A large investor in Old Point Financial is looking to gain a seat on the Hampton, Va., company’s board.

Unlike the bargain-heavy aftermath of the crisis, acquisitions during the recovery have been hampered by high premiums and unsatisfactory returns.

Opportunities abound, in affordable housing, capital raising, consumer lending and more. We aim to get you thinking about how new developments on many fronts could affect your business as you plan for the coming year and beyond.

Heritage Bankshares in Norfolk, Va., has exited the Small Business Lending Fund, ahead of its proposed deal to be acquired by Southern BancShares in Mount Olive, N.C.

SB Financial Group in Defiance, Ohio, has bought a former Fifth Third Bank branch in Bowling Green, Ohio.

East West Bancorp in Pasadena, Calif., paid $118.4 million to terminate single-family and commercial shared-loss agreements with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., tied to an acquisition of a failed bank.

Colony Bankcorp in Fitzgerald, Ga., has redeemed about a quarter of its shares in the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Emclaire Financial in Emlenton, Pa., has agreed to buy United-American Savings Bank in Pittsburgh for $14.1 million.

Kelly King was recently named American Banker's Banker of the Year based on his ability to complete big M&A deals and work through problems with regulators. Here are his extended thoughts on those topics as well as others, including the challenges behind making the payments system fast and safe.

Amboy Bancorp in Amboy, Ill., has agreed to buy Franklin Grove Bank in Franklin Grove, Ill.

Capital Bank CEO Eugene Taylor took a three-year break from acquisitions until agreeing to buy CommunityOne earlier this year. Taylor hopes the deal provides evidence that his team is a buyer – not a seller – in the year ahead.

CNB Financial in Clearfield, Pa., has agreed to buy Lake National Bank in Mentor, Ohio.

Bank of America will post a $600 million pretax writedown in the fourth quarter as it redeems $2 billion of trust preferred securities tied to its 2009 acquisition of Merrill Lynch.

Bank of America will post a $600 million pretax writedown in the fourth quarter as it redeems $2 billion of trust preferred securities tied to its 2009 acquisition of Merrill Lynch.

New York Community Bancorp in Westbury has finished the balance sheet repositioning it previewed as part of its agreement to buy Astoria Financial in Lake Success, N.Y.

Calumet Bancorp. in Chilton, Wis., has agreed to buy Calumet Bancshares in Brillion, Wis.

Talmer Bancorp in Troy, Mich., will record a nearly $14 million charge in the fourth quarter tied to ending its loss-share agreements with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

Some lost their jobs while others made major missteps or faced serious challenges to their business plans. Here are the folks who had a rough 2015 and are looking forward to better times in 2016.

CalWest Bancorp in Irvine, Calif., has raised $14 million through a private offering to recapitalize and to retire its Troubled Asset Relief Program funds.

Ken Karels has guided the South Dakota company through an initial public offering and its first acquisition in three years. He is worth watching next year as ag lending comes under pressure and as Great Western continues hunting for acquisitions.