Belmont Savings in Massachusetts isn't trying to fire or replace its employees who work the phones pursuing sales leads, but it has made some technological investments to get more out of them.

Hopes are high among bankers that soon-to-be President Donald Trump and the new Congress will quickly lower the corporate tax rate. But a tax overhaul might benefit community banks and small regionals more than larger banks, especially those reliant on tax strategies that might be less meaningful in a new system.

Huntington Bancshares in Columbus, Ohio, said it plans to add 1,000 jobs by 2024 at a new office complex in Columbus and lend $300 million to low- and moderate-income communities in the city over the next five years.

Old Dominion National Bank has opened a new office in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington and has hired five bankers to work there.

Old National Bancorp in Evansville, Ind., has agreed to pay for $79.1 million to buy 16 branches and other offices that it had been leasing.

More than 41% of banks have bought into hyperconvergence — a blend of integrated server, storage and networking technology that's easily managed by software — and there's no sign of its popularity letting up. PeoplesBank, a community bank in Massachusetts, is one of those that caught the bug.

The pending purchase of Carlile Bancshares will lower Independent's concentration in commercial real estate, while introducing the company to fast-growing markets in Texas and Colorado.

Sun Bancorp in Mount Laurel, N.J., the $2.1 billion-asset parent of Sun National Bank, said independent director Anthony Coscia will serve as chairman of both starting Dec. 31.

ACNB Corp. in Gettysburg, Pa., is planning to enter Maryland with its agreement to buy New Windsor Bancorp in Taneytown, Md.

Independent Bank Group in McKinney, Texas, has agreed to buy Carlile Bancshares in Fort Worth, Texas.

Bridge Bancorp in Bridgehampton, N.Y., is looking to raise $50 million by selling common stock.

First Tennessee Bank in Memphis is giving veteran regional leader Pam Fansler an unusual retirement present: a chairmanship.

Courage. Sexism. Culture. Banking's leaders discuss some of the powerful influences on their daily decisions and their vision for moving the industry forward.

A number of states still have a disproportionately high percentage of unbanked and underbanked citizens. Bankers in those states hope that financial education, along with efforts to promote checking accounts and small-dollar loans, will get more people into the banking system.

A bill looming in Congress would require the Internal Revenue Service to accept electronic transmission of lending-related forms, which could speed up the lending process by days.

Pinnacle Financial in Nashville, Tenn., has sold $120 million in subordinated notes and will use the proceeds to retire existing debt and bolster its capital levels.

Montana's biggest bank will have to compete in cities such as Seattle and Portland, Ore., after buying Cascade Bancorp. But the company is arguably more excited about its chances to grow in central Oregon and Idaho, which are more like its existing markets.

Fifth Third Bancorp in Cincinnati has expanded its community development pledge to $30 billion.

Banks should focus on strategies to ensure their sales incentives programs actually help drive profits. Otherwise, their rewards programs are at risk of adding zero benefit to their bottom line.

The $1.1 billion-asset company said in a press release Friday that Richard Riccobono had also joined the board of unit First Financial Diversified Corp.