The banking unit of FS Bancorp (FSBW) in Mountlake Terrace, Wash., has promoted two executives in an effort to strengthen oversight of credit operations.

While some may suggest the practice is warranted so agency attorneys can address deficiencies hurting consumers, ultimately everyone loses when opportunities for frank discussion are lost.

The $352 billion-asset company said late Tuesday it has named John Elmore and Kent Stone to succeed Richard Hartnack, vice chairman of consumer and small business banking, when Hartnack retires in March.

Two community banks have repaid the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Prosperity Bancshares in Houston sees Oklahoma as a nearby, familiar market with ample growth room and pledges more acquisitions after its $194 million deal for Coppermark Bancshares in Oklahoma City.

The Federal Reserve Board has terminated enforcement actions against Community Bankers Trust (BTC) in Glen Allen, Va., and Northwestern Bank in Chippewa Falls, Wis.

HSBC's record-setting $1.92 billion penalty for a slew of anti-money laundering problems surprised many in the financial industry, who warned it could set a new precedent for targeting other institutions.

A bank's decision to balk at paying dividends to a private investor that bought its Troubled Asset Relief Program shares may reduce investor interest in future such offerings and make it harder for the government to make a decent return.

The chief executives of two New York banks will serve on a panel charged with recommending changes to the state's tax code.

Apple introduced its Passbook app — a wallet that stores other mobile wallets — alongside the iPhone 5 in September. Three months later, has Passbook revolutionized mobile payments? Or is it starving from lack of support? (Image: Bloomberg News)

Regulators need to create an environment where firms are not afraid to speak out. Banks need to come up with clearer explanations of their business models to prevent the creation of unnecessary rules.

Heritage Bank of Commerce in San Jose, Calif., has lured a veteran small-business banker.

Astoria Financial (AF) could be a likely takeover target because of its recent emphasis on multifamily lending and a stock that is trading at a discount.

A new lawsuit alleges that Wells improperly denied applications for modifications of so-called Pick-a-Payment loans. The San Francisco bank is contesting the allegations.

The nation's two largest banks are heading in opposite directions when it comes to customer satisfaction. Overall, banks are narrowing the gap with credit unions.

Ensuring that corporate boards include a diverse set of skills, backgrounds and personalities helps against groupthink's dislocation of corporate and shareholder interests.

Solera National Bancorp in Lakewood, Colo., has hired a veteran risk manager as its chief credit officer.

The U.K. banking giant has agreed to pay $1.9 billion to settle U.S. money-laundering charges. Unsettled is whether global banks have the controls to avoid a repeat.

Amerasia Bank in New York has agreed to buy a troubled community bank in Florida. The $291 million-asset bank will acquire Great Eastern Bank of Florida, says Jimmy Tsai, Amerasia's chief operating officer.

Bob Kottler explains how the Louisiana company has been able to book small business loans while other banks struggle to grow.