has led TCF Financial through two crises and reinvented the bank to keep it profitable. He also sued the Federal Reserve in the aftermath of the financial crisis, for imposing a cap on debit card fees. For his strong leadership in the industry — as well as his candid, off-the-cuff style — American Banker has named him its lifetime achievement honoree.