Home BancShares in Conway, Ark., has promoted an executive to chief financial officer after Randy Mayor retired.

First Midwest Bank in Itasca, Ill., has hired Michelle Hoskins as an executive vice president and chief of human resources.

The Republican presidential contender is reviewing legislation opposed by banks that would allow payday loan stores to expand into a variety of new products and services.

Business First Bancshares in Baton Rouge, La., has promoted two executives to newly created roles.

Anita Young will be the $1.4 billion-asset First Foundation's director of specialty deposits and target cash management services at niche business clients.

S&T Bancorp in Indiana, Pa., has promoted Jim Mill to chief information officer. In the newly created position, Mill will oversee the $6 billion-asset company's technology infrastructure and maintain its progress in offering new products.

BankFirst Capital in Columbus, Miss., has agreed to buy Newton County Bancorp. in Newton, Miss.

Deposit premiums could rise at 20% of banks with up to $10 billion in assets. Many of those banks could rethink asset concentrations that would trigger higher assessments.

Chemung Financial in Elmira, N.Y., has promoted Anders Tomson to president and chief operating officer. Tomson had been president of Chemung Financial's Capital Bank, the name the company uses in its Albany County and Saratoga County, N.Y., markets.

The federal government has taken the unusual step of suing a dead bank president's estate for repayment of bailout funds the bank received during the financial crisis.

Mortgage originators willing to help consumers overcome traditional financing hurdles can add more emerging segments of home buyers as clients.

The National Credit Union Administration announced that it has issued a federal charter to ELCA Federal Credit Union, making it the third such new charter for 2015.

Jane G. Watkins, president and chief executive officer of Virginia Credit Union, a $2.7-billion institution based in North Chesterfield, Va., said she plans to retire on March 31, 2016, after serving 33 years in various capacities.

The $1.2 billion-asset National Commerce said in a press release Tuesday that it will pay about $37 million in cash and stock for the $300 million-asset Reunion Bank.

The Greek debt crisis and China's stock-market crash may put downward pressure on interest rates and delay the Fed's interest rate hike, and they are adding uncertainty at a time when lenders thought recovery would be taking hold.

The Fed determined that the purchase of Susquehanna Bancshares, which would push BB&T's assets above $200 billion, will not pose a threat to the U.S. financial system. The approval could give more regional banks confidence to pursue bigger acquisitions.

Americas United Bank in Glendale, Calif., has agreed to buy two branches from Banc of California in Irvine.

A credit review, along with concerns about certain change-in-control agreements, led Southwest Bancorp last summer to terminate a letter of intent to buy First Commercial Bancshares. The banks revisited the deal months later — at a lower premium — after First Commercial addressed the issues.

Premier Financial Bancorp in Huntington, W. Va., has agreed to buy First National Bankshares in Ronceverte, W. Va.

While hiring a chief risk officer is a given at the big banks, smaller institutions must weigh several factors and options in determining the risk leadership model that works for them.