California

PacWest Bancorp in Los Angeles reported higher quarterly earnings, driven by asset gains from a recent acquisition.

Presidio Bank in San Francisco has raised $9.5 million through a private placement.

Pacific Premier Bancorp in Irvine, Calif., has agreed to buy Independence Bank in Newport Beach, Calif.

LOS ANGELES — Credit unions may have found a powerful new ally in their long-running battle to increase their recognition by the general public.

BBCN Bancorp in Los Angeles reported a decline in quarterly earnings tied to higher expenses and a rise in loan payoffs.

Wilshire Bancorp in Los Angeles reported higher quarterly profit that was boosted by recent acquisitions.

Bank of Marin Bancorp in Novato, Calif., reported a significant increase in quarterly profit following an acquisition and organic growth.

LOS ANGELES — With a former credit union executive running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives — plus other races of note — politics will be a bigger issue than usual for CUs in California and Nevada this fall.

LOS ANGELES — It's taken six long years, but credit unions in the Golden and Silver States finally have something to celebrate when they gather here this week for their annual meeting: momentum.

SAN DIEGO — Volunteer directors have many duties at their credit unions, but according to NCUA Vice Chairman Rick Metsger one of the most important is being a watchdog for the CU.

Westamerica in San Rafael, Calif., reported lower quarterly earnings largely because of a narrower net interest margin.

AmericanWest Bank in Spokane, Wash., has agreed to buy the $468 million-asset Bank of Sacramento in California for $60 million in cash.

Community West Bancshares in Goleta, Calif., is continuing to find ways to buy back stock it issued through the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Heritage Commerce in San Jose, Calif., has agreed to buy the parent company of factoring firm Bay View Funding in Santa Clara, Calif.

H&R Block, for the second time in a year, is finding it challenging to get out of banking.

Valley Community Bank's biggest shareholder has gone public with his objection to the Pleasanton, Calif., bank's sale to FNB Bancorp in San Francisco.

The Golden State is home to nearly a quarter of the banks on Sandler O'Neill's annual list of the top-performing small-cap institutions, a hint that the state could be returning to its pre-recession strength. Banks in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic also had strong performances.

Former President Bill Clinton will deliver the keynote address at the November event, which is expected have more than 5,000 participating students.

Members of the Santa Cruz County Employees CU in Santa Cruz, Calif., have approved a plan to merge with Bay FCU in Capitola, Calif.

Bank of America has agreed to pay $7.65 million to settle charges that it overstated its capital levels because of incorrect accounting from its 2009 acquisition of Merrill Lynch.