Americas

Some banks are set to get a fourth-quarter earnings boost from their MSR portfolios, thanks to a sudden spike in yields on Treasury bonds. Add to that the prospect of further rate hikes and the potential dismantling of Basel III, and more banks could be encouraged to re-enter the servicing business.

CIT Group in Livingston, N.J., has promoted Steve Solk to president of consumer banking in California.

NewDominion Bank created a new slogan and marketing campaign to target younger prospects and newcomers to Charlotte, N.C. Only time will tell if the effort will succeed and help the bank survive on its own.

Heritage Oaks Bancorp in Paso Robles, Calif., has been freed from a consent order tied to Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money-laundering compliance.

For its commitment to improving the long-term health of depositors, and a nimble, failure-is-not-a-dirty-word approach to innovation, USAA has earned an honor American Banker normally bestows on a single individual.

Opus Bank in Irvine, Calif., has hired a veteran risk manager to structure senior debt for commercial and specialty banking.

Glen Burnie Bancorp in Maryland has announced an executive departure for the second time in three months.

First Bancorp in Damariscotta, Maine, has repurchased warrants it sold to the Treasury Department under the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

EverBank Financial's biggest investor is cashing out ahead of the Jacksonville, Fla., company's sale to TIAA.

A request by the IRS for user data from a bitcoin exchange highlights simmering tensions between compliance and customer privacy for financial institutions and will test how those demands are balanced in the young field of cryptocurrency.