1st Capital Bank in Monterey, Calif., has appointed a chief banking officer who will take on most of the responsibilities of its recently departed chief administrative officer.

Several cities, including Chicago and Atlanta, have seen dramatic rates of improvement in delinquent commercial loans but are still short of the national norm. That leaves them more vulnerable if another downturn occurs in the highly competitive business-lending market.

Avidbank Holdings in Palo Alto, Calif., has added Michael Rosinus to its board of directors.

Zions Bancorp. in Salt Lake City is looking to redeem up to $500 million of senior notes.

Wilcox Bancshares in Grand Rapids, Minn., has purchased Crow River State Bank in Delano, Minn.

Albina Community Bancorp is one of few lenders to recapitalize and sell its bank despite an overhang of trust-preferred debt at the parent company. Still, an investor is threatening to force involuntary bankruptcy — a sign of just how tough it is for banks to escape the trust-preferred trap.

CertusBank in Greenville, S.C., has agreed to sell its mortgage and wealth businesses as it tries to move past its history of high expenses and heavy losses.

FAIRHAVEN, Mass. — SJB Federal Credit Union has merged into Southern Mass Credit Union in Fairhaven, Mass., creating an institution with approximately $207 million in assets.

Yield-seeking investors have fueled a niche bond business that is financing community banks, through the sale of higher-risk, subordinated debt. It is unclear whether the banks need all that capital.

BBCN Bancorp in Los Angeles has appointed two new board members.

Small banks and credit unions can get a leg up on their large competitors by using low-cost, low-maintenance checking accounts to win over financially underserved customers.

Pilgrim Bancorp. in Mount Pleasant, Texas, has agreed to buy North Central Texas Bancshares in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Ron Hermance, chairman and chief executive of Hudson City Bancorp in Paramus, N.J., has died.

In the banking world, Ron Hermance was known as a skillful leader who helped build Hudson City Bancorp into a $38 billion-asset company that largely avoided the credit implosions that doomed many other banks during the financial crisis.

National Bank of Commerce in Birmingham, Ala., has purchased a majority interest in CBI Holding Co.

Nope, it's not more money, at least not directly. The key to hiring a good loan officer, or retaining one, is said to be showing that your mortgage shop can close loans on time, act professionally and protect employees' reputations in the market.

CommunityOne Bancorp in Charlotte, N.C., has combined the roles of president and chief executive in an effort to trim operating expenses.

City National Bank of New Jersey has agreed to sell deposits and loans associated with a branch on New York's Long Island to Bethpage Federal Credit Union.

Private-equity firms, as investor-driven organizations, have an obligation to consider cashing out when top-performing bank stocks are doing well, according to James Lockhart, vice chairman and W.L. Ross & Co.

The American Association of Bank Directors recently hired policy veteran Rich Whiting as executive director, and he immediately helped weigh in on some new OCC standards that concerned the trade group.