Illinois

PrivateBancorp in Chicago reported higher third-quarter profit on loan growth.

Town and Country Financial in Springfield, Ill., has agreed to buy the parent of Premier Bank of Jacksonville in Illinois.

Wells Fargo, the world’s largest bank by market value, agreed to buy the bulk of a railcar- and locomotive-leasing unit from General Electric as the industrial giant retreats from financial services.

Get a bunch of community bankers together and they start sharing efficiency ratios like golf scores. There seem to be more bogeys than holes in one these days in the course of cost-cutting.

Centrue Financial in Ottawa, Ill., plans to sell 4.8 million shares on behalf of stockholders. The shares would be worth $77 million based on the most recent price of $16 per share.

First Midwest Bancorp in Itasca, Ill., has agreed to buy Peoples' Bank of Arlington Heights in Illinois.

IF Bancorp in Watseka, Ill., has named Linda Hamilton chief operating officer.

Banks are seeing steady growth in consumer loan demand nationwide, particularly in auto loans and mortgages, according to a report released Wednesday by the Federal Reserve Board.

Union Federal Savings & Loan Association and First Federal Savings & Loan Association, two mutuals in Kewanee, Ill., have agreed to merge.

Algonquin State Bank in Illinois has promoted several employees in a revamping of executive management.

Market Street Bancshares in Mount Vernon, Ill., has completed a $15 million debt offering.

AJS Bancorp in Midlothian, Ill., has hired a replacement for its chief financial officer, who resigned earlier this month.

Heartland Bancorp in Bloomington, Ill., has agreed to buy National Bancorp in Schaumburg, Ill., Crain's Chicago Business reported.

Wintrust Financial in Rosemont, Ill., has named Kathleen Boege general counsel.

Lending Solutions Inc. reported it set a new record for the number of loan applications processed in July.

AJS Bancorp in Midlothian, Ill., has given its chairman and chief executive the additional title of chief financial officer.

Northern Trust in Chicago reported a jump in second-quarter profit due to growth in assets under management and the sale of Visa common stock.

Prairie Community Bank in Marengo, Ill., has raised $2.48 million in a private placement of its preferred stock.

Clients of many community banks in Illinois can apply for short-term loans as lawmakers grapple over issuing paychecks while the state has no budget.

Piper Jaffray has agreed to buy River Branch Holdings, a Chicago investment bank that focuses on financial institutions.