Wintrust Financial in Rosemont, Ill., has agreed to buy First Community Financial in Elgin, Ill.

On the day Maurice Spagnoletti was murdered, his black Lexus sedan was full of balloons. It was June 15, 2011, the day before his wife's birthday, and he was planning a celebration.

Community banks are stepping up efforts to raise cheap capital to fuel loan growth, make acquisitions and redeem pricier sources of funds.

Payments processor Vantiv and buyout firm Warburg Pincus are among suitors seeking to buy a U.S. payments business owned by Royal Bank of Canada and Bank of Montreal, according to people familiar with the matter.

Bank consolidation in 2016 continues to lag behind last year's pace, although the average deal value is considerably larger.

Flushing Financial in Uniondale, N.Y., has raised $21 million in capital after selling an office building.

American National in Danville, Va., has hired the former chief financial officer at NewBridge Bancorp to oversee strategic initiatives.

North Carolina has lost more than 40% of its banks in the past decade, creating a new tier of larger institutions. More deals are expected to occur, raising questions about the pace of M&A and the fate of those bigger banks.

Medallion Bank in New York has sold nearly $100 million in prime-credit consumer loans, largely consisted of home improvement and recreational vehicle installment loans, to an unnamed buyer.

North Shore Bank in Brookfield, Wis., has agreed to buy Layton Park Financial Group in West Allis, Wis.

Royal Credit Union on Friday said it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Apple Valley, Minn., office of Deerwood Bank.

The $1.1 billion-asset company said in a press release Friday that it had combined its $492 million-asset CNB in Centreville, Md., and the $615 million-asset Talbot Bank in Easton, Md., to create Shore United Bank.

Franklin Financial Services in Chambersburg, Pa., has find a successor for its chief executive.

The $99 million-asset thrift said in a recent press release that Best Hometown Bancorp, a holding company it created, raised $8.3 million as part of an initial public offering tied to its mutual-to-stock conversion. Home Federal also plans to change its name to Best Hometown Bank.

The $685 million-asset Pinnacle Financial in Elberton, Ga., said in a press release Friday that it will pay $32.8 million in cash for the $184 million-asset Independence Bank of Georgia in Braselton.

Berkshire Hills Bancorp is buying a bank with a national mortgage platform. The company hopes the business will provide a much-needed lift in fee income.

Liberty Shares in Hinesville, Ga., one of a handful of banks still stuck in the Troubled Asset Relief Program, has raised $26 million in capital.

MVB Financial in Fairmont, W.Va., has sold most of its insurance business to USI Insurance Services in Valhalla, N.Y.

Flagstar Bancorp in Troy, Mich., is paying $371 million to put behind it the vestiges of its dealings with the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

First Bank in Hamilton, N.J., has raised $13.7 million by selling common stock.