FirstMerit's Sandra Pierce has two tough jobs. Overseeing the bank's expansion into her home state of Michigan, while leading the financial advisory board picked to rescue its biggest city.

The $62 million-asset bank, which is owned by 28 Native American tribes, Alaska native corporations and tribal organizations, said Friday that it had hired Tom Ogaard as its president and chief executive, succeeding David Gilman.

The Federal Reserve Board has terminated enforcement actions against Oregon Community Bank & Trust in Oregon, Wis., and Security Financial Bank and its holding company in Durand, Wis.

The president and chief executive of MetroCorp Bancshares (MCBI) in Houston will be taking on an expanded role.

TowneBank in Suffolk, Va., has acquired The Clement Companies, an insurance agency in Greenville, N.C.

Citizens Community Bancorp (CZWI) in Eau Claire, Wisc., has shed its enforcement order with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Provident Financial Services (PFS) of Jersey City beat fourth-quarter earnings expectations as it lowered its loan-loss provision and profited from asset sales.

Consolidation has left one of the nation's most crowded banking markets without a dominant local player. But a handful of hometown banks, including Ed Wehmer's Wintrust Financial along with PrivateBancorp, MB Financial and First Midwest Bancorp, look to be in a good poisiton to pursue the mantle.

The drain from construction loan portfolios has slowed, and other categories of commercial property loans have notched gains in recent periods.

James Abbott, recently named the best investor relations professional for mid-cap banks, understands what analysts need to know about Zions because he used to be one of them.

Northfield Bancorp (NFBK) in Woodbridge, N.J. has promoted a senior executive to become its president.

Add First Baldwin Bancshares in Foley, Ala., to the list of companies turning to bankruptcy as a way to stabilize banking units.

Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) has agreed to buy a credit card portfolio from Quad City Bank & Trust.

By and large, banks that operate in states with high deposit rates should also benefit from increased lending activity, a study finds.

Western Alliance's deal for a small industrial loan company out of bankruptcy shows that old-fashioned financial deals still have appeal for shrewd shoppers.

North Valley Bancorp (NOVB) in Redding, Calif., disclosed an error in its third-quarter earnings report that will reduce its profit by more than $1.3 million.

A once minor marketing relationship with Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has become one of the best moves ever by Baltimore's struggling First Mariner Bank.

Brookline Bancorp (BRKL) in Boston reported higher quarterly earnings after an acquisition boosted interest income.

Fees from mortgage banking and fewer troubled loans lifted First Mariner Bancorp in the fourth quarter. The $1.38 billion-asset company in Baltimore earned $1.6 million in the fourth quarter after losing $4 million a year earlier.

The biggest expansion of the banking rulebook is still on the horizon. The changes could lead to an overhaul of banking business models.