A personal touch can help a bank stand out, but providing great service is a challenge in our increasingly digital society. How do you develop meaningful (and lasting) relationships with your customers?

In its ongoing effort to distinguish itself as a specialty lender, the Jacksonville, Fla., company announced Monday that it has established a golf lending division and that it has hired a team of lenders away from TCF Financial (TCB) to run it.

Citigroup Inc. named Vikram Bhardwaj as Asia-Pacific head of consumer investment banking, according to a memo obtained by Bloomberg News.

Wells Fargo is expanding loans to customers of General Motors, threatening to take business from Ally Financial as the bailed-out auto lender seeks a turnaround.

Almost two-thirds of small businesses in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's region that sought credit received some form of financing, according to a poll conducted by the bank during the second quarter.

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Alliance Data Systems (ADS) has signed a long-term agreement to provide private-label credit card services for retailer Stage Stores (SSI).

This year's drought could cause many farmers to default on ag loans, particularly those tied to livestock. For banks with high concentrations of ag loans, the drought poses the first major credit challenge since the financial crisis.

GE Capital Retail Bank has reached a long-term agreement with Wal-Mart Stores' (WMT) Sam's Club to continue providing the credit card program to the Sam's Club's Advantage and Business members.

Ginnie Mae is considering raising minimum net-worth requirements for issuers of its mortgage-backed securities after being deluged with applications from small mortgage banks. Disruptions in the mortgage market prompted the rush.

General Motors Co. (GM), the largest U.S. automaker, said its lending arm made a bid in July for Ally Financial Inc. (ALLY)'s international operations, which, if successful, could more than double GM Financial Co.'s consolidated assets.

A key long-term certificate-of-deposit rate has reached a historic low after falling below 1%.

Two banks that are majority-owned by Piedmont Community Bank Holdings in Raleigh, N.C., have agreed to merge.

Kevin McCarty, the insurance commissioner of Florida who recently started investigating the force-placed insurance market, vividly recounts his fight to correct an error that, he says, led to forced coverage on his condo several years ago.

JPMorgan Chase (JPM) is now offering mobile banking features to users of its prepaid card, Liquid.

Eight banks still have more than $2 billion in loans covered by FDIC loss-sharing agreements, according to data compiled by FIG Partners. Collectively, the FDIC is covering a percentage of losses on $39 billion of loans at those banks. Here are the banks with the largest amount of covered loans at June 30.

Their regulator has achieved for them by administrative fiat what they have been unable to accomplish in Congress.

Credit unions have found another way around the federal cap on business lending. Bankers are livid.

Pacific Mercantile Bancorp in Costa Mesa, Calif., will exit the wholesale mortgage business.

Sandler O'Neill & Partners LP, the 24-year-old investment bank that focuses on financial clients, fired about 20 people in units including trading and deal advisory, said people with direct knowledge of the decisions.