M&T Bank

Richard Harra was also fined $300,000 for painting a false picture of the bank’s financial health at the height of the financial crisis.

Are midsize banks in position to disrupt, or are they investing billions in technology because they can’t afford not to?

Christopher Kay will oversee the Buffalo, N.Y., bank's branch and ATM networks as well as development of products and services that seek to mimic the cutting-edge offerings of other industries.

Executives are reluctant to pull back on their big investments in technology, arguing they must stay competitive and that they have flexibility in other areas to trim costs if growth begins to stagnate.

Total loans fell, but earnings soared thanks to wider margins, a smaller loan provision and fewer legal costs now that the Wilmington Trust probe is settled.

While the regulatory environment is more accommodating for big deals, many regionals still have their reasons for staying on the sidelines.

Repayments on acquired residential mortgage loans were the main reason, but other bottom-line boosters more than made up for that, the Buffalo, N.Y., bank said in reporting second-quarter results.

The rents are steep and they don't generate much revenue, but some banks believe that airport branches still have a role to play in their retail strategies — particularly as advice centers.

Everyone agrees good corporate governance involves a board that is just the “right” size and has a “good mix” of knowledgeable insiders and independent watchdogs. But setting bright-line rules for banks as varied as M&T, Wells Fargo and Eastern Bank is hard.

Attorneys for then-President Robert Harra said he is innocent and will file an appeal. The case centers on a scheme said to have been carried out during the crisis years, before the bank was sold to M&T.