RENO, Nev. — Members of Sparks City Employees FCU approved the merger of their ailing one-time $16 million credit union into Great Basin FCU, the state's eighth-largest credit union.

Chexar Networks has agreed to acquire Clear Payments of Nashville, Tenn.

The New York firm, formed 50 years ago, survived a tragic setback during the terrorist attacks of 2001.

Continental Bank Holdings of Plymouth Meeting, Pa., has raised $16.5 million through a private placement.

In a rare do-over, members of Montana First CU are being asked again to approve the merger of the state's oldest credit union into Washington's Horizon CU in nearby Spokane Valley, a combination rejected by the membership in January.

BillingTree, an on-demand payment processor, on Monday announced it has again exceeded growth targets, reporting on figures for the first quarter ended March 31.

Activist investor Joseph Stilwell has stepped up his campaign to oust the chief executive at First Financial Northwest (FFNW) in Renton, Wash.

No, the merger wave isn't here, but it has to start somewhere. Data through May 31 shows a foundation to build on once uncertainties about U.S. elections and European economy ease.

Beneficial Mutual Bancorp (BNCL) in Philadelphia said Friday that it has completed its acquisition of hometown rival SE Financial and that SE Financial's former president and chief executive, Pamela Cyr, has joined Beneficial as its chief retail officer.

ViewPoint Bank in Plano, Tex., is selling its home lending unit to a Dallas-based nonbank lender as part of its continued shift from a thrift to a commercial bank.

Europe's banking industry needs to shrink its balance sheets to improve capital structure, said JP Morgan Chief Executive James Staley Friday.

Michael Larrowe, a Cardinal executive who was once derided by an activist investor, becomes CEO and rejoins the board as a group of recently elected directors looks to move the Floyd, Va., company forward.

Ailing Capitol Bancorp is corralling some of its most dire bank units — Bank of Las Vegas, Indiana Community Bank, Sunrise Bank of Albuquerque and Sunrise Bank of Arizona — as part of its ongoing effort to raise fresh capital.

Patriot Financial Partners, a Philadelphia PE firm, hires the former CEO of a community bank in Pennsylvania.

Thomas Marano, Residential Capital's chief executive, said Thursday that Nationstar Mortgage will likely face competition in its pursuit of the bankrupt lender's mortgage assets.

Edward Grebow is making use of the $100 million in private equity that the New York bank received last year, tackling bad loans and expanding into prepaid cards and residential mortgages.

Bharat Masrani is betting on branches at a time when many others are questioning their value. He explains why an aggressive U.S. expansion strategy — by acquisition and internal growth — makes sense for the Canadian-owned TD Bank.

In what would be its first acquisition in its 11-year history, Westfield Bancorp in Westfield Center, Ohio, is buying Western Reserve Bancorp in nearby Medina for about $18 million in cash.

Two years after postponing its planned conversion to a 100% stock-owned company, Northfield Bancorp, a mutual holding company in Avenel, N.J., is finally ready to take that second step.

There were more deals in May worth at least $50 million than in any month in well over a year, but market volatility could slow activity down again.