Community banking representatives met with hostility a recommendation that the U.S. Postal Service consider offering financial services. The proposal raises questions about whether the Obama administration is trying to circumvent Congress and replace payday lenders with a government entity. American Banker staffers discuss.

FirstMerit (FMER) in Akron, Ohio, announced a substantial increase in net income because of its April purchase of Citizens Republic Bancorp in Flint, Mich.

Institutions with solid, but underperforming assets and lagging stock price valuation multiples are vulnerable to activist investors. Address problems before they are attracted to your bank.

The $5.7 billion-asset company said Monday that it had promoted Josephine Iannelli as its CFO, effective immediately. Iannelli, 41, had been the company’s principal accounting officer since July.

Bank of Hawaii (BOH) reported fourth-quarter earnings of $39.1 million, down 3% from a year earlier.

Zions Bancorp. (ZION) in Salt Lake City reported a quarterly loss after recording charges tied to its portfolio of collateralized-debt obligations.

Community West Bank in Goleta, Calif., has been released from a written agreement with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Many community bankers are said to have gained confidence from the fact that they have made it this far under adverse conditions.

The $300 million merger will create the state's biggest community bank -- and could convince other institutions to pursue similar deals.

CFBank in Fairlawn, Ohio, has been released from a cease-and-desist order issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

The Postal Service could raise $8.9 billion annually by offering reloadable debit cards, loans, remittances and other financial services products that target the underbanked, according to a report issued Monday by the agency's Office of Inspector General.

Lakeland Financial (LKFN) in Warsaw, Ind., reported higher quarterly profit driven by loan growth.

Chemical Financial (CHFC) in Midland, Mich., reported net income Monday of $14.4 million for the fourth quarter, 14.3% better than a year earlier.

A number of community banks have removed CEOs, announced plans to sell or reached compromises with dissident shareholders in recent weeks. And proxy season has yet to hit its stride.

Hanmi Financial (HAFC) in Los Angeles reported dip in quarterly profits because of costs related to its planned acquisition of Central Bancorp.

A new accounting framework could give banks a leg up in small-business lending by making it cheaper for companies to provide accurate financials, but accounting experts are divided over whether the standards are an improvement or risky and confusing.

Waterstone Financial (WSBF) in Wauwatosa, Wis., disclosed that its chief financial officer is resigning.

Experienced community bank executives know that failure to manage their bank’s sensitivity to interest rate risk can cause financial troubles.

VantageSouth Bancshares (VSB) in Raleigh, N.C., and Yadkin Financial (YDKN) in Elkin, N.C., are merging.

The $300 million-asset bank said in a press release Friday that Theodore Biagini, 73, had been chairman since its January 2007 opening.