Americas

The Federal Reserve on Thursday announced that it has reached a written agreement with SWNB Bancorp Inc. in Houston.

First Mariner Bancorp in Baltimore said Thursday that it has reached an extended deadline for a proposed recapitalization by a New York fund.

In what would be its first deal since creating a fund to invest in undervalued banks last year, bond giant Pacific Investment Management Co. is seeking regulatory approval to buy a roughly 20% stake in ECB Bancorp Inc. in Englehard, N.C.

BB&T Corp.'s insurance unit has agreed to acquire Liberty Benefit Insurance Services, a purchase that will expand its California operations.

Wintrust Financial in Illinois is tired of hiding behind numerous brand names. The $15 billion-asset company has launched an advertising campaign to aggressively introduce the Wintrust brand in Chicago.

The biggest bank in Hawaii is set to have a new chief executive.

A group of bankers have banded together to buy First National Bank of Chillicothe in Texas and will use it to open a branch just outside of Dallas.

First Bancshares Inc. in Hattiesburg, Miss., said Monday that it had expanded along the Gulf Coast after buying eight branches that had belonged to Whitney National Bank.

The former Investors Savings Bank in Short Hills, N.J., has shortened its name to Investors Bank to better reflect its increasing commercial focus.

WSFS Financial Corp. in Wilmington, Del., has hired Paul D. Geraghty as its chief wealth officer.