New Jersey

M&T Bank in Buffalo, N.Y., has completed its acquisition of Hudson City Bancorp in Paramus, N.J., putting to rest a deal that had been announced more than three years earlier.

Berkshire Hills Bancorp in Pittsfield, Mass., has agreed to buy a unit from Parke Bancorp in Washington Township, N.J., that focuses on Small Business Administration loans.

Valley National Bancorp in Wayne, N.J., reported a jump in third-quarter earnings on growth in lending and fee income.

New York’s attorney general called on more than 90 banks including units of Toronto-Dominion Bank and HSBC Holdings to revamp customer screening procedures to give poor people better access to financial services.

First Partners Bank in Birmingham, Ala., and Highlands Bancorp in Vernon, N.J., have both issued subordinated debt, as part of their plans to exit the Small Business Lending Fund program.

Regal Bank in Livingston, N.J., isn’t letting its privately held status deter it from pursuing acquisitions.

Daniel P. Dyer, the chief executive officer of Marlin Business Services in Mount Laurel, N.J., has retired.

Regal Bank in Livingston, N.J., has agreed to buy Community First Bank in Somerset, N.J.

Valley National Bank in Wayne, N.J., has named Bernadette Mueller senior Community Reinvestment Act officer.

Marlin Business Services in Mount Laurel, N.J., has partnered with property and casualty insurer Hartford Financial Services Group to expand services for its core clientèle.

A looming dividend spike tied to the Small Business Lending Fund convinced Hopewell Valley Community Bank in Pennington, N.J., to sell itself.

The long-delayed approval of the merger of M&T and Hudson City should have been a bright spot in postcrisis M&A, but a small footnote from the Fed quickly reminded bankers that dealmaking will remain a demanding process.

The $417 million-asset company appointed John Kaufman, 33, as CFO on Friday, according to a news release. Kaufman was also named CFO of MSB's Millington Savings Bank.

Santander Bank has hired Siobhan Schroth as market director for corporate and commercial banking in New York and New Jersey.

A Federal Reserve decision is expected soon on M&T's long-delayed application to buy Hudson City Bancorp. M&T would still get strategic benefits it sought, but Hudson City has shrunk and become less profitable since it agreed to sell three years ago, and the cost of the deal has risen.

BCB Bancorp in Bayonne, N.J., has commenced a public offering of $40 million of its common stock.

Stewardship Financial in Midland Park, N.J., has issued $16.6 million in subordinated debt and plans to exit the Small Business Lending Fund program.

OceanFirst Financial in Toms River, N.J., has agreed to buy a branch office in its hometown from Provident Financial Services.

Northfield Bancorp in Woodbridge, N.J., has agreed to buy Hopewell Valley Community Bank in Pennington, N.J.

New Jersey Community Bank's chairman has resigned, less than four months after he quit as chief executive of the Freehold bank.