Pulaski Financial (PULB) in St. Louis has appointed two executives to lead its mortgage division.

The second half of December is generally a slow period for news, with many people on vacation and businesses and government closed on holidays. Still, banks made a number of significant announcements this holiday season. In many cases the timing of disclosures may have been driven by circumstance - regulators appeared eager to wrap up settlements by yearend.

The $2 billion-asset company is moving the headquarters of its mortgage banking and wealth management businesses to the Greater Richmond area, according to a Friday press release.

Kevin Miller resigned on Friday, effective immediately, the $839 million-asset company said in a regulatory filing.

Severn Bancorp (SVBI) in Annapolis, Md., will take a $4 million pretax charge in the fourth quarter after selling troubled loans.

State Bank Financial in Atlanta was able to fund an unexpected app for commercial clients because it took a fluid approach to budgeting. Other banks should take note of this approach.

CNB Financial (CCNE) in Clearfield, Pa., plans to sell up to $75 million in preferred and common stock.

Investors Bancorp (ISBC) in Short Hills, N.J., is set to complete its purchase of Gateway Community Financial in Sewell, N.J., next week.

Mackinac Financial (MFNC) in Manistique, Mich., has completed the redemption of stock originally issued to the Treasury Department under the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

J. Thomas May still believes community banks can thrive but executives must find new ways to engage customers, control costs and build scale.

A former chairman of UMB Financial (UMBF) in Kansas City, Mo., died Thursday.

Pathfinder Bancorp (PBHC) in Oswego, N.Y., has named longtime director Chris Burritt as its chairman.

A number of CEOs departed this year - voluntarily or otherwise. Some, like William Aichele of Univest, had been with their institutions for decades. Others, including Michael Tierney, had much shorter tenures.

Forget Times Square and champagne toasts. For the chief executive of American Savings Bank in Portsmouth, Ohio, New Year's Eve was all about courting business.

Regulators are hoping to release an interim final rule next week designed to satisfy banker demands to change a provision of the Volcker Rule that threatens to force smaller institutions to take millions of dollars in write-offs.

Square 1 Bank in Durham, N.C., has bought Sand Hill Finance, a finance company based in the Silicon Valley.

Cecil Bancorp (CECB) in Elkton, Md., plans to deregister its common stock from the OTC Bulletin Board and stop reporting to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Fred Joseph retired from overseeing banks and securities firms last month. In a wide-ranging interview, he reflected on his career and provided perspective on the future of the banking industry.

Central Valley Community Bancorp in Fresno, Calif., has redeemed $7 million of preferred stock issued to the Treasury Department under the Small Business Lending Fund.

Bank-focused investment firm Jacobs Asset Management has bought a 5.25% stake in LCNB (LCNB) in Lebanon, Ohio.