Banks' post-crisis flight to caution has drawn comparisons to low-risk public utilities, but some institutions are seeing opportunities to take new risks again under the watch of new regulation.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on Tuesday named Michael Dean as the director of the agency's Atlanta region. He had been serving as acting director of the region since April.

Jimmy Dunne, a senior managing principal at the Sandler O'Neill, recently discusses the state of bank M&A, the importance of size and scale and why he never wants to take his New York investment bank public.

First Merchants in Muncie, Ind., has agreed to acquire C Financial in Columbus, Ohio.

The hunt for scale has long been one of the chief reasons for dealmaking, but Jimmy Dunne, senior managing principal of Sandler O'Neill, says that today's operating and regulatory environment shows the true need to find efficiency through size.

The regulatory environment for small deals is improving as regulators see how consolidation can help move the industry further away from the crisis, says Jimmy Dunne, senior managing principal of Sandler O'Neill.

Sierra Vista Bank in Folsom, Calif., has named a new chairman.

Chemical Financial in Midland, Mich., has agreed to buy Lake Michigan Financial in Holland.

Smaller banks are eager to launch new businesses to increase noninterest income. But a new survey indicates that many are struggling to generate returns from such endeavors.

Federal Savings Bank in Chicago has agreed to buy Baytree National Bank & Trust in Lake Forest, Ill.

The Wisconsin Bankers Association has agreed to merge with the Community Bankers of Wisconsin.

With Republicans now controlling both chambers of Congress and signals from Democrats that they are open to alterations, revisions to Dodd-Frank are at the top of the agenda in addition to other subjects, like terrorism insurance and housing finance reform.

Guaranty Bancshares in Mount Pleasant, Texas, has agreed to buy Texas Leadership Bank in Royse City.

The number of mutuals is shrinking, but those committed to the charter still have options. Attorney Kip Weissman of Luse Gorman discusses the possibilities of charter conversions for those looking to throw in the towel and potential regulatory moves that could help the ailing charter class.

A unit of Provident Financial Services in Jersey City, N.J., has agreed to buy an investment adviser.

MB Bancorp in Forest Hill, Md., has completed its mutual-to-stock conversion.

Triumph Bancorp in Dallas has completed the redemption of preferred stock tied to Troubled Asset Relief Program debt.

Dennis Boyle has resigned as treasurer and chief financial officer of Malvern Bancorp in Paoli, Pa.

The Bancorp in Wilmington, Del., has sold nearly $267 million of commercial loans to an investor group.

It hasn't been easy for banks to get out of loss-sharing agreements with the FDIC, but Bank of the Ozarks recently secured the most significant early-termination deal yet. It could be a sign that banks and the regulator are getting on the same page.