Illinois

Regions Financial in Birmingham, Ala., has introduced an online consumer lending product that it uses technology developed by Avant.

Chicago Treasurer Kurt Summers plans to divest $25 million the city has invested with Wells Fargo after the company admitted to opening potentially millions of bogus client accounts, joining state officials who have pulled business from the bank because of the scandal.

Lisa McDougald, the deputy general counsel at the $222 billion-asset BB&T in Winston-Salem, N.C., and Leon Holschbach, chief executive at Midland States Bancorp, a $3 billion-asset company in Effingham, Ill., were appointed to the board this summer.

First Midwest Bancorp in Itasca, Ill., is planning to shutter 16 branches in connection with its acquisition of Standard Bancshares in Hickory Hill, Ill.

An initiative to create a more nurturing workplace helped First Busey improve its employee engagement, its standing with customers, and its performance.

Popular with employees: Evergreen provides employees with standing desks, which allows them to change positions from sitting to standing and back again as they like throughout the day.

First Busey, No. 44 in the overall ranking, is No. 7 in the category for banks with $3 billion to $10 billion of assets.

The Ohio company is eager to rev up SBA lending in the Windy City now that it has closed on its purchase of FirstMerit. CEO Steve Steinour also credits his company's willingness to make big upfront community commitments for a seamless approval process.

The former officers and directors for Midwest Bank & Trust have reached a $26.5 million settlement with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. over charges of negligence during the financial crisis.

Some branch deals come with added value. A case in point is the $2 billion-asset Old Second Bancorp's agreement to buy a branch in Chicago from Talmer Bancorp in Troy, Mich. in a deal that includes deposits, assets and a vice chairman.