Retail & Commercial

The holding company for AmericanWest Bank in Spokane, Wash., has agreed to repay what PremierWest Bancorp (PRWT) owes the Troubled Asset Relief Program before the banks merge.

Alliance Bankshares (ABVA) has received almost all of the votes it needs to approve its sale to WashingtonFirst Bankshares.

Capital and liquidity challenges, subprime mortgages and bad financial performance hurt reputation over the last year. But many executives agree their companies' management of the financial crisis had the biggest negative impact on their public image.

QBE's concession, made amid scrutiny of its relationship with major banks, would save investors and homeowners in the state $98 million a year. Part of that money would come from reducing the commissions it pays to banks.

Since Square launched its mobile card reader, VeriFone Systems has worked feverishly to slow its rival's runaway momentum. The news that VeriFone is changing its strategy with its Sail reader is the latest in a long line of assaults and retreats.

Martin A. Steele will manage its commercial lending, cash management-treasury services and investment services, HomeStreet said Thursday.

First Bank has agreed to sell eight of its 19 branches in Florida to the $521 million-asset HomeBanc in Lake Mary, Fla., First Bank said Thursday. It will also close another three branches, two in Hillsborough County and one in Pasco County.

Mega-banks dominate the world of naming rights for sports stadiums (think Citi Field, home of the New York Mets). But community banks' names adorn stadiums, too.

Rather than invest heavily in one big risky project, banks should concentrate on many small innovations, beta test them and invest where customer feedback is positive.

The Transaction Account Guarantee program ran into trouble, a columnist warned of innovation's risk to banks and JPM's Jamie Dimon took to the spotlight.