Franklin Templeton Investments, one of the country's largest mutual fund families, has acquired an 8.11% stake in a small Florida banking company that has been rocked by troubles in its lending portfolio.

House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia M. Velazquez proposed legislation that would let banks and other Small Business Administration lenders originate and process loans made under the SBA's disaster loan program.

Center Bancorp Inc. of Union, N.J., said Wednesday that it plans to cut 10% of its staff and that it expects the move to save it more than $1 million a year in salary and benefits costs.

New England

Taylor Capital Group Inc. of Rosemont, Ill., has revised its 2006 earnings report to reflect significantly higher levels of nonperforming loans than it first reported.

Premier Commercial Bancorp in Anaheim has announced a deal to sell its majority stake in Premier Commercial Bank Arizona to the Mesa bank’s management team.

What started out as just another merger announcement between two small mutual thrifts has erupted into a rather unusual bidding war in Massachusetts.

For James "Jim" Ghiglieri Jr., who this week will become chairman of the Independent Community Bankers of America, banking is more than a career — it's a family tradition.

It is getting to be a familiar refrain: A small bank builds a name for itself in its hometown, only to have a bigger, out-of-state bank with a similar moniker move in, setting the stage for a battle over the rights to the name.

CHICAGO — Investor conferences are generally upbeat affairs, but the mood at the Midwest Super Community Bank Conference here last week could be best described as subdued.

Buckhead Community Bancorp Inc. of Atlanta announced plans Friday to acquire the $190 million-asset Allied Bancshares Inc. in Cumming Ga., for $53.5 million in cash and stock.

Coast Financial Holdings Inc. in Bradenton, Fla., reported a $17.3 million loss for last year after adding $21 million to its loan-loss provision.

Nearly nine in 10 community bank chief executives say that developing new sources of revenue is crucial to their banks' success, but less than one-fourth are confident in their ability to do so, a survey found.

Superior Bancorp of Birmingham, Ala., takes aim at a newcomer to Alabama, RBC Centura Banks Inc. of Raleigh, in a series of billboard ads being unveiled today in Huntsville.

FNB Bancorp in South San Francisco said Friday that its fourth-quarter earnings fell but that its 2006 income rose.

Competition for loans and deposits in the Chicago area continues to drag down margins at Bank of Montreal's U.S. retail and commercial banking operations, the Toronto company said Thursday.

Credit problems are leading some multibank holding companies to rein in executives at subsidiary banks.

CapitalSouth Bancorp of Birmingham, Ala., announced Thursday that it has agreed to buy the $228 million-asset Monticello Bancshares Inc. of Jacksonville, Fla., for about $34 million in cash and stock.

MIDWEST

Independence Federal Savings Bank in Washington announced Tuesday that E. Leroy Morris, its interim president and chief executive, has submitted his resignation and will step down March 23.