What a difference a couple of years makes.

Joe Evans, the chairman and CEO of State Bank Financial Corp., better hope there's no Sports Illustrated-like jinx associated with Bank Director magazine. The Atlanta bank ranked No. 1 on the magazine's 2011 Bank Performance Scorecard in its third-quarter issue.

Buoyed by improving asset quality, National Penn Bancshares reported earnings of $23.3 million in the second quarter, compared to a loss of $5.5 million in the same period last year.

BankUnited Inc. said Wednesday that second quarter net income fell 14% compared with a year earlier partly because of lower payments coming from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. related to its loss-share agreement.

Cascade Bancorp in Bend, Ore., announced this week that President and Chief Executive Officer Patricia L. Moss has notified its board that she intends to retire in July of next year.

The pressure is on Comerica CEO Ralph Babb to prove the deal, which closed Thursday, was worth it. American Banker offers him some free talking points.

Bolstered by its acquisitions of two failed banks, Columbia Banking System Inc. in Tacoma, Wash., said Thursday that it earned $8.6 million in the second-quarter, an increase of 119% from the same period last year.

Aided by growth in its residential mortgage portfolio, Valley National Bancorp in Wayne, N.J., reported a profit of $36.9 million in the second quarter, up 12% from the same period last year.

The Federal Reserve on Thursday announced written agreements with four banks, including the $2 billion-asset Old Second Bancorp Inc. in Aurora, Ill.

Tennessee Commerce Bancorp has come up with a novel solution for settling a past-due loan made to another bank holding company: forgive the loan and take control of the borrower's two subsidiary banks.

Federal banking regulators are preparing guidance to address issues if the debt ceiling is not raised before Aug. 2, while large bank CEOs are calling for action.

United Community Banks Inc. is finally back in the black after it unloaded scores of problem assets and raised $380 million of fresh capital.

Eagle Bancorp Inc. in Bethesda, Md., has agreed to acquire Alliance Bankshares Corp. in Chantilly, Va.

IberiaBank Corp.'s shares plunged Wednesday after a litany of charges cut into the banking company's second quarter earnings.

BankAtlantic Bancorp Inc. returned to profitability in the second quarter due largely to its 19-branch sale to PNC Financial Services Group Inc.

First PacTrust Bancorp Inc. in Chula Vista, Calif., said Wednesday that it raised an additional $542,500 from a common stock offering after its underwriters exercised a small portion of an overallotment option.

Don Adam’s American Momentum shifts from building to buying in Sunshine State.

In an overdraft class action, plaintiffs' attorneys moved to unseal records in the case. This move could prompt greater public scrutiny of banks' motives.

PNC's purchase of two dozen Flagstar branches in Atlanta illustrates how the market for asset divestitures may be thawing as whole-bank transactions remain frozen.

United Federal Credit Union in St. Joseph, Mich., has agreed to buy Griffith Savings Bank.