Lorraine Miller, MidSouth Bancorp's director of mergers and acquisitions, has added the role of treasurer, but the company says her new duties are not a signal it would stop hunting for deals.

Salisbury Bancorp (SAL) in Lakeville, Conn., said Friday that its chief financial officer is stepping down.

A Maryland legislator has introduced a bill that would open the way for the creation of a state-run bank.

PremierWest shareholders are scheduled to vote Tuesday on its proposed sale to the holding company of AmericanWest Bank. At 43% of tangible book value, some of them might be reluctant.

The arrangement is designed to give the bank some high-level mortgage expertise, but some industry observers have raised questions about the size of the $100,000 monthly fee.

Late-night comedian Stephen Colbert's show on Feb. 14 was almost entirely devoted to financial services issues, including an attack on Wells Fargo's decision to fire a call center employee and a cameo by Sheila Bair.

Bankers want to get a better understanding of how to run their businesses at a time of regulatory uncertainty.

The American Bankers Association announced Feb. 12 that Jason Kratovil has been hired as vice president and deputy executive director for the ABA's Card Policy Council. His first day is Feb. 19.

In a letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said the agency needed to guard against unclear and inefficient supervision, recommending several changes.

Charter Financial in West Point, Ga., has begun the stock offering for its second-step conversion.

Boosting regulatory oversight of Wall Street firms will better allocate examiner resources to the riskiest financial firms and help reduce unnecessary burdens on community banks.

An investor with a history of forming and selling banks has bought a large stake in Liberty Bell, a Philadelphia-area bank.

First BanCorp in San Juan, P.R., is attempting to improve its capital position by converting preferred shares into common stock.

Severn Bancorp (SVBI) in Maryland will restate earnings for the past three years to reflect a change in how it accounts for premiums on deposit insurance.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland has terminated an enforcement action against Rurban Financial (RBNF) in Defiance, Ohio, tied to its information-technology unit.

Changes to product offerings and pricing give the impression that the new bank does not have the customers' best interests at heart. Feeling undervalued is a key emotional reason they defect.

First Keystone (FKYS) in Berwick, Pa., has amended its bylaws to allow its board to select a vice chairman.

A number of regional and community banks — including PNC, Fifth Third and Huntington — are working with the Michigan Economic Development Corp. to provide $30 million in funding to small businesses.

Flagstar Bancorp (FBC) in Troy, Mich., has agreed to sell DocVelocity, its document-imaging business, to mortgage tech company Capsilon.

Congress is afraid to tackle this complicated and contentious issue, but the market badly needs positive signals from our lawmakers that provide certainty about the future of housing finance.