Illinois

First Midwest Bancorp (FMBI) in Itasca, Ill., has agreed to buy Great Lakes Financial Resources (GLFL) in Chicago.

QCR Holdings (QCRH) in Moline, Ill., has exited the Small Business Lending Fund.

Ottawa Savings Bancorp (OTTW) in Ottawa, Ill., has agreed to buy Twin Oaks Savings Bank in Marseilles, Ill.

Great Southern in Missouri completed its fifth failed-bank deal on Friday. The company stated that the deal's strategic benefits outweigh the fact that it received a smaller upfront gain from its latest purchase.

U.S. Bancorp (USB) in Minneapolis has completed its purchase of Citizens Financial Group's Charter One franchise in Chicago.

Regulators seized the two subsidiaries of Iowa-based River Valley Bancorp. on Friday, one in Illinois and the other in Florida.

Hovde Group in Chicago has hired two former Sandler O'Neill research analysts to lead its equity research group.

Melissa Bean, a former three-term member of Congress, has been named chair of JPMorgan Chase's (JPM) Midwest business.

The Chicago Federal Home Loan Bank reaches agreement with Redwood Trust so member institutions can sell loans to the private-label issuer.

SCHAUMBERG, Ill. — Rising home values, increasing consumer confidence in their own financial situations and falling delinquencies all point to the possibility more credit unions will ease mortgage lending standards, say analysts and CU executives.

Wintrust Financial (WTFC) of Rosemont, Ill., is planning to raise capital by issuing subordinated debt.

SCHAUMBERG, Ill. — The reduction in mortgage demand has some credit unions reaching down to slightly lower credit scores.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — John Fiore, who has been with $885 million Motorola Employees Credit Union for 45 years — including the last 29 as its president and CEO — on Wednesday announced he will retire on Aug. 29.

Harvard Illinois Bancorp (HARI) has extended its string of victories against activist investor Joseph Stilwell.

After dropping its first "pop up" branch in Atlanta less than a year ago, PNC Bank has opened a second in Chicago's Congress Plaza.

Illinois state regulators closed the $66.3 million-asset AztecAmerica Bank in Berwyn on Friday.

LOVES PARK, Ill. — Police are still searching for an armed robber who discharged his weapon inside the main office of Rockford Bell Credit Union Thursday before fleeing from the CU with an undisclosed amount of money.

Taylor Capital (TAYC) in Chicago has been notified by the Federal Reserve Board that its bank is facing an enforcement action for employing deceptive trade practices.

Taylor Capital (TAYC) in Chicago is no longer looking to sell its mortgage banking operation.

CHICAGO — A customizable website to help credit unions promote financial education made the final three at this year's CO-OP THINK Prize.