Americas

The "we are all buyers" mentality held by most of Chicago's large community banks changed when Taylor Capital agreed to sell to MB Financial for $680 million. It could signal the beginning of long-awaited consolidation in the Chicago area.

Normally community banks avoid loan participations with nearby rivals, but a group of Delaware banks decided they had to do so to compete with big banks — and survive.

First PacTrust in Los Angeles plans to become to Banc of California, effective July 16.

Taylor Capital Group (TAYC) in Chicago plans to retire one-quarter of its Troubled Asset Relief Program stock that the Treasury Department auctioned to private investors last June.

Republic Bancorp (RBCAA) is increasing its stake in the tax refund services business by buying the banking operations of H&R Block (HRB).

Opus Bank in Irvine, Calif., is establishing a merchant-banking division led by two banking veterans.

F.N.B. Corp. (FNB) in Hermitage, Pa., is establishing a regional headquarters in downtown Cleveland.

The $857 million-asset company tapped Jerry Rexroad to succeed John Russ, a company spokeswoman said on Thursday. Rexroad has been chairman and CEO of affiliate Crescent Mortgage.

Crescent Financial Bancshares of Raleigh, N.C., is going to transfer its stock listing from the Nasdaq to the New York Stock Exchange. The company also announced it will change its name to VantageSouth Bancshares.

CoBiz Financial (COBZ) in Denver plans to enter two new markets — Fort Collins and Colorado Springs — and create a private-banking division.