Retail & Commercial

Lakeland Financial in Warsaw, Ind., has appointed Lisa O'Neill as its new chief financial officer. She joins the $3.2 billion-asset company from First Manitowoc Bancorp in Manitowoc, Wis., where she has served as CFO since 2007.

Instead of tasking one team with developing new products, give everyone – from senior management to tellers – permission to innovate continuously. Tapping those with firsthand experience of what works and what doesn't on a day-to-day basis can spur big changes.

Convergys has acquired rival call center giant Stream Global Services for $820 million.

Breaking into the ultra-competitive credit card market requires time, money and creative thinking. Wells Fargo is behind on the first and isn't talking about the second, but is hoping that the third can make up the difference.

The agency released new research that suggests it’s likely to restrict the frequency with which consumers can take out payday loans.

Let's stop talking about what we don't like and start having more productive discussions on how elected representatives, regulators, consumer groups and industry leaders can work together to foster innovation in the short-term credit market that leads to better products for the nation's consumers.

Simmons First (SFNC) in Pine Bluff, Ark., has agreed to buy Delta Trust & Banking in Little Rock, Ark.

First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) in Cincinnati has promoted Brad Ringwald to president of corporate banking. Ringwald joined First Financial in 2006 and has been the president of its specialty finance group since the unit was established three years ago.

U.S. News & World Report published a commentary piece on debt collection practices on Monday. Perhaps not surprisingly, the article does not cast the industry in a favorable light.

Noah Hanft, MasterCard's general counsel and chief franchise officer, is leaving the financial industry (mostly) behind for a gig as the head of the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution.