Louisiana

Business First Bancshares CEO Jude Melville and Progressive Bancorp head George Cummings are both second-generation bank CEOs — common ground that helped propel an $83 million merger deal.

Baton Rouge-based Business First Bancshares would pad its margin as Louisiana's largest state-chartered bank with an all-stock deal for Progressive Bancorp.

Janet Sanders has retired after 13 years at the helm of the $142 million-asset credit union. She is succeeded by the credit union's longtime executive vice president, Shelley Sanders. The two are not related.

The Louisiana credit union holds just $3.5 million of assets and could not find a successor for its retiring chief executive.

Branches in the Gulf Coast region largely avoided massive flooding. Now bankers must assess the impact on employees and customers.

Social distancing and other pandemic-related measures are making it harder for banks in the Gulf region to rely on tried-and-true contingencies.

ViZ Bank would eventually have branches across several major U.S. cities, including Dallas, Denver and Atlanta. It would also offer a program to help former inmates build savings and establish credit.

Prior to the merger, First Castle was the nation's second-oldest existing federally chartered credit union.

Chief Financial Officer Matt Koch will take the helm later this year when longtime CEO Clark Yelverton retires.

Jared Freeman will take over at the Harahan, La.-based institution having previously served in leadership roles at a variety of other credit unions.