Lynn Harton, formerly president of The South Financial Group before it was sold several years ago, was promoted to president of United Community Bank in Georgia this week.

New York Community Bancorp (NYCB) in Westbury, N.Y., reported a dip in fourth-quarter profit as mortgage banking revenue fell, but it still but still beat analysts' expectations.

Hudson City Bancorp, the target of the biggest pending bank takeover in the U.S., said it's planning to reduce interest rate risks and that the effort will produce an unspecified loss.

BOK Financial (BOKF) in Tulsa, Okla., reported lower quarterly earnings after mortgage banking revenue fell.

National Penn Bancshares (NPBC) in Boyertown, Pa., has bought back about $75.4 million of shares from the private-equity firm Warburg Pincus.

Ameriana Bancorp (ASBI) in New Castle, Ind., has announced several executive changes prompted by the pending retirement of Chief Risk Officer Timothy Clark.

A study from Moebs Services, scheduled for release on Wednesday, found that from Jan. 2-10 median overdraft prices in suburban towns and small cities were surveyed at $30, compared to $29 in large cities and rural areas.

First Merchants Corporation (FRME) in Muncie, Ind., reported net income Tuesday of $11.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2013, a 10.7% increase from same period in 2012.

Jeanne Hulit, the acting head of the Small Business Administration, is leaving Washington behind to join Northeast Bank in Lewiston, Maine, as the president of its Northeast community banking division.

Bankers feel more optimistic about their business as crisis memories fade, and more open-minded about M&A as deal prices rise, but concerns about compliance challenges and regulators' tough reviews of merger applications are keeping their enthusiasm in check.

S&T Bancorp (STBA) of Indiana, Pa., said Tuesday that its fourth-quarter profit increased 25% from the same period in 2012, to $11.9 million, due largely to improved asset quality and solid growth in both consumer and commercial loans.

Southern First Bancshares (SFST) in Greenville, S.C., used a private placement to convert preferred stock tied to the Troubled Asset Relief Program into common stock.

The Los Angeles company had to negotiate with the government, private equity, nonprofits and other banks to recapitalize its bank.

First Financial Holdings (SCBT) of Columbia, S.C., reported net income Tuesday of $13.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2013, a 44.7% increase from the same quarter in 2012.

NBT Bancorp (NBTB) in Norwich, N.Y., reported fourth-quarter net income of $17.9 million, a 37% increase from a year earlier.

Community banking representatives met with hostility a recommendation that the U.S. Postal Service consider offering financial services. The proposal raises questions about whether the Obama administration is trying to circumvent Congress and replace payday lenders with a government entity. American Banker staffers discuss.

FirstMerit (FMER) in Akron, Ohio, announced a substantial increase in net income because of its April purchase of Citizens Republic Bancorp in Flint, Mich.

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The $5.7 billion-asset company said Monday that it had promoted Josephine Iannelli as its CFO, effective immediately. Iannelli, 41, had been the company’s principal accounting officer since July.

Bank of Hawaii (BOH) reported fourth-quarter earnings of $39.1 million, down 3% from a year earlier.