Now that Tightwad Bank in Missouri has piqued the interest of tightwads nationwide, it aims to turn more of them into customers.

A group that wants to open a thrift in Miami-Dade County is seeking to raise $11.5 million to $20 million in an initial public offering.

Shares of FirstFed Financial Corp. soared Thursday after an analyst raised questions about what effect naked short-selling might be having on the Los Angeles company's stock.

UMB Financial Corp. in Kansas City, Mo., promoted the president of its asset management unit to head its St. Louis bank.

When USAmeriBank in Largo, Fla., opened with a modest $12 million of capital 18 months ago, it aspired to be no more than a boutique bank in Pinellas County.

MIDDLE ATLANTIC

BankUnited Financial Corp.'s regulator would probably downgrade the company's capital rating if it is unable to raise $400 million of capital, the company has said.

Nearly two months after delaying its annual meeting to avoid a potential proxy contest, Team Financial Inc. of Paola, Kan., has an independent chairman and three new directors.

Click here to see the top 150 community banks with the largest farm loan portfolios.

Wintrust Financial Corp. of Lake Forest, Ill., announced late Tuesday that it has raised $50 million in fresh capital through the sale of convertible preferred stock to a Chicago private equity firm.

The Office of Thrift Supervision issued guidance Tuesday detailing when it is appropriate for thrifts to suspend home equity lines of credit.

Edward Furash, the outgoing chief executive at City First Bank of D.C., has high hopes for his successor, Dorothy Bridges.

On the advice of its auditors, First Federal Bankshares Inc. in Sioux City, Iowa, took a $4.6 million charge on its pooled trust-preferred securities investments in the fiscal year that ended June 30, but chief financial officer Michael Moderski still is not sure it was the right move.

Some large banking companies have responded to rising delinquencies and falling home values by freezing or reducing borrowers' home equity lines of credit, but TriCo Bancshares Inc. is reluctant to do so.

Republic First Bancorp Inc. in Philadelphia has brought in another former Commerce Bancorp Inc. executive to help lead its planned retail expansion.

At any banking conference, you will hear the trustees of many mutual banks say they are "committed to mutuality." They may even have adopted mission statements enshrining a commitment to remain "mutual and independent" as part of the bank's definition of its own identity.

MIDWEST

Ocean Shore Holding Co. in Ocean City, N.J., announced Wednesday that it plans to convert to a fully public company.