Georgia Bank Financial Corp. in Augusta has ambitions beyond its home state - and has taken new steps to realize them.

Republic Bancorp of Ann Arbor, Mich., said Thursday that its second-quarter earnings were a record $17.5 million, besting the year-earlier period's results by 7%.

Gold Banc Corp. Inc. of Leawood, Kan., reported that its second-quarter earnings soared to $25.3 million, from $300,000 in the year-earlier period.

Harbor Florida Bancshares Inc. reported that its fiscal third-quarter earnings were $11.9 million, topping the like period of fiscal 2004 by 15.5%.

Lakeland Bancorp of Oak Ridge, N.J., announced Thursday that the second quarter was its best ever.

In February, when West Coast Bank of Lake Oswego, Ore., began heavy advertising for a new free checking account, its executives feared that business customers might think it was abandoning them.

Community Trust Bancorp Inc. of Pikeville, Ky., said its second-quarter earnings rose 9% from the same period last year, to $8.5 million.

Commerce Bancshares Inc. of Kansas City, Mo., said its second-quarter earnings rose 1% from the same quarter last year, to $54.4 million.

Like a lot of smaller banks, Heartland Bank in St. Louis had never done export financing.

GB&T Bancshares Inc. in Gainesville, Ga., said it would add $2.9 million to its loan-loss provisions - a move that could wipe out its second-quarter earnings.

What may be the fastest-growing start-up in banking history has no plans to take a breather.

Pennsylvania Commerce Bancorp Inc. of Camp Hill plans to more than double its branch network, to 55, and boost its deposits to over $4 billion by 2010.

For a start-up in a slow-growth market, Signature Bank in Toledo has set some lofty goals.

If Community Credit Union in Plano, Tex., expects to convert to a mutual savings bank, it will apparently have to hold a second member vote - or take the National Credit Union Administration to court.

PremierWest Bancorp of Medford, Ore., announced second-quarter earnings of $3.2 million, 54% more than a year earlier.

Banking trade groups have thrown their full support behind the Central American Free Trade Agreement, saying it would help banks by opening up new markets for U.S. farmers and manufacturers and creating tens of thousands of jobs.

Just days after several banking analysts tabbed it as a takeover candidate, Sterling Bancshares Inc. of Houston announced a deal — but as a buyer, not a seller.

Mercantile Bank Corp. in Grand Rapids, Mich., reported sharply higher income, loans, and deposits.

Bank of Montreal has declared its intention to build its U.S. retail banking operations through midsize acquisitions, but the deal it and its Chicago subsidiary announced Thursday shows that smaller targets will not be ignored.