Leaders of smaller banks optimistic about the growth prospects of small-business loans in 2015, but they are equally worried about increased competition from larger banks, nonbanks and credit unions.

The founder and chairman of 1st Century Bank in Los Angeles has been named to chair the city's tourism and convention board.

SBT Bancorp in Simsbury, Conn., moved its shares on Wednesday to a new OTC Markets Group trading platform.

The Green Mountain State is home to businesses and consumers who march to a different drummer, and Brattleboro Savings & Loan's new checking account promotion seeks to appeal to that independent spirit.

Hamilton Bancorp in Towson, Md., has a new chairman.

Heritage Oaks Bancorp in Paso Robles, Calif., has hired a veteran banker to fill a newly created post.

The White House announced Tuesday that it will nominate academic and former community banker Allan Landon to one of the two vacancies on the Federal Reserve Board.

Banks' post-crisis flight to caution has drawn comparisons to low-risk public utilities, but some institutions are seeing opportunities to take new risks again under the watch of new regulation.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on Tuesday named Michael Dean as the director of the agency's Atlanta region. He had been serving as acting director of the region since April.

Jimmy Dunne, a senior managing principal at the Sandler O'Neill, recently discusses the state of bank M&A, the importance of size and scale and why he never wants to take his New York investment bank public.

First Merchants in Muncie, Ind., has agreed to acquire C Financial in Columbus, Ohio.

The hunt for scale has long been one of the chief reasons for dealmaking, but Jimmy Dunne, senior managing principal of Sandler O'Neill, says that today's operating and regulatory environment shows the true need to find efficiency through size.

The regulatory environment for small deals is improving as regulators see how consolidation can help move the industry further away from the crisis, says Jimmy Dunne, senior managing principal of Sandler O'Neill.

Sierra Vista Bank in Folsom, Calif., has named a new chairman.

Chemical Financial in Midland, Mich., has agreed to buy Lake Michigan Financial in Holland.

Smaller banks are eager to launch new businesses to increase noninterest income. But a new survey indicates that many are struggling to generate returns from such endeavors.

Federal Savings Bank in Chicago has agreed to buy Baytree National Bank & Trust in Lake Forest, Ill.

The Wisconsin Bankers Association has agreed to merge with the Community Bankers of Wisconsin.