Columbia Banking's CEO, who died unexpectedly on Sunday, was a thoughtful and tenacious leader who leaves a legacy of turning a small Washington bank into a regional power in the Pacific Northwest.

How to keep score in the industry and identify the truly victorious banks has never been tougher.

West Town will pay $24.6 million in cash and stock for Sound Banking. The deal will close later this year.

The deal comes months after First Merchants bought a minority stake in Independent Alliance.

The deal with American Homestead Mortgage will allow Wintrust Mortgage to move into northern Montana.

Texas Trust and Qualtrust CUs have announced their intention to merge under the Texas Trust banner.

CapGen, once a vocal critic of management, will cut its holdings to as little as 3% of shares outstanding.

Stocks of big banks have now largely recovered from their financial crisis lows; the big Japanese tech and telecom company plans to buy the $70 billion asset manager.

The bank and one of its investors are planning a sale of common stock that could help fund growth initiatives.

Not every bank could simultaneously make and entertain acquisition offers like Pacific Continental did, but its story highlights hard questions facing financial institutions in a consolidating industry.

Progress will pay $42 million to expand in Birmingham, Ala., adding branches in a market where it hired a lending team last year.

The bank has shifted Chief Operating Officer Finn Caspersen Jr. to chief strategic officer and hired Robert Plante to succeed him as COO.

Heartland will gain 12 branches around Denver and Boulder after it buys the $1.4 billion-asset Citywide.

Kirk Wycoff of Patriot Financial Partners will soon join PL Capital's Richard Lashley on the company's board.

Summit CU in North Carolina has completed its acquisition of Corning Cable Systems CU and is building a new branch to accommodate increased business as a result of the merger.

Clayton Bank and American City Bank are owned by Clayton HC and have a combined $1.2 billion in assets.

Longtime TCF Chairman and CEO Bill Cooper, who died Tuesday at the age of 73, is being remembered as an innovator who never forgot where he came from.

The $227 million Valor Federal Credit Union lost more than $2.2 million in 2016 prior to its acquisition by the $21 billion Pentagon Federal Credit Union.

Joseph Ficalora, New York Community's CEO, told analysts that his company could still have a chance to buy Astoria "down the road."

The moves show a commitment to bigger markets and make it easier for analysts and investors to visit management.