CFOs gave the strength of the U.S. economy an average score of 53 out of 100 — up from 49 a year ago and the highest recorded rating in the last six years, according to the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2014 CFO Outlook survey.

Apollo Bancshares in Miami, Fla., has agreed to buy First Bank of Miami in Coral Gables.

How to reconfigure retail-delivery networks to suit the next generation of customers was top of mind for bank CEOs Tuesday, even as news headlines dwell on new regulations and sluggish growth.

A large number of healthy community bank have struggled to gain access to capital. StoneCastle Financial hopes to change that.

Jacksonville Bancorp (JAXB) in Florida has filled its opening for a chief executive.

Mid-size regional banks are facing the highest level of customer attrition, squeezed by better service at small banks and better distribution and scale at larger rivals, according to J.D. Power. Rocky Clancy, vice president of financial services at J.D. Power, discusses how certain regional banks, including Cullen/Frost (CFR) and Huntington (HBAN), are outperforming and setting an example for other banks' customer satisfaction levels.

Bank of Hawaii (BOH) will reportedly delay its exit from American Samoa until the territory can recruit another bank.

When Sterling Bank rebranded following the financial crisis, we conducted focus groups with customers and employees. Engaging these groups ensured that any new or refined messages were believable and authentic to the organization.

The president and chief executive of Pacific Premier Bancorp (PPBI) in Irvine, Calif., has been elected to the board of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco.

Heritage Oaks Bancorp (HEOP) in Paso Robles, Calif., plans to cut about 18% of its workforce and close five branches after it buys Mission Community Bancorp (MISN) in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Bank of the Ozarks (OZRK) in Little Rock, Ark., has agreed to buy Bancshares Inc. in Houston.

A group of state regulators issued a paper calling on federal regulators to do a better job of exempting small banks from their regulations, including urging the CFPB to provide more exemptions for small banks to its "Qualified Mortgage" rule.

Executives at NewBridge Bancorp share insiders' views on the challenges of making loans and pursuing M&A in a state where big banks, regionals and well-funded community banks have created heavy competition.

Large corporations usually turn to big banks for loans, but a new matchmaker believes community banks can compete for those projects.

The chief financial officer of Brookline Bancorp (BRKL) in Boston plans to resign.

The North Carolina market is poised for a big round of M&A, and executives at NewBridge Bancorp — which has made two acquisitions this year — believe they can build the state's first super-community bank.

Blue Valley Ban Corp (BVBC) in Overland Park, Kan., plans to sell up to $10 million of stock in a subscription rights offering.

A bump in overdrafts in the third quarter suggests that more Americans are struggling to make ends meet.

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

PNC has put the historic Pennsylvania Avenue headquarters building of Riggs National Bank on the market.