WASHINGTON — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has agreed to ramp up its security policies on data collection in response to a recent Government Accountability Office report that raised nearly a dozen recommendations on the topic.

The $578 million-asset company said in a press release Tuesday that it had hired Anthony Weagley as its president and CEO. He will have the same roles at Malvern’s bank.

Sunflower Financial in Salina, Kan., is poised to strengthen its presence in Denver.

Bank of Texas in Houston has hired a Bank of America veteran to lead its Houston operations.

In a speech Tuesday, U.S. Bank Chief Executive Officer Richard Davis also offered mostly upbeat views about the evolving, more stringent expectations of bank regulators.

Esther George, president of the Kansas City Fed, highlighted the shortcomings of banking regulation, especially as applied to community banks, and said the "pendulum has swung too far" on consumer protection.

BB&T's smaller competitors are convinced the Winston-Salem bank is moving the decision-making on commercial loan applications to its headquarters. They say they've been able to steal customers from BB&T as borrowers are frustrated with the red tape. BB&T's president denies this and says it's as committed to community banking as always.

PayPal's making moves to respond to the maturation of virtual currencies, entering into agreements with Bitcoin payment processors BitPay, Coinbase and GoGoin.

A debt collection operation that used fake names and threatened consumers into paying debts they often did not owe can no longer perform any collection work under a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.

BBCN Bancorp in Los Angeles has signed a memorandum of understanding with the city of Seoul aimed at expanding the bank's business in South Korea.

Can gaming make credit card purchases fun? At least one community bank is delivering its marketing via a mobile game. SimpliSavvy, Bank of Hawaii's new app, comes as banks across the nation are trying to capture more credit card business.

Kentucky State Sen. Reggie Thomas, D-Lexington, pre-filed a bill with the Kentucky General Assembly to cap the amount of interest charged by payday loan lenders.

Rep. John Delaney said Tuesday that he's "optimistic" Congress could take up reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac next term, despite the political difficulties lawmakers have faced in getting legislation approved over the past two years.

The payments industry has changed dramatically over the past year, and so has the mindset of those in the industry. The focus is shifting from mobile payments and Bitcoin to fraud mitigation and security.

BNP Paribas SA, the French lender fined a record $8.97 billion for U.S. sanctions violations, is preparing to name a successor to Chairman Baudouin Prot as soon as this week, Le Figaro reported.

The Circuit Court for Baltimore City has dismissed a class-action lawsuit brought against FedFirst Financial in Monessen, Pa., related to its agreement to sell.

Community bankers can get ahead of the competition by building strong and profitable relationships with their customers. They should start by keeping products simple and explanations forthright.

Wellesley Investment Partners in Massachusetts has named Louis Crosier president.

CBE Companies has been named one of Iowa's Top Workplaces, based on surveys conducted by WorkplaceDynamics, a research firm focused on organizational health and employee engagement.

The Federal Reserve is tracking the competitive climate among community banks, including the dearth of new charter activity. Key officials also used opening remarks at the Fed's community banking conference to outline ways they are trying to improve communication with bankers.