American Banker's 2025 Best Banks to Work For ranking includes perennial winners and several newcomers. Here's how the leaders of the top 20 banks keep their employees happy.

A former member of Congress and current bank chairman calls on lawmakers to pass several reforms that would allow banks to take back market share that has been lost to nonbank competitors.

Barwick Banking Co. will have the wherewithal to accelerate its expansion in Georgia and Florida after a $50 million investment from a new venture capital platform.

Jerry Plush had helmed the South Florida-based bank for nearly five years before agreeing to depart this week. News of the leadership change comes little more than a week after Amerant reported a 43% increase in nonperforming assets.

Policymakers must avoid looking at community banks as institutions of the past that no longer have a place or function in our financial system and stop prioritizing large banks and technology companies.

After more than a quarter-century as a regulator, Jason Sisack had planned to enjoy some time off before taking a new job. He reversed course once Carver, which is operating under an enforcement action, approached him.

Susan Riel, who helped found Eagle Bancorp nearly three decades ago, will step down as CEO in 2026. The bank is embarking on a search for her successor.

Community banks are often pressured by regulators to hold significantly higher capital than regulations require, using one-size-fits-all rules of thumb. Well-managed community banks deserve the ability to make the case for lowering their capital levels.

BayFirst Financial, which has reported problems with SBA loans, expects to reach an agreement with its regulators in connection with credit administration and other issues.

There are plenty of ways that lawmakers could help community bankers. Raising federal deposit insurance limits by a factor of 40 isn't one of them.

Top SBA lenders are warning about the impact of a prolonged shutdown. NewtekOne skipped providing fourth-quarter guidance after its CEO said the situation was too cloudy to forecast.

Brian McEvoy, chief retail banking officer at Webster Five in Central Massachusetts, says community banks are in a unique position to serve more small businesses. He was a speaker Tuesday at American Banker's 2025 Small Business Banking conference.

Park National Corp's $317 million, all-stock deal for First Citizens Bancshares would give the buyer a presence in markets that are expected to grow faster than its legacy Ohio footprint.

Nicolet Bankshares has agreed to buy MidWestOne Financial in an $864 million, all-stock deal. The acquisition will move the Wisconsin-based buyer into Iowa and the Twin Cities, while also allowing it to vault past a key regulatory threshold.

The American Bankers Association's assessment of the Biden administration's fair lending enforcement efforts makes questionable claims about a practice that remains a major problem in some U.S. communities.

Farmers National Banc Corp. in Ohio plans to acquire in-state rival Middlefield Banc Corp. in a deal that will deepen the buyer's footprint in Columbus.

A proposal before Congress to raise the federal deposit insurance cap to $10 million for non-interest-bearing business accounts would help community banks continue recycling deposits into local lending.

The president of the planned Georgia Skyline Bank says he's cautiously optimistic that his group can raise $35 million of startup capital in time for an opening early next year.

The parent company of Heartland Bank and Trust plans to acquire a smaller bank based in Carlinville, Illinois. The acquisition would give the buyer added heft in Central Illinois, as well as the Chicago and St. Louis metro areas.

Spring Bank CEO Barry Mann has accumulated a 6% stake in New York City-based Carver Bancorp. Carver has a history of underperforming, but Mann is optimistic about its chances under new CEO Donald Felix.