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HomeStreet in Seattle has hired Melba Bartels as chief financial officer, filling a position that has been vacant since March 2012.

The company, once in the crosshairs of a community group for how it complied with the Community Reinvestment Act, is aiming to raise $200 million with other banks for a fund that will work with local leaders to identify the best way to invest in low-income and underserved neighborhoods.

Piper Jaffray has hired several more executives from Sterne Agee Group, as it expands its financial institutions group.

James Sills, who runs a 107-year-old bank in North Carolina, believes the key to the survival of minority-owned institutions is their ability to adapt and reach more customers. M&F Bancorp, for instance, is changing the name of its bank and recently added its first nonblack director.

Hanmi Financial in Los Angeles has hired a former executive at Opus Bank to fill a newly created strategy post.

Four Oaks Fincorp in Four Oaks, N.C., will soon have a new chief executive.

Boston Private Financial Holdings has given its president, Mark Thompson, the additional title of chief executive for its Boston Private Wealth division.

The latest CEO Confidence Survey by Catalyst Corporate Federal Credit Union found credit union CEOs are feeling "less certain" about their institutions' current financial condition than they have since 2008.

Opus Bank in Irvine, Calif., has appointed three executives to fill the role of chief operating officer after Romolo "Ron" Santarosa resigned from the position.

Sun National Bank in Mount Laurel, N.J., has promoted Anthony D'Imperio to chief credit officer and senior vice president, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission this week.

Steep legal fees used to make it difficult for smaller banks to invest in renewable energy tax credits. A new fund is looking to lower the typical legal fees that have made such investments cost-prohibitive for community banks.

First Citizens BancShares in Raleigh, N.C., has hired Brent Ciliano to be its chief investment officer.

BancPlus in Ridgeland, Miss., has hired two Morgan Stanley financial advisers to lead its new wealth-management unit.

Eastern Bank is considering a plan that would boost its biggest donations from $50,000 to seven-figure sums. While the plan could shrink the total number of grants given, it should also allow the organization to have more influence in certain areas.

Central Pacific Financial in Honolulu has named Catherine Ngo chief executive and also appointed a new chief financial officer.

First Midwest Bancorp in Itasca, Ill., has named new heads of treasury management and private banking.

First National Bank Alaska in Anchorage has appointed Betsy Lawer as chairwoman.

With JPMorgan shares near a record high, CEO Jamie Dimon's net worth is about $1.1 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. His status is unusual because, with the exception of former mentor Sanford "Sandy" Weill, few bank managers accumulate that much wealth.

First United in Oakland, Md., has promoted Tonya Sturm to chief financial officer.

World Acceptance in Greenville, S.C., one of the largest providers of installment loans, said that its longtime chairman and chief executive will retire in September.