Trustmark in Jackson, Miss., says it is starting to realize the benefits of its acquisition of BancTrust Financial Group.

German American Bancorp in Jasper, Ind., has agreed to buy United Commerce Bancorp in Bloomington, Ind.

The $17 billion-asset company's second-quarter earnings rose 2% from a year earlier, to $40.6 million. Per-share earnings of 21 cents beat the estimates of analysts polled by Bloomberg by 2 cents.

Executives of PacWest had become frustrated with the shortcomings of traditional, deposit-heavy banks when seeking M&A targets. They reached instead for the prospect of loan growth provided by commercial financier CapitalSource.

Providing financing to solar farms is 'socially responsible' and a good way to expand in leveraged loans, its CEO says. Its in-house experts came via an acquisition.

Bank analyst Brian Foran poked fun at his own job-hopping during a regional bank's second-quarter earnings call.

The outspoken CEO has nothing but praise for the Basel Committee and says bankers have little to fear from the CFPB.

Chinatrust Bank in Los Angeles has hired heads of risk management and retail banking.

Porter Bancorp (PBIB) in Louisville, Ky., will replace its chairman and chief executive at the end of this month.

The Alabama regional bank, which struggled to jumpstart top-line growth during the second quarter, is hiring financial consultants and holding more 15-year mortgages.

MB Financial was eager to buy Taylor Capital because of its commercial lending prowess, not its mortgage unit. However, private-equity firms are said to be in talks to buy the unit.

The Federal Reserve Board has terminated enforcement actions with Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania in Narberth and First Pryority Bank in Pryor, Okla.

Park National in Newark, Ohio, is giving its president the additional title of chief executive.

Carlyle Group is selling off the last of its stake in Boston Private Financial Holdings (BPFH).

Signature Bank in New York reported its 15th consecutive quarter of record profits as its loan revenue rose substantially.

Second quarter marks against securities have ranged to 5% or more of tangible equity, but markets have looked past the losses and bid up bank stocks.

First Niagara Financial in Buffalo, N.Y., has settled another severance issue involving a former executive.

The relationship between traditional financial institutions and startups is a recurring theme in BankThink's series, "The Future Model of Banking." While young companies are nimbler and more innovative, banks have the advantages of regulatory protections and incumbency. So while the disruptive newcomers could make banks obsolete, these entrepreneurs may be able to accomplish more by working with banks than they might on their own.

FirstMerit (FMER) in Akron, Ohio, reported higher second-quarter profit after completing its acquisition of Citizens Republic Bancorp.

Synovus Financial (SNV) in Columbus, Ga., will raise roughly $125 million through a preferred stock offering.