Investors Bancorp (ISBC) in Short Hills, N.J., has received approval from the Federal Reserve Board to buy Roma Financial (ROMA) in Robbinsville, N.J.

ServisFirst Bancshares in Birmingham, Ala., has raised about $10.4 million through a private placement.

BALTIMORE — Advance Bank shareholders have approved the proposed sale of the institution to Municipal Employees CU of Baltimore, and the credit union will take control of the bank Dec. 12.

The $126 billion-asset company plans to redeem the notes, and pay about $10.3 million in unpaid dividends, on Dec. 30, it announced last week.

More than 10 months after agreeing to pay a $10 million penalty to its regulator, TCF Financial (TCB) has officially been released from an enforcement order related to its monitoring of suspicious transactions.

If you are a small bank willing to sell for cash, there's an increasing chance a large credit union might be interested in making you an offer.

The Farm Credit Administration will also withdraw a proposal that would have allowed its lenders to make investments in non-agricultural businesses.

United Bancshares (UBSI) in Charleston, W.Va., and Virginia Commerce Bancorp (VCBI) in Arlington have pushed back the deadline for their merger as they await final regulatory approval.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. took action against six banks and freed a dozen from orders in October.

The chief financial officer of First Commonwealth Financial (FCF) in Indiana, Pa., is retiring.

Seacoast Banking Corp. of Florida (SBCF) in Stuart plans to redeem its $50 million of outstanding Troubled Asset Relief Program shares.

The insurance subsidiary of Old National Bancorp (ONB) in Evansville, Ind., is taking over a group of accounts from Wells Fargo's (WFC) insurance unit.

Bank M&A activity has been lackluster in most parts of the country. It will probably stay that way, since so many banks are too small for buyers to bother with.

Regulatory burdens, technology challenges and long-awaited M&A top the list of what small bank leaders see in the year ahead, according to a KPMG survey. Following are some of the study's key findings.

Bank investor Kenneth Lehman plans to buy a controlling stake in Marine Bank & Trust Co. in Vero Beach, Fla.

Commonwealth Bancshares in Louisville, Ky., is offering a $2,500 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person who shot and killed the son of a bank employee.

Waterstone Financial (WSBF) in Wauwatosa, Wis., has opened its first branch outside its home state.

First Internet Bank (INBK) in Indianapolis raised $29.1 million through a public offering.

Heartland Financial USA's unusual acquisition of Freedom Bank in Sterling, Ill., seems to be more about collecting on a debt than strategic M&A. Such moves are uncommon but have happened in the last few years — and they can work.

Financial planning firm Waddell & Reed is partnering with BOK Financial (BOKF) to provide expanded trust services to its clients.