New York

NEW YORK — Coopera, a credit union consultant for the Hispanic market, and the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions, are teaming up on a program to extend credit union products and services to the widely unbanked and under-banked Hispanic immigrant community.

Ocwen Financial, operating under a settlement with New York's banking regulator that restricts its servicing portfolio acquisitions, is looking at its old private-label mortgage securities as a new profit center.

Tompkins Financial in Ithaca, N.Y., will soon have a new leader for its Bank of Castile.

Valley National in Wayne, N.J., will use proceeds from a branch sale in New York City to offset costs tied to prepaying debt.

Jack Kopnisky of Sterling Bancorp in New York, which completed a major acquisition last year and has another in the works, is close to reaching his goal of creating a top earner. That effort, and the risks associated with it, make Kopnisky one of American Banker’s five community bankers to watch in 2015.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Empower FCU here has awarded a $2.5 million "giveback" to members in bonus dividends and interest rates in celebration of another successful year.

The subsidiary of Chemung Financial in Elmira, N.Y., has sold its equity securities portfolio.

Ocwen Financial has agreed to pay $150 million to New York regulators to settle allegations that it fudged foreclosure documents and said Monday that its founder and, executive chairman, William Erbey is stepping down after 30 years with the Atlanta company.

Empire Bancorp in Islandia, N.Y., has raised $20 million in a private placement.

The layoffs will take place across the $38 billion-asset bank's four-state service area in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Connecticut, a spokesman for the bank confirmed.

The former Astoria chief, who died Sunday, took Astoria from a sleepy mutual to the fifth-biggest publicly traded thrift in New York. Engelke was also know for freely speaking his mind while maintaining strong relationships with fellow bankers.

ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law legislation allowing state-chartered credit unions to combine select employer groups, associational and community groups into a single field of membership at the same time, according to the New York Credit Union Association (NYCUA).

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency says its cybersecurity exams already include many of the same requirements New York's financial regulator recently spelled out for assessments of state-chartered banks.

George Engelke Jr., former chairman, president, and chief executive of the Astoria Financial in Lake Success, N.Y., has died.

Albany, N.Y. — What has for years been known as the Credit Union Association of New York officially became known as the New York Credit Union Association as of today.

Bridge Bancorp in Bridgehampton, N.Y., has agreed to buy Community National Bank in Melville, N.Y.

NEW YORK — SourceMedia, a leading B2B information, marketing solutions, research and events company, announced the addition of John Wiley as the new publisher for its Credit Union Journal brand.

New York State's top banking regulator Benjamin M. Lawsky released details Wednesday of his plan to require the state's financial institutions — including credit unions — to upgrade their cyber-defense systems.

Credit unions ruled in a new ranking of the top mobile banking apps.

New York banking regulator Benjamin Lawsky provided details Wednesday about his plan to require the state's financial institutions to strengthen their cyberdefense systems.