New York

Mark Severson plans to resign from Chemung Financial in Elmira, N.Y., Sept. 13 to pursue another opportunity, the $1.3 billion-asset company said Tuesday in a regulatory filing. Chemung will begin a search for his successor immediately.

The Immigration Bridge Loan Fund aims to help skilled immigrants who are unable to practice the jobs they held in their home countries without additional training in the U.S., the bank said Tuesday.

Signature Bank (SBNY) in New York has added to its national sales staff for specialty finance.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has closed an investigation of Suffolk Bancorp (SUBK) in Riverhead, N.Y.

John Koelmel will receive a severance package from First Niagara Financial Group (FNFG) that is 38% smaller than previous reports had indicated.

Carver Bancorp (CARV) in New York reported its third consecutive quarter of profitability, reflecting lower expenses and higher income from asset sales.

Suffolk Bancorp (SUBK) in Riverhead, N.Y., will record a pretax gain of nearly $4 million in the third quarter after selling shares in Visa.

Tompkins Financial in Ithaca, N.Y., said Thomas Rochon will become chairman after the retirement next May of James Byrnes, the $4.9 billion-asset company's founding chairman.

Hudson Valley Holding (HVB) in Yonkers, N.Y., has hired a former chief credit officer at Merrill Lynch Bank USA.

New York Private Bank & Trust, the parent company of Emigrant Bank, has fully repaid its Troubled Asset Relief Program funds.

Profit fell at New York Community Bancorp (NYCB) in Westbury, N.Y, as mortgage banking revenue dropped sharply last quarter.

BankUnited (BKU) in Miami Lakes, Fla., added interest income and beat earnings estimates as it expanded into New York City last quarter.

John Koelmel recently became the president of HarborCenter Development, a Buffalo, N.Y., real estate company with ties to a professional hockey team.

Bank of the Ozarks (OZRK) in Little Rock, Ark., is planning to open a loan production office in New York.

BBVA Compass is ramping up efforts along the East Coast with plans to open loan-production offices in New York and Washington.

BankUnited handed out free ice cream and metro cards at its new Manhattan branches to build branch recognition.

The board of NBT Bancorp (NBTB) 's board has made sweeping changes to the Norwich, N.Y., company's bylaws.

Jeffersonville Bancorp (JFBC) is set to become the latest New York company to exchange the federal charter of its bank for oversight by a state regulator.

A changing asset mix boosted third-quarter results at Sterling Bancorp (STL) in New York. The $2.5 billion-asset company's rose 23% from a year earlier, to $5.3 million.

NBT Bancorp (NBTB) will acquire Alliance Financial (ALNC) in a deal valued at $233 million.