Panhandle State Bank, a unit of the $781 million-asset Intermountain Community Bancorp in Sandpoint, Idaho, has acquired Premier Financial Services, a private investment firm in Priest River.

Former First Community Capital Corp. chief executive Nigel Harrison is wasting no time building a new Texas banking company.

Beverly Hills Bancorp Inc.'s foray into construction and development lending is not going as smoothly as planned.

Beacon Federal in East Syracuse, N.Y., is using its old ties to the credit union industry to fuel its growth.

Nexity Financial Corp. of Birmingham, Ala., has mapped out an ambitious expansion plan in its quest to become a multibillion-asset company.

* OCTFCU, Santa Ana, Calif., plans to open new branches in Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands and San Bernardino.

The "Dead Zone" isn't just a paranormal television show-it's also that wasted space in your branch that isn't contributing to your ROA. But you can vanquish these vacuums, according to several facilities experts.

We're interested in making our buildings "green," but builders tell us the materials are hard to come by or really expensive. We thought this would help us save money in the long term, but the short-term pain has my board questioning this strategy. Any suggestions?

ACCU Opens 1950s Diner Facility

We're embarking on our first major foray into expanding our branch network. We know we want to measure each branch's productivity but how do we set the initial benchmarks, the initial goals for these new branches?

A rapid rise in foreclosure filings in the Brockton, Mass., area has inspired a partnership of credit unions, banks, and nonprofit lenders to help borrowers in danger of foreclosure restructure their loans with more affordable, fixed rates.

Consumers probably do not perform searches for both "credit unions" and "taxes" often on Google.com, but if they do, the Massachusetts Bankers Association wants them to get a banker's perspective on the topic.

Centrue Financial Corp. of Fairview Heights, Ill., has picked up four commercial real estate lenders from National City Corp. of Cleveland.

EvergreenBancorp Inc. in Seattle is planning to raise $10 million in a secondary offering to open branches, buy banks, or both.

Susquehanna Bank in Lititz, Pa., has hired a former Lancaster County treasurer to help it attract more business from municipalities, school boards, and government agencies.

HF Financial Corp. in Sioux Falls, S.D., has struck two deals with Great Western Bank of Watertown, S.D., that would ultimately leave the parent of Home Federal Bank with fewer branches but a fatter mortgage servicing portfolio.

Community Banks Inc. in Harrisburg, Pa., has a deal to buy Bucs Federal Bank in Owings Mills, Md., for $22.6 million in cash and stock.

United Community Banks Inc. in Blairsville, Ga., has agreed to buy the $329 million-asset Southern Bancorp. Inc. of Marietta, Ga., for $66.5 million in stock.

Sun Bancorp Inc. in Vineland, N.J., has hired a JPMorgan Chase & Co. executive to help improve its retail performance.