It has been seven years, and it’s going to take about $16.1 million, but First Reliance Bancshares in Florence, S.C., says it is about to close a key chapter in its post-crisis recovery and is ready to ramp up growth.

First Bancorp in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has sold an insurance agency.

Embracing technology that gives innovators access to their platforms will provide banks with the upgrade they sorely need.

It's tough enough for people to rise to the top once in life. Getting there twice is harder still. Here are some notable examples of executives from that select, latter group.

The $654 million-asset bank said in a press release Monday that it had reorganized under OP Bancorp after receiving approval from shareholders and regulators.

The Federal Reserve has made clear that higher rates are more a question of when, not if, but banks should let go of rate hikes being anything like they were under Alan Greenspan.

New Resource Bank has opened its first branch outside its home base of San Francisco with an eye toward furthering its green-lending mission.

John Garbarino will step aside as chairman of the $4.2 billion-asset company on Dec. 31, but he will turn over the job to a familiar face — Christopher Maher, who will remain president and chief executive, also.

The engineers on Arjun Sirrah's team are on a first-name basis with customer service staff. Those relationships help Darien Rowayton Bank's student lending arm competes with fintech companies.

Ottawa Savings Bancorp in Ottawa, Ill., is planning its second-step conversion.

Financial Institutions in Warsaw, N.Y., said it had secured enough votes to prevail in a fight with a big shareholder.

Bankers have long complained that customers are fee averse. Aspiration, a nonbank that is working with a Boston bank, has a model that is proving that some clients will voluntarily pay fees.

Chemung Financial in Elmira, N.Y., is set to form an insurance unit.

Union Bankshares in Richmond, Va., will open a loan production office after hiring a team that worked at NewBridge Bancorp.

Access National Corp. in Reston, Va., said Thursday that it has hired Mark Moore, a veteran commercial banker, as president of Access National Bank.

Prudential Bancorp in Philadelphia has agreed to buy Polonia Bancorp in Huntingdon Valley, Pa.

Franklin Savings Bank in Franklin, N.H., has lured an executive from Florida to become its next chief financial officer.

Novantas has acquired Chicago-based consulting firm Treasury Strategies.

Mackinac Financial in Manistique, Mich., has promoted an executive from its bank to become its next chief financial officer.

Branch managers are essential, but it is the manager's manager that can set the tone for the performance of a bank's branch program.