Rates are low and compliance costs are rising. But banks with $2 billion or less in assets still have momentum in several key areas, based on data compiled by Capital Performance Group.

The Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation closed the $90 million-asset Edgebrook Bank in Chicago on Friday.

CertusBank's chief executive, who joined the Greenville, S.C., company after its founders were fired last year, has left his post due to a medical issue.

Trading of securities backed by Fannie, Freddie and Ginnie is down sharply since the beginning of the year. Bankers' concerns about capital and rates are among the reasons, and the problem may ultimately make the underlying market for mortgages less liquid.

A recap of the informed opinions (and the discussions they generated) on BankThink this week, including how convenience may help banks beat out Silicon Valley and whether community banks can reduce their regulatory burden on their own.

Investors have varied expectations of how banks should build and deploy capital. Ultimately, management teams need to stick to their growth plans rather than serve the whims of specific shareholders.

Baylake Corp. in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., has agreed to buy New Bancshares in Kewaunee, Wis.

A dysfunctional culture can harm banks' long-term viability and share value growth. Luckily, these problems can be fixed by encouraging team accountability, empowering employees to make decisions, and showing appreciation for staffers.

Hanmi Financial in Los Angeles is planning to close four branches.

Premier Financial Bancorp in Huntington, W.Va., has completed its exit from the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Parkway Bancorp in Harwood Heights, Ill., has agreed to buy Park Bancorp in Chicago.

Lending and access to banking services in distressed neighborhoods has risen as a result of "mission-oriented" banks, according to a new report from the National Community Investment Fund, an advocacy organization.

First Citizens BancShares in Raleigh, N.C., reported higher earnings on the backs of two acquisitions.

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.

The company recently completed its purchase of Central Bancshares. Following a methodically spaced-out integration, management expects it will be in a special position to do more deals in the state because MidWestOne is publicly traded.

The Patriot Center at George Mason University is about to be renamed EagleBank Arena.

Trans Pacific National Bank in San Francisco has named ex-Chicago banker Bob Lussier its president and chief executive.

Elmira Savings Bank in New York has repurchased a warrant from the federal government that had been issued as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program during the financial crisis.

The regulators have spelled it out: If a bank wants relief from onerous compliance requirements, a path to get there is to use simple, basic practices for credit risk management.

Bank of the Ozarks in Little Rock, Ark., has agreed to buy Bank of the Carolinas in Mocksville, N.C.