First Foundation and Suncrest are among the community banks developing platforms that let clients buy, sell and hold increasingly popular digital assets. The goal is to avoid losing business to cryptocurrency exchanges.

On Dec. 31, 2020. Dollars in thousands.

On Dec. 31, 2020. Dollars in thousands.

On Dec. 31, 2020. Dollars in thousands.

Less than two years after shutting down its biggest business amid fraud allegations, the Michigan company has sold branches, settled a shareholder lawsuit and returned to profitability under turnaround specialist Thomas O’Brien.

As chief credit officer, Horton oversaw the bank's certification as a Small Business Administration lender and participation in the Paycheck Protection Program.

An Ogan-led effort to overhaul the bank's retail strategy yielded a better-than-expected increase in consumer and business deposits and improvements in cross-selling.

Reissman joined Seacoast in 2014 and led several departments before being promoted to chief marketing officer last year.

Smaller lenders have proved more aggressive than their larger rivals in making new loans during the farm country rebound. Market watchers warn that the price boom may not last.

The Arkansas company will gain branches around Nashville as part of the acquisition.

The company agreed to pay $104 million for a one-branch bank with $391 million of assets.

Lenders including Howard Bancorp and First Carolina Bank are shunning acquisitions as a route into new markets, to avoid overpaying for targets and inheriting potential loan problems.

The company, once known as Southern National Bancorp of Virginia, plans to launch the as-yet-unnamed platform by the end of this year.

The specialty lender provides leases for preowned Ferraris, Porsches, McLarens, Lamborghinis and other luxury cars.

The purchases of Truck Insurance Specialists and Hometown Insurance are expected to help the company expand its dealings in transportation and agriculture.

With the Paycheck Protection Program likely winding down at the end of the month, many lenders are seeing heightened demand for the Small Business Administration’s 7(a) and 504 loans.

Kearny Bank in New Jersey and four other banks were struggling to manage escrow accounts where the rules vary widely between industries and states, so they teamed up on a tech solution.

Mike Butler will also become president of the de novo, which focuses on technology companies and venture capital firms.

Mike Daniels has been president and CEO of Nicolet's bank since 2015.

The community banks join a growing list of banking companies closing locations as customer preferences shift to digital channels.