A part-time employee of Independence Federal Savings Bank in Washington and a public relations firm Independence had retained were behind a letter from a supposedly independent group criticizing a dissident shareholder's efforts to take over the thrift.

Sterling Bancshares Inc. of Houston has a deal to buy the $320 million-asset BOTH Inc. in Kerrville, Tex., for $72.5 million in cash and stock.

Midwest Banc Holdings Inc. in Melrose Park, Ill., reported lower-than-expected earnings after it boosting its loan-loss provision to account for the sudden deterioration of a commercial credit.

The president and chief executive officer of BCSB Bankcorp Inc. resigned Monday, four weeks after the Baltimore company revealed that it lost millions in a check-kiting scheme allegedly carried out by one of its commercial customers.

Merger talks between the Independent Bankers Association of Texas and the Texas Bankers Association have been called off - again.

Sterling Financial Corp. in Spokane said Tuesday that it has filed a shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission to raise an additional $100 million of capital.

Unlike most banks, Crestmark Bank never set out to build long-term relationships with its customers.

A San Francisco private equity firm is making good on its pledge to invest in high-growth markets other than California by buying a large stake in a Texas start-up.

Pinnacle Financial Partners Inc. of Nashville said Monday that it had canceled its two-for-one stock split, citing interpretive guidance of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 indicating that the split would result in additional charges.

A month after announcing plans to cut 8% of its work force, Sun Bancorp Inc. in Vineland, N.J., said Monday that it will close or sell five of its 80 branches by yearend.

Community Bancorp in Las Vegas is expanding in Arizona by buying the $43 million-asset Cactus Commerce Bank in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale for $13.3 million in cash.

Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania Inc. in Narberth, Pa., said Monday it earned $4.6 million in the second quarter - which is either an 11% increase or a 37% drop from a year earlier, depending on whether nonrecurring items are excluded.

Like any other start-up, Summit Bank in Eugene, Ore., wanted to make a name for itself quickly.

Frontier Financial Corp. in Everett, Wash., said Monday that strong loan growth powered a 36% increase in its second-quarter earnings, to $17.4 million.

Emprise Financial Corp. in Wichita said Monday that it had bought the $274 million-asset Prairie Capital Inc. in Augusta, Kan., for $25.9 million in cash.

Daniel Blanton, the president and chief executive of Georgia Bank and Trust Co., had a curious problem.

To reach its profit goals, Taylor Capital Group Inc. in Rosemont, Ill., said it needs to add about 80 core commercial customers this year.

First Republic Bank in San Francisco said its second-quarter earnings rose 21% from a year earlier, to $15.4 million, because of strong loan growth.

Chittenden Corp. of Burlington, Vt., said its second-quarter profits rose 7.6% from a year earlier, to $21 million.