First Midwest Bancorp in Itasca, Ill., has named new heads of treasury management and private banking.

It's certainly true that as customers conduct fewer basic transactions in branches, those branches will see reduced foot traffic. But branches will remain relevant so long as they have helpful and intelligent people determined to help customers manage their finances.

Liberty Bank in Middletown, Conn., has agreed to buy Naugatuck Valley Financial in Naugatuck, Conn.

Bank marketing was once largely a function of architecture. More than anything else, customers were looking for safety and solidity and banks sought to convey those concepts through their buildings. Today, with branch traffic steadily declining, bank marketing is reinventing itself as chief marketing officers — a relatively new title in the industry — face unprecedented challenges and opportunities.

BB&T has received regulatory approval for its acquisition of Bank of Kentucky Financial, with the Federal Reserve providing a blueprint for approvals of future deals.

Democrats in the House and Senate have banded together around a regulatory relief bill for community banks, a response to broader reforms proposed by Republicans to roll back parts of the Dodd-Frank Act.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. will prioritize requests for temporary office space and waive certain document-filing rules for Texas and Oklahoma banks affected by recent storms.

Blue Valley Ban Corp. in Overland Park, Kan., has agreed to acquire a branch in its hometown owned by The Federal Savings Bank in Chicago.

First National Bank Alaska in Anchorage has appointed Betsy Lawer as chairwoman.

WSFS Bank has teamed up with ZenBanx, a fintech startup founded by a pioneer of direct banking, Arkadi Kuhlmann. WSFS will be the first in the U.S. to power a mobile account that lets users park money in up to five currencies and send remittances. The partnership is the latest example of a traditional bank trying to inject innovation into its culture.

An investment bank cautioned Bank of the Ozarks that its target, Bank of the Carolinas, was in talks with another suitor and "did not wish to jeopardize that transaction," a filing disclosed. The Arkansas acquirer pushed on and ended up walking away with the deal less than two months later.

American Banker dug into its archives for photos of some of the most influential banking figures of the 20th century, from the regulators who managed the 1980s savings-and-loan crisis to the visionaries who created the modern megabank. Hungry for more? Check out our previous slideshow, "Blasts from America's Banking Past."

First United in Oakland, Md., has promoted Tonya Sturm to chief financial officer.

Community bankers are up in arms after one of the largest core processors told institutions it will likely raise costs because of a data collection effort undertaken by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Bay Banks of Virginia in Kilmarnock has issued $7 million in subordinated debt.

Washington Trust Bancorp in Westerly, R.I., has agreed to buy Halsey Associates, an investment advisory firm in New Haven, Conn.

Deals are still getting done in California, even though water issues continue to plague the state's economy. Still, buyers are finding themselves conducting more extensive due diligence to vet the markets and loan concentrations of targets.

After a "landmark" first-quarter driven by mortgage origination gains, Flagstar Bancorp is counting on mortgage servicing and community banking to spur future growth.

Pacific Commerce Bank in Los Angeles has promoted Gail Jensen-Bigknife to chief credit officer.

First Resource Bank in Exton, Pa., plans to raise $6 million through a combination of common stock and subordinated debt to raise funds to redeem most of its Small Business Lending Fund preferred shares.