First Financial Bancorp in Cincinnati has added two directors from recent acquisitions in Columbus, Ohio.

The nation's youngest adults will spend more than $2 trillion in the next several years on rent and mortgage loans, according to a recent report by The Demand Institute.

Marquette Financial Companies in Scottsdale, Ariz., promoted Larry West to be its new chief executive officer.

Capital Bank Financial shares a problem with other investor-backed companies built to make a lot of bank acquisitions: their stocks trade at low premiums because they are overcapitalized, but they are unable to deploy their capital in M&A deals because of those low stock values.

1st Capital Bank in Monterey, Calif., has appointed a chief banking officer who will take on most of the responsibilities of its recently departed chief administrative officer.

Several cities, including Chicago and Atlanta, have seen dramatic rates of improvement in delinquent commercial loans but are still short of the national norm. That leaves them more vulnerable if another downturn occurs in the highly competitive business-lending market.

Avidbank Holdings in Palo Alto, Calif., has added Michael Rosinus to its board of directors.

Zions Bancorp. in Salt Lake City is looking to redeem up to $500 million of senior notes.

Wilcox Bancshares in Grand Rapids, Minn., has purchased Crow River State Bank in Delano, Minn.

Albina Community Bancorp is one of few lenders to recapitalize and sell its bank despite an overhang of trust-preferred debt at the parent company. Still, an investor is threatening to force involuntary bankruptcy — a sign of just how tough it is for banks to escape the trust-preferred trap.

CertusBank in Greenville, S.C., has agreed to sell its mortgage and wealth businesses as it tries to move past its history of high expenses and heavy losses.

FAIRHAVEN, Mass. — SJB Federal Credit Union has merged into Southern Mass Credit Union in Fairhaven, Mass., creating an institution with approximately $207 million in assets.

Yield-seeking investors have fueled a niche bond business that is financing community banks, through the sale of higher-risk, subordinated debt. It is unclear whether the banks need all that capital.

BBCN Bancorp in Los Angeles has appointed two new board members.

Small banks and credit unions can get a leg up on their large competitors by using low-cost, low-maintenance checking accounts to win over financially underserved customers.

Pilgrim Bancorp. in Mount Pleasant, Texas, has agreed to buy North Central Texas Bancshares in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Ron Hermance, chairman and chief executive of Hudson City Bancorp in Paramus, N.J., has died.

In the banking world, Ron Hermance was known as a skillful leader who helped build Hudson City Bancorp into a $38 billion-asset company that largely avoided the credit implosions that doomed many other banks during the financial crisis.

National Bank of Commerce in Birmingham, Ala., has purchased a majority interest in CBI Holding Co.

Nope, it's not more money, at least not directly. The key to hiring a good loan officer, or retaining one, is said to be showing that your mortgage shop can close loans on time, act professionally and protect employees' reputations in the market.