Heritage Financial Group (HBOS) of Albany, Ga., is entering neighboring Alabama with an agreement to buy a branch in Auburn from the banking unit of Community Capital Bancshares.

Shareholders of several community banks are facing big decisions this year, including approvals for executive compensation and adding directors intent on spurring M&A. A rise in shareholder activism adds to the intrigue. Here are some smaller banks that promise to have exciting, if not explosive, annual meetings.

With big deals still lacking, some bankers — including Umpqua's Ray Davis — are resorting to several small ones to move the needle.

Three top executives at the recovering Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania (RBPAA) will retire from the company by the end of the year, including Robert R. Tabas, its chairman and CEO.

Umpqua Holdings bought an open bank Tuesday for the first time in years, and like many of its peers chose a low-risk target that promises niche growth and little blowback from shareholders.

Empire National Bank said that the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has ended a formal agreement after the Islandia, N.Y., bank improved its liquidity management and reduced credit concentrations.

Albert Forkner, who had been Wyoming's acting banking commissioner since January, was appointed to the position permanently in late March.

The Federal Reserve ordered Louis A. DeNaples to step down from the board of First National Community Bancorp (FNCB) of Dunmore, Pa., and submit a plan for selling his controlling stakes in First National and another bank.

Occupy Wall Street protesters and other pro-consumer groups are pushing leaders in some U.S. cities to shift municipal funds from big banks to small, local banks or credit unions. But they are finding it is hard to succeed.

Country Club Bank launched a Facebook page about two years ago — and then deleted it. This time around, it's starting with professional network LinkedIn instead.

Alloya Corporate Federal Credit Union of Warrenville, Ill., the survivor of what was once Members United Corporate FCU, said Tuesday it has signed a letter of intent to combine with Central Corporate Credit Union of Michigan, creating the nation's largest corporate with almost $5 billion in assets.

BB&T’s (BBT) deal to buy BankAtlantic Bancorp’s (BBX) thrift for up to $316 million has received the green light from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, one of three federal regulators that must approve the sale.

The regional bank is expanding into the Golden State's central coast region with its first open-bank deal in five years.

Porter Bancorp has asked shareholders to approve a proposal that would drastically increase the number of common shares it could issue to help the company meet minimum capital ratios.

First Mariner Bancorp says it recently purchased a 24.9% stake in another Maryland bank to collect collateral on a debt – not to take it over.

PremierWest Bancorp (PRWT) of Medford, Ore., will lay off staff in support areas and not fill vacant positions as it continues to implement cost-cutting measures.

South Valley Bancorp would more than double its sale price if it collects in full on a pool of suspect business loans before its takeover by Washington Federal is completed.

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