Branch banking

Bank of America says it will extend its branch footprint to Omaha, Dayton and Huntsville. The moves are part of an ongoing strategy to enter new markets even as the bank reduces its total branch count.

Bank of America is also planning to expand into Madison, Wisconsin; Boise, Idaho; and Birmingham, Alabama, a company executive said. The goal is to find growth opportunities that don't require operating a large number of branches, the executive indicated.

The Dallas-based institution has hired Dan Sheehan, a veteran banker and the former CEO of Professional Bank, to head the effort that will include opening a branch in Palm Beach County later this year.

Local Government Federal Credit Union is postponing its separation from State Employees Credit Union, which has shared its technology and footprint for decades, to establish its own physical presence.

Paulding County, northwest of Atlanta, is Georgia's second-fastest growing county, but after years of consolidation just one community bank has a branch there.

M&A activity has been going through a slump recently, but despite regulatory challenges and fears of a recession, the appetite for deal-making remains strong.

On the anniversary of the Center for Disease Control's mask guidance, banks and credit unions are striking a balance between health and branch security.

The more employees who can confidently tell their bank's story, the better positioned a bank will be to build relationships and earn business.

A few years ago, banks and credit unions were veering away from drive-up service in their new branches. And then the pandemic hit.

Despite growing up as digital natives, this age group now has more complex financial needs than they can typically handle online.