TriState Capital Holdings (TSC) in Pittsburgh has raised $35 million through a private placement of subordinated debt.

Loan reserving is one of the most important decisions in banking. Yet there is no accounting, regulatory or industry numerical guideline for “adequate” levels of the allowance for loan losses.

The best marketing strategies are not focused on selling stuff, but rather on connecting with prospective or existing customers on an emotional level, Ed Ianni writes.

Meridian Bancorp (EBSB) in Peabody, Mass., has launched a common stock offering as the newly created holding company for East Boston Savings Bank.

Bank of America (BAC) has agreed to sell 17 branches in North Carolina and Virginia with a total of $944 million in deposits to First Community Bank in Bluefield, Va., and HomeTrust Bancshares (HTBI) in Asheville, N.C.

Riverland Bancorp. in Jordan, Minn., has raised roughly $1.3 million by selling common stock.

Eagle Bancorp (EGBN) in Bethesda, Md., has agreed to buy Virginia Heritage Bank (VGBK) in Tysons Corner, Va.

Signature Bank (SBNY) in New York plans to sell 2.1 million new shares of common stock.

National Bank of Commerce in Birmingham, Ala., is beefing up in Florida with a deal to buy United Group Banking Company of Florida in Longwood.

First Federal of Northern Michigan Bancorp's agreement to buy Alpena Banking is a lesson in persistence and keeping communication lines open.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended May 31.

The multi-bank holding company has historically taken a hyperlocal approach in the suburbs with individually branded banks. As it moves deeper into the heart of Chicago, the company is unifying a dozen branches under its Wintrust brand.

Community banks can still generate solid returns and take on larger competitors. The ones that shutter are those that have failed to modernize and adapt to the changing times.

Financial Services Roundtable CEO Tim Pawlenty discusses the after-effects of Dodd-Frank, the need to find regulatory balance between providing protection and hindering economic activity, concerns over the Johnson-Crapo GSE reform proposal, and more.

Doral Financial's (DRL) dispute with the Puerto Rican government over a tax refund will be heard on an expedited basis by the territory's courts.

Wintrust Financial (WTFC) of Rosemont, Ill., is planning to raise capital by issuing subordinated debt.

Shareholders at New York Community Bancorp (NYCB) have rejected the company's compensation packages for top executives.

Payday lenders are raising the stakes in their pushback on Operation Choke Point with a lawsuit against banking regulators, alleging that "back-room pressure of banks" to dissolve longstanding relationships with payday shops and others is unfairly harming the industry.

Big banks can afford mega-settlements to solve their woes, but First Horizon National in Tennessee has to fix itself the old-fashioned way: slow cleaning up of its mortgage mess, opportunistic acquisitions, opening loans offices … and, oh yes, begging investors for a few more years of patience.

A recap of the informed opinions (and the discussions they generated) on BankThink this week.