Illinois

Wintrust Financial in Rosemont, Ill., rode strong gains in both interest and fee income to a record profit in the third quarter.

West Town Bancorp in Illinois has revved up its government-backed lending to small businesses, making it a good example of how community banks can outhustle big lenders in the quest for new sources of fee income.

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.

Strong commercial loan growth drove an 8% year-over-year increase in Private Bancorp's second-quarter profit.

The $24.4 billion-asset company reported a $50 million profit in the second quarter, up 2% from the first quarter.

Costs from a lawsuit settlement, the modification of some customers' contracts and employee severance costs combined to push down second-quarter profit at Northern Trust in Chicago.

Profits rose nearly 3% at Discover Financial Services in the second quarter thanks to solid loan growth and a one-time tax benefit.

The three custody banks had been projected to post weak second-quarter results because of a lull in foreign exchange trading. Then Brexit happened, and everything changed.

Millennium Bank is said to have been the target of an enforcement action related to its work with the pot industry. The episode shows why many banks remain reluctant to serve the fast-growing cannabis industry.

Wintrust Financial in Rosemont, Ill., has agreed to buy First Community Financial in Elgin, Ill.

The $99 million-asset thrift said in a recent press release that Best Hometown Bancorp, a holding company it created, raised $8.3 million as part of an initial public offering tied to its mutual-to-stock conversion. Home Federal also plans to change its name to Best Hometown Bank.