United Bancorp (UBMI) in Ann Arbor, Mich., has redeemed the last of its Troubled Asset Relief Program shares.

Banks got some regulatory relief in 2013 as federal regulators sharply curtailed their issuance of new enforcement actions.

Susquehanna Bancshares is doing a sale-leaseback of 30 branches to improve its capital planning. But over the long term, and more importantly to the industry overall, it could also help the bank get out of branches that may one day become obsolete.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. issued a prompt corrective action against AztecAmerica Bank in Berwyn, Ill., in November and hit two other banks with consent orders.

Old National Bancorp (ONB) in Evansville, Ind., will pay a $500,000 fine in the process of satisfying a regulatory order to strengthen its anti-laundering controls.

WashingtonFirst Bankshares (WFBI) in Reston, Va., is the latest lender to divest securities on concerns about the Volcker Rule's controversial ban on collateralized debt obligations.

The Federal Reserve Board has approved Community West Bancshares' (CWBC) request to pay dividends on preferred stock.

Cathay General Bancorp in Los Angeles has announced a number of executive changes, including the appointment of Irwin Wong to the newly created position of chief retail administration and regulatory affairs officer.

Susquehanna Bancshares (SUSQ) in Lititz, Pa., has sold 30 branches to a SunTrust Banks (STI) subsidiary and agreed to lease them back.

The Columbus, Ga., company has overcome a series of challenges since 2008, yet it will face more in the coming year. CEO Kessel Stelling, in a Q&A, addresses questions about how it will boost revenue and profits.

Banking regulators have until Monday to respond to a lawsuit filed by the American Bankers Association over the Volcker Rule.

The board of Carolina Trust Bank (CART) in Lincolnton, N.C., has recruited Jerry Ocheltree, the former leader of First Bancorp (FBNC), to be its next president and chief executive.

Deals involving large community and midsize banks dominated M&A in 2013. The motives and market conditions involved differed dramatically, but all the dealmakers had -- and in some cases still have -- tough questions to answer from regulators, investors and activists.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended Dec. 21.

Buoyed by its success on the West Coast, Operation Hope is partnering with the likes of SunTrust and Popular Community Bank to set up its financial literacy centers in such cities as Memphis, Atlanta, Washington and New York.

Further delays in the M&T/Hudson City deal were a reminder of how hard it is to manage banks in the limbo between the announcements and closings of M&A agreements. Tougher regulatory scrutiny means longer waits and greater risk of cancellation.

Bankers have almost become used to the intense growth of new rules in the five years since the financial crisis, but some see a light at the end of the tunnel as the agencies inch toward the end of Dodd-Frank rulemakings and the economy improves.

Most bankers are reluctant to shrink the size or number of their physical locations, but for the New Jersey lender ConnectOne, "the primary channel is no longer the branch on the corner." CEO Frank Sorrentino III discusses how ConnectOne has expanded its business in the competitive New York market by embracing technology instead of building many branches.

Interest rates will rise sooner or later, and banks should be prepared to manage their risk exposures, according to a new report from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

Banc of California suffered from growing pains -- and a big third-quarter loss -- due to rapid expansion. CEO Steven Sugarman must prove to investors in 2014 that his efforts are leading to a stronger company.