Retail & Commercial

Eagle Bancorp Montana in Helena has appointed a building contractor and real estate developer to its board.

Northfield Bancorp in Woodbridge, N.J., has agreed to buy Hopewell Valley Community Bank in Pennington, N.J.

Last year's No. 1 on our list of best places to work is this year's top scorer as well. From providing free Friday lunches to paying the full cost of health insurance, few do as much for employees as this niche lender.

Maggie Cancelino has worked in the banking industry for three decades, but says her six years with HomeBanc in Tampa have been the best. "When I go to work in the morning, I have a smile on my face," says Cancelino, manager of a branch in coastal Belleair. "We're happy, contented bankers. We're professional, but we can still have fun."

Pinnacle Financial Partners does many of the things that make for a good employer nowadays — wellness initiatives, flexible scheduling and a cash incentive plan that paid out $15.2 million to employees in 2014. It even boasts a well-attended book club.

Employee health is a priority for First Citizens National Bank. The $1.3 billion-asset bank offers free pilates classes at its on-site fitness center and reimburses gym membership costs. When its hometown of Dyersburg, Tenn., had a community "lose to win" weight-loss event last year, First Citizens paid employees' entry fees and offered additional in-house prizes.

Give Ron Samuels this: not many other bank chairmen play guitar in their institution's award-winning band.

Paragon Commercial Bank's commitment to employees is evident at its Raleigh, N.C., headquarters building. An on-site gym, buff with tread mills, ellipticals and weights, recently doubled in size. Down the hall, "Bob's Bistro" is a favorite hangout.

Mike Barnett had other jobs before coming to work for the bank his family owned and saw enough to know the hell of a bad manager.

Bell State Bank & Trust turns 50 next year, and in that time it's built a culture that knows its values and does a good job of promoting them. The Fargo, N.D., bank hosts family baseball nights, picnics and nighttime Christmas parties — all to let employees know their importance.