I have served on boards of directors three times, and each time my service ended abruptly. Once it was because I quit. Once it was because I spoke up. Once it was because I should have.

Capitol Federal Financial in Topeka, Kan., said a prepayment penalty it incurred for refinancing $2.4 billion in Federal Home Loan Bank advances wiped out profits in its fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30.

Harleysville National Corp. in Pennsylvania, said Monday that Walter E. Daller, 65, its longtime president and chief executive officer, plans to retire from those posts March 31 but remain chairman.

After barely making any money in four years, Somerset Hills Bancorp had its work cut out trying to win over new investors when it needed fresh capital in fall 2002.

With longtime Atlanta banker Gordon Teel at the helm, Georgian Bank has undergone immense changes.

The Federal Reserve announced Friday that it had approved an application by First National Bank Group Inc. of Edinburg, Tex., to obtain up to 14.99% of the voting shares of Alamo Corp. of Texas.

Umpqua Holdings Corp. is open to buying Washington banks in the 175-mile stretch from Portland, Ore., its hometown, to the Seattle area, where it will plant the flag with a first branch early next year.

NorCrown Bank in New Jersey was undoubtedly affected by its owner's legal woes, but its buyer insists it is getting a solid company with 15 branches in some of the country's most desirable markets.

With longtime Atlanta banker Gordon Teel at the helm, Georgian Bank has undergone immense changes.

MAF Bancorp Inc. of Clarendon Hills, Ill., said Tuesday that it earned almost 3% less in the third quarter than previously reported because of an additional $1.2 million of noninterest expenses.

Before it was sold to First Union Corp. in 1998, the $44 billion-asset CoreStates Financial Corp. of Philadelphia was widely regarded as a top-performing company that despite its size was sincerely committed to relationship banking.

One big reason that banking is a profession instead of just a business is the proliferation of bankers schools.

MELROSE PARK, Ill. - As the chief executive of CNB Bancshares Inc. during the 1990s, James J. Giancola developed a reputation as a buyer, engineering 21 acquisitions in one seven-year stretch and building CNB into one of Indiana's largest banking companies before selling it to Fifth Third Bancorp in 1999.

Shares of superregional banks were downgraded Monday as analysts expressed renewed concern that the group will have a hard time increasing revenues.

The owners of Frontenac Bank in Earth City, Mo., have been in talks to sell Frontenac to the Milwaukee banking company Marshall & Ilsley Corp., according to a published report.

Community Capital Bancshares Inc. of Albany, Ga., reported Monday that its third-quarter earnings rose 11% year over year, to $213,000.

Main Street Trust Inc. of Champaign, Ill., announced Monday that it had agreed to buy Citizens First Financial Corp. of Bloomington, Ill., for $52 million in stock and cash.

California's largest banking trade group, which is hoping to improve relations with a Legislature that it says has not been overly friendly to banks, plans to get closer to the lawmakers.

Old radicals and new crossed paths in Chicago Thursday at the Bankers Association for Finance Trade's annual conference.