The phony-accounts scandal at Wells Fargo illustrates how sales quotas can incent bad behavior. Is your bank effectively mitigating the risk of 'managing to metrics'? Or could it be in danger of becoming a 'cargo cult'?

As you plan for the coming year — and beyond — here are some challenges and opportunities worth thinking about.

From Dimon's campaign against earnings guidance to the bottom-line implications of rising rates, here are more of our favorite stories of the year. (See part I here.)

Kenneth Mahon, the new CEO of Dime Community Bank, wants to reduce the 152-year-old institution's multifamily exposure by diversifying into other asset classes. But finding new business amid already fierce competition could be an immense challenge for Dime — and other community banks — in 2017.

Bank stocks are on a tear after Donald Trump's victory drove up expectations for the industry's profits. Here's the catch for many people working there: Holding onto their jobs won't be any easier.

Businesses, governments, universities and the Federal Reserve all struggle to adequately reflect the populations they serve. It's time to take ownership of diversity outcomes.

The commercial-and-industrial loan space is overheated, higher rates could stifle mortgage refinancings, and subprime auto delinquencies are on the rise. Bankers could be fighting these fires and more in the new year.

Hope Bancorp in Los Angeles will close an additional nine branches next year as part of a second round of cost cutting.

Dime Community Bancshares in Brooklyn, N.Y., will record a one-time charge after approving changes to its employee stock ownership plan.

Daryl Tressler will retire as president and CEO of MainSource Bank in Greensburg, Ind., at the end of this year.

Green Bancorp's aggressive plan to attack its credit quality troubles and do what few Texas banks once would have dreamed of – quit energy lending – make it a subject of debate and a community bank to watch closely in 2017.

Chemical CEO David Ramaker has a wide range of options — diversify business lines, expand organically in several Midwestern states, pursue M&A or all of the above — following his recent acquisition of Talmer. But new challenges accompany Chemical's higher profile, too.

As the banking environment demands a different skill set for those operating leaner branch networks, institutions should look at tellers as a longer-term human resource with growth potential.

Opus Bank completed a $509 million securitization of its multifamily loans through a Freddie Mac-sponsored "Q-deal" risk-transfer securitization, the company announced Tuesday.

Get out of the red six months from now. That is Fred Viaud's goal for Glen Rock Savings Bank in New Jersey, which on Tuesday said he would be promoted to president and CEO next week.

The Treasury Department has significantly reduced its stake in Broadway Financial in Los Angeles.

Dime Community Bancshares in Brooklyn, N.Y., said Friday that it has promoted Roberto Volino to chief operating officer.

United Community Bancorp in Lawrenceburg, Ind., has named a new chief financial officer.

Stephen Gordon has long been known as an entrepreneurial banker, which helped him expand his California bank aggressively over a five-year period. A spike in chargeoffs that led to a third-quarter loss spurred Gordon to beef up credit oversight. The question is whether that effort will stymie loan growth.

Highlands Bancorp in Vernon, N.J., has raised $8.5 million through a sale of common stock.