California

Cathay General Bancorp in Los Angeles has announced a number of executive changes, including the appointment of Irwin Wong to the newly created position of chief retail administration and regulatory affairs officer.

Buoyed by its success on the West Coast, Operation Hope is partnering with the likes of SunTrust and Popular Community Bank to set up its financial literacy centers in such cities as Memphis, Atlanta, Washington and New York.

Bank of Commerce Holdings (BOCH) in Redding, Calif., continued to revamp its executive team by hiring Robert Muttera as chief credit officer.

Early in the year Hanmi Financial in Los Angeles was poised to put itself up for sale. But its deal to buy a Texas bank with operations in six states could rearm Hanmi in its fight with BBCN Bancorp and Wilshire Bancorp to be the top Korean-American bank.

Hanmi Financial (HAFC) in Los Angeles has agreed to buy Central Bancorp in Garland, Texas.

Pacific Mercantile Bancorp (PMBC) in Costa Mesa, Calif., is getting out of the mortgage business to focus on business banking.

MetroCorp (MCBI) in Houston hired a consultant to scout possible Chinese suitors before agreeing to sell to East West Bancorp (EWBC) in Los Angeles.

Tom Meuser will leave the role at the end of the year, the Sacramento Business Journal reported Tuesday. George Cook, the bank's president, will succeed him.

Patriot Financial Partners, a Philadelphia PE firm that specializes in community banks, has agreed to buy more than 1.5 million shares of Banc of California for $13.25 each, a price 6% higher than the company's Tuesday closing price of $12.46 a share.

Banc of California (BANC) in Irvine has filed documents that would allow it to offer up to $1 billion of securities.

The company lost money in the third quarter as it aggressively looked to build assets. At least one investor urged management to take a break from acquisitions during a quarterly call to discuss results.

Stephen Carpenter will step down as CU Bancorp's vice chairman and become a director emeritus at the end of the year, the $1.3 billion-asset company said Thursday.

Quarterly profit rose 36% at BofI Holdings (BOFI) in San Diego, as the online bank's loan growth led to higher interest income.

Independence Bank in Newport Beach, Calif., has agreed to buy Premier Service Bank (PSBK) in Riverside.

The Treasury Department plans to auction seven more lenders' Troubled Asset Relief Program shares, with a total face value of about $90 million.

HomeStreet (HMST) in Seattle is expanding its mortgage business in California.

SVB Financial (SVB) in Santa Clara, Calif., reported a 60% increase in quarterly profit after investment securities it holds rose more than ninefold in value.

PacWest Bancorp (PACW) in Los Angeles doubled its profits in the third quarter thanks to its purchase of First California Financial Group (FCAL).

Los Angeles-based Wilshire Bancorp (WIBC) said this week that it had a third-quarter profit of $11.3 million, largely due to steadily improving credit quality and net gains on loan sales.

Heritage Oaks Bancorp (HEOP) in Paso Robles, Calif., has agreed to buy Mission Community Bancorp (MISN) in San Luis Obispo, Calif.