WL Ross & Co. has nominated a new director to replace Wilbur Ross at Sun Bancorp in Mount Laurel, N.J.
The $2.3 billion-asset Sun said in a press release Tuesday that James Lockhart will become a director. The appointment requires regulatory approval because Lockhart, vice chairman at WL Ross, is a director at Cascade Bancorp in Bend, Ore. He is also a former director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
Ross had to give up his board seat after becoming Commerce secretary.
James Lockhart, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, testifies before the Senate Banking Committee in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2008. Ben S. Bernanke, chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, andHenry Paulson, secretary of the U.S. Treasury, warned lawmakers during the hearing that failure to pass a rescue plan to take over troubled assets from financial firms would threaten markets and the U.S. economy. Photographer: Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg News
JOSHUA ROBERTS/BLOOMBERG NEWS
The investment firm is expected to maintain its stake in Sun. WL Ross, which invested in the company in 2010, owns about 23% of its outstanding stock. The firm has to own at least 7.5% of the shares to keep a board seat.
The parent company of Heartland Bank and Trust plans to acquire a smaller bank based in Carlinville, Illinois. The acquisition would give the buyer added heft in Central Illinois, as well as the Chicago and St. Louis metro areas.
Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould said in an interview with American Banker that his agency is looking at whether its own internal guidance may have contributed to a climate where banks feel the need to "cite everything" to avoid supervisory penalties.
AlumniFi, the digital banking arm of Michigan State University's official credit union, is now an official bank partner for the NCAA's Big East conference.
