Practice and client management

Stilwell Group, an activist investor, is alleging that HopFed chief John Peck bought two properties from the then-chairman of the Kentucky company's compensation committee and that the deals were a conflict of interest.

Bank First has agreed to pay $76 million in cash and stock for Waupaca Bancorp. The company should have nearly $1.8 billion in assets when it completes the deal.

Digital wallets are maturing, meaning card plays will increasingly resemble Chase Sapphire, targeting a specific higher end demographic, writes Alyssa Arredondo, director of financial vertical marketing at Entrust Datacard.

Executives at the embattled bank made clear Thursday that they are not discarding its long-standing strategy of selling additional products to existing customers.

Wells said slowing loan growth had hurt its aggressive efforts to lower its efficiency ratio, so it is doubling the expenses it aims to cut by 2019.

Stonegate Bank in Florida figured its balance sheet was too small and undiversified to stay independent. But it was choosy in approaching potential buyers and aggressively scrutinized the lead bidder’s loan book.

Regions Financial is taking steps across its 1,500-branch network to embrace consumers with autism and train its staff to help them. Business development, not just compassion, is part of the motivation.

The recent earnings season shined a light on community bankers’ tactical moves. Here’s a look at what some institutions are planning in coming months.

After a bogus-accounts scandal spooked new clients and crimped profitability, Wells Fargo may eliminate more branches and dismiss staff.

Credit unions announce a bevy of new leaders among the recent new hires, promotions and appointments.

JPMorgan Chase will give its Sapphire credit card customers 100,000 rewards points for closing home-purchase loans with the bank.

The annual CO-OP THINK Conference opened with a panel discussing some of the hurdles consumers have when it comes to the credit union movement – and what CUs can do about it.

The German bank announced a project designed to create a single online registration for users across a number of industries.

Once focused mainly on growth, the New York-based small-business lender said it will lay off employees and cut other expenses in an effort to become profitable. The moves are a sign of waning patience among investors in the once-frothy sector.

Ignacio Alvarez, who takes over this summer from Richard Carrion, addresses the tough challenges the bank faces as looming cuts to government services and benefits could be painful for consumers and businesses on the Caribbean island.

The $71 million transaction is the latest in a series of acquisitions by Seacoast in recent months.

The Arizona company said Kenneth Vecchione would be a candidate to eventually replace CEO Robert Sarver.

First Citizens FCU unveils new management team, League of Southeastern CUs honors lawmakers and more new hires, promotions and honors.

Some shareholders can help increase corporate accountability using a little-known but effective tool called a shareholder proposal. But now this tool is threatened by financial reform legislation.

The acquisition will make the Tennessee company one of the biggest banks in the Southeast, with assets of more than $40 billion.