Researchers at a Federal Reserve conference in St. Louis provided data backing small bankers' concerns about regulation and competition, though it is unclear if the findings will led to meaningful change.

The $506 million-asset Delaware County Bank & Trust Company was freed from a consent order issued by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp and a written agreement with the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions.

Members of the Utah Bankers Association had a meeting at the Treasury Department canceled thanks to the federal shutdown, but they managed to get in other work and play during a visit to the nation's capital this week.

Hudson Valley Holding in Yonkers, N.Y. has hired James Blose, a longtime advisor, to be its general counsel and secretary.

Jeffrey Welch resigned from the $4.1 billion-asset lender at the end of August, the company disclosed in a regulatory filing Friday.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke bit on James Bullard's joke about the superiority of St. Louis' baseball team over Washington's, but he avoided the bait to discuss the federal shutdown.

Doral Financial (DRL) in San Juan, P.R., has appointed veteran banker David Hooston as chief financial officer and executive vice president.

Home Bancorp (HBCP) in Lafayette, La., has filled two top banking roles.

First Sound Bank in Seattle has been released from a regulatory action after improving its capital levels.

Bay Commercial Bank (BCML) in Walnut Creek, Calif., has appointed a state regulator as its new chief risk officer and senior vice president.

Birds, hot tubs, carousels and more. These are among the images that Beneficial Mutual in Philadelphia used in creative ads to promote financial education and attract customers.

Federal Reserve Board Gov. Jerome Powell said Thursday the agency is planning to launch a new supervision program for community banks next year.

WSFS Financial in Wilmington, Del., holds the picture contest to engage customers and employees while highlighting improvements to its mobile banking.

Dorothy Savarese knows as well as any community banker the frustrations from mounting regulation. Empirical studies can illuminate compliance burdens — and their broader consequences — for policymakers, the Massachusetts thrift executive says.

Fox Chase Bancorp in Hatboro, Pa., has won permission to ditch its federal charter.

The chief operating officer of CCFNB Bancorp in Bloomsburg, Pa., plans to retire.

Big banks once again widened their lead in deposits, according to the FDIC's yearly survey. Community banks lost ground nationwide, but they held their own in small cities and rural areas. Plus, small banks slowed deposit-gathering because they're already too liquid.

WSFS Financial (WSFS) recently launched its fifth annual pet photo contest. Customers and others submit snapshots of their furry friends, like this one last year from Courtney Heal in Newark, Del., of Bruno, an 8-month-old Great Dane, and his playmate, 22-month old Braedon.

Southwest Bancorp is merging its banks in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas into one national charter under the new name Bank SNB.

Some areas of the country are enjoying hot bank-deal markets while others are stone cold-including some over-banked ones. Robert Barba, American Banker's Chicago-based M&A reporter, explains what's behind the numbers.