Loan growth at several Boston banks, including many former mutuals, is higher than the national average. Still, bankers are closely watching for any indication that a bubble is forming.

Nearly a quarter-century before his wife was on the verge of winning a presidential nomination, then-Democratic candidate Bill Clinton was seen as supporting "true nationwide banking," though some worried he would also expand the Community Reinvestment Act.

One of the last surviving black-owned banks in Chicago was rescued from its loan-related woes by a Ghanaian-American family.

The $1.6 billion-asset Bar Harbor said in a press release Thursday that it will pay $143 million, or $17 a share, in stock for the $1.6 billion-asset Lake Sunapee.

National Capital Bank of Washington has a named Richard Anderson its new president and chief executive.

Midland Financial in Oklahoma City has hired a former Wells Fargo executive to run its finance unit.

Banc of California bulked up quickly in the aftermath of the financial crisis, first through acquisitions and now with organic growth. CEO Steven Sugarman discusses how his bank manages its exposure while preparing to cross an important regulatory threshold.

The job of chief financial officer is more complex than ever, requiring high levels of expertise in not just accounting, but also compliance, technology, investor relations and strategic planning. CFOs today also need to have strong interpersonal skills and show an ability to juggle multiple tasks at once. Here are some helpful hints from existing CFOs on how to flourish in one of banking's most demanding jobs.

Short Hills, New Jersey, is among the richest communities in the U.S. The directors of a local savings and loan get paid accordingly.

BNC Bancorp in High Point, N.C., is the latest company to terminate its loss-share arrangements with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

Shares in Bank of the Ozarks slid Wednesday after an investor known for shorting stocks warned about risk in the company's construction portfolio. The stock recovered some by the end of trading, and several analysts said the concerns are unfounded.

New rules have made it more challenging to originate mortgages without drawing attention from regulators. Mercantile Bank in Michigan, however, believes that positive trends in its biggest markets are incentive enough to hire lenders and improve its systems.

Serving on a bank board is a tough gig, and the fact that a number of bank directors sit on the boards of four or more public companies is raising questions about whether they are too busy to be good watchdogs.

Prudential Bancorp in Philadelphia has a new chief executive.

Investors Bancorp in Short Hills, N.J., has agreed to buy Bank of Princeton in Princeton, N.J.

Small-business optimism has slipped slightly on concerns about growth prospects and the presidential election campaign, according to a Wells Fargo and Gallup survey conducted in early April.

The $1.2 billion-asset Revere said in a press release Tuesday that it will pay $65.1 million in stock for the $514 million-asset Monument.

The $8.6 billion-asset WesBanco said in a press release Tuesday that it will pay $221 million, or $39.05 a share, in cash and stock for the $1.6 billion-asset Your Community Bankshares.

At least one banker has gone public with expectations that the OCC will force his institution to hold more capital. More could soon follow.

New community banks chartered in the years before the crisis tended to open in less-concentrated markets, according to a Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. working paper released Tuesday.