Peoples Bancorp (PEBO) in Marietta, Ohio, has bought three insurance agencies in Jackson, Ohio.

Commerce Bancshares in Kansas City, Mo., has struck a deal for Summit Bancshares of Tulsa that would nearly double its asset base in Oklahoma.

Banks are starving for new revenue sources these days. Some are responding to fierce competition in mainstream lending markets by looking further afield, to financing ventures like improving energy efficiency and the building of manufactured housing. Following are examples of banks that are creating daylight between themselves and their rivals by focusing on unique businesses.

The common-sense steps taken in the bill will help even the playing field between community banks and big financial firms.

Consumer advocates believe the bounties banks pay to car dealers for steering customers to high-interest loans are abusive. But with a ban likely to spark a political backlash, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is instead seeking to prove the markups are discriminatory.

Since being forced out of Bank of America in 2011, Sallie Krawcheck has been talking a lot about the business case for gender diversity on boards and in top management. With her investment in 85 Broads, she is putting her money where her mouth is — and hopes other women will, too.

Bar Harbor Bancshares (BHB) in Maine has chosen TD Bank (TD) executive Curtis Simard as its next leader.

Cathay General Bancorp (CATY) has agreed to acquire about $40 million of deposits and a Las Vegas branch from SWNB Bancorp, marking Cathay's entrance in the Vegas market.

Lawmakers in both chambers are working to pass a major farm bill that will determine agricultural policy for the next five years, legislation that could have implications for rural lenders.

Central Arizona Bank, a unit of Capitol Bancorp, was set to be shut down with two sister banks last Friday, but a legal challenge bought it a few extra days.

Margin compression once again overpowered loan growth in the first quarter, sapping banks’ traditional source of revenue.

Atlantic Coast Financial's (ACFC) quarterly loss widened as its lending income fell and expenses rose.

Community banks often promise to move quicker on loan applications than big, bureaucratic banks. But online lenders are starting to make small banks look slow by approving small-business loans in a day or less.

Former TCF Financial (TCF) chief executive Lynn Nagorske has died.

Low yields and the short-term impact of a strategy shift weighed on Pacific Mercantile Bancorp (PMBC) in the first quarter.

The cost of shedding troubled loans weighed on First Mariner Bancorp (FMAR) in the first quarter, with the $1.3 billion-asset parent of First Mariner Bank in Baltimore losing $2.3 million in the three months that ended March 31.

State regulators seized a third bank unit of Capitol Bancorp., $31.6 million-asset Central Arizona Bank in Scottsdale, Ariz, in a rare Tuesday failure.

Michael Harrington will succeed current CFO Drew Hostetter, who plans retire at the end of the year, the $18 billion-asset company said Tuesday. Hostetter has held the position since 1996.

Independent Bank Corp. (INDB) agreed to acquire Mayflower Bancorp (MFLR) in its second deal for a Massachusetts company in the past year.

Popular in Puerto Rico is selling another book of loans as part of its attack on credit problems. The multimillion-dollar hit from the sale will be offset by a gain from the IPO of a payments processor.