Three years ago Harbor Florida Bankshares Inc. in Fort Pierce was struggling to increase earnings, partly because much of its deposits were in certificates of deposit held by customers who did their day-to-day banking elsewhere.

Federated Investors Inc.'s Monday deal for Banknorth Group's fund unit would be the fourth purchase of a small bank's fund group by the Pittsburgh fund company as many look to leave the proprietary fund business.

Civitas Bankgroup Inc. of Franklin, Tenn., is planning to sell its smallest subsidiary, the $8 million-asset Bank of Mason, to a group of investors.

United PanAm Financial Corp. in Newport Beach, Calif., may be delisted from the Nasdaq exchange because of a delay in the filing of second-quarter earnings.

It is probably the oldest conventional wisdom in the industry: Any deal where a bank sells itself to a big out-of-state company is bound to send customers running off to smaller, local competitors.

Lawmakers lack the authority to prevent Rabobank Group of the Netherlands from buying an Omaha lender in the Farm Credit System, a Congressional Research Service report says.

Downey Financial Corp.'s chief executive and president is resigning after just six months on the job, and its former CEO will succeed him.

As acquisition prices go, the $148 million that Westamerica Bancorp. is paying for Redwood Empire Bancorp would rank only 40th among this year's bank deals.

United Community Banks Inc., a multibank holding company in Blairsville, Ga., plans to buy Liberty National Bancshares Inc. in Conyers for $36.1 million in cash and stock.

Toronto-Dominion Bank's $3.8 billion deal for 51% of Banknorth Group Inc. is a bet that both companies will be more effective acquirers in the United States together than either could be on its own.

First National Lincoln Corp. of Damariscotta, Maine, plans to buy FNB Bankshares of Bar Harbor for $47.9 million of stock.

Eager to expand into faster-growing markets, WesBanco Inc. of Wheeling, W.Va., has struck its second deal in four months for an Ohio bank.

Georgian Bancorp of Atlanta said Wednesday that it is going private to cut costs and ease regulatory burdens.

Proposed changes to Community Reinvestment Act guidelines would give rural banks and thrifts credit for investing in all types of development projects, not just those that benefit low- and moderate-income residents.

MIDWEST

In leading a 14-bank syndicate that will provide a $15 million line of credit to CSX Corp., a minority-owned Atlanta bank hopes to capture a larger piece of the railroad giant's business.

Bankers who are not involved in international banking think of it as a glamour business. You fly across the ocean first-class, and when you arrive you are put up at the best hotels, eat at the best restaurants, and meet the cream of the business community.

Bank Holdings Inc. has found a relatively simple way to expand into California.