Regional banks

The Bridgeport, Conn., company is developing a specialty in banking technology businesses. Like so many other small regionals with ambitious growth plans, it faces a tricky balancing act: how to take creative risks without getting in over its head.

Technology is often cited as the leg up large banks have in winning over customers, but regionals are worried about the “billions and billions” bigger rivals can pour into ubiquitous ad campaigns.

Zack Bishop has experience in blending the systems of merged banks, according to Synovus, which this summer announced its first whole-bank deal in more than a decade.

His knack for public policy, dedication to technological improvements once considered the province of big banks, and willingness to tear up a business model that he and his father built make him our top Best in Banking honoree.

Bank groups are pushing a variety of proposals to delay the loan-loss rule or soften its impact. The accounting standards board has agreed to review at least one of them — but at a pace that might not be fast enough for lenders.

Christopher Kay will oversee the Buffalo, N.Y., bank's branch and ATM networks as well as development of products and services that seek to mimic the cutting-edge offerings of other industries.

The ratings agency said that it views rollbacks of stress-test comparisons and liquidity coverage ratio requirements as "negative" for banks with between $100 billion and $250 billion of assets.

The North Carolina regional bank will gain four locations and $834 million in loans.

The bank has long had a program in place to train new employees, but now it’s testing a pilot to help retrain existing staff for different careers at the institution.

In his second straight day of congressional testimony, the central bank’s top regulatory official was put on the defensive about a pending proposal to relieve regional banks from the toughest supervisory requirements.