Westamerica Bancorp. of San Rafael, Calif., reported a 90% surge in second-quarter earnings Tuesday as a recent acquisition and lower short-term interest rates more than offset increased credit costs.

On the heels of reporting a second-quarter loss due to rising credit problems, CoBiz Financial Inc. in Denver is raising $45 million of capital with an eye toward possible acquisitions.

Blank-check companies have had a hard time buying banks in the past, but a pair of deals announced Tuesday could signal more to come.

Observers say lower prices for banks and adesperation for capital have given these investors more incentive toget involved in the industry now.

The flailing Guaranty Financial Group Inc. of Austin has a new chief executive officer and chief financial officer.

Territorial Bancorp Inc. of Honolulu is off to a flying start.

Looking busy may be the best hope for Temecula Valley Bancorp Inc.

Presented with a difficult choice between two risks — angering depositors or effectively extending a loan to crisis-stricken California — banks have varied widely in their willingness to accept IOUs the state has issued to their customers.

Capitol Bancorp Ltd. plans to divest itself of the Bank of Santa Barbara to an investor group led by California banker Eloy Ortega in an effort to strengthen Capitol's equity and core capital ratios.

SAN ANTONIO — Credit union branch managers across the country know what it is like to sit down with members who have lost jobs and are in fear of losing their cars and homes.

Credit Union Journal helps you get the word from the street by going straight to CU branch managers to talk about the job, the mood of members and what it takes to manage a successful branch.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — Effective branch managers lead by example, both in their personal and professional lives.

MADISON, Wis. — Determining branch profitability can be a tricky business, as there is no standardized method for doing so, which is why CUES is addressing that issue in its Branch Profitability Series.

PAOLI, Ind. — Being a CU branch manager in this small, farming town means that many times it's your decisions — not so much the policies set by the home office — that impact members' lives.

YORK, Penn. — The true measure of an effective branch manager is when the boss leaves and the office doesn't miss a beat.

DEARBORN, Mich. — Perhaps no branch managers see on the faces of their members the effect the economy is having more than managers in this market.

AUGUSTA, Maine — When a "determined" member finally stopped into cPort Credit Union last fall to order new checks, branch manger Beth Osborne realized the issues with the CU's name change were about over.

TAMPA — Being a branch manager means interacting with members each business day, which is why Susan Martin recently stepped down from her role as AVP to get back to doing what she likes best.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Deborah Sunderman admits that managing nine employees can be challenging — but not due to the numbers.

LITTLE FALLS, Minn. — Barb Lyons has a unique insight into the needs of the members in her branch — she used to stand on their side of the counter.