Xenith Bankshares in Richmond, Va. has issued $8.5 million in subordinated debt and plans to use the proceeds to exit the Small Business Lending Fund.

Community West Bancshares in Goleta, Calif., has filled a board vacancy with James Lokey, a former chief executive of several California community banks.

Community Bank Shares of Indiana in New Albany has changed its name to Your Community Bankshares.

Culture is measured in the good banks do for communities and customers, employees and shareholders. That kind of culture must be built over generations.

Farmers Bank & Trust in Great Bend, Kan., has agreed to sell certain assets of its mortgage division to Prospect Mortgage in Sherman Oaks, Calif.

First Merchants Corp. in Muncie, Ind., has agreed to buy Ameriana Bancorp in New Castle, Ind.

Citizens Community Bank in South Hill, Va., has redeemed about 75% of its outstanding preferred stock in the Small Business Lending Fund.

Juniata Valley Financial in Mifflintown, Pa., has agreed to buy FNBPA Bancorp in Port Allegany, Pa.

Porter Bancorp in of Louisville, Ky., has adopted a plan to preserve the value of its deferred tax benefits, designed to allow the company to continue the use of net operating loss carryforwards.

MidSouth Bancorp in Lafayette, La., has promoted the son of Chief Executive Rusty Cloutier to president of MidSouth Bank.

After scaling back its U.S. operations, Popular Inc. plans to focus on niche commercial lending markets, including financing for elder care and assisted living facilities.

First Bancorp in Southern Pines, N.C., has redeemed about half of its shares in the Small Business Lending Fund.

A recap of the informed opinions (and the discussions they generated) on BankThink this week, including a proposal to regulate banks based on their activities rather than size and a plea for members of Congress to take action to help community banks.

American Banker readers share their views on the most pressing banking topics of the week. Comments are excerpted from reader response sections of AmericanBanker.com articles and from our social media platforms.

Banks have faced increased scrutiny of their treatment of customers since the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and BB&T and others have proven that the process can be managed. Old fights with regulators can be put in the past if banks work hard at it.

MidWestOne Financial Group in Iowa City, Iowa has raised $8.4 million in a private placement of its common stock.

Atlantic Coast Financial in Jacksonville, Fla., has taken several steps to restructure its debt holdings, including prepaying $60 million in advances with the Federal Home Loan Bank and $56.3 million of securities sold under separate repurchase agreements.

First Mariner Bank in Baltimore has been released from a six-year-old enforcement action, after the bank filed for bankruptcy last year and was acquired by a group of Baltimore investors.

If approved, Core Commercial Bank would be just the third new bank to open in the U.S. since the financial crisis.

nnovation consultant Larry Keeley says banks are about to undergo some dramatic changes that will in turn change how people think of them. Here's how he sees it playing out.