Strategic Insights into Banking & Fintech

Brookfield Bancshares. to buy NSTS Bancorp in Illinois

Brookfield Bancshares. to buy NSTS Bancorp in Illinois

Brookfield Bancshares in Brookfield, Ill., has agreed to buy NSTS Bancorp in Waukegan, Ill. The $333.4 billion-asset Brookfield said in a press release that it will pay $73.7 million in cash for the $266.6 million-asset NSTS. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter. North Shore will retain its name and charter. “We are excited to join forces with the North Shore team and expand our presence into

May 13, 2026
Commerce in Mo. to sell underperforming securities after Visa exchange

Commerce in Mo. to sell underperforming securities after Visa exchange

Commerce Bancshares in Kansas City, Mo., will use a gain from exchanging Visa shares to offset a hit from selling underperforming securities. The company said in a press release that it will report a $99 million pretax gain from marking its newly obtained Visa Class C common stock. Commerce also plans to record a pretax loss of $95 million after selling $911 million of low-yielding securities. The company expects to

May 13, 2026
Long-time leader of Allegheny Bancshares in W.Va. to retire in July

Long-time leader of Allegheny Bancshares in W.Va. to retire in July

Allegheny Bancshares in Franklin, W.Va., has finalized its CEO succession. The $825 million-asset company said in a press release that Neil Hayslett will take on the role on July 13. Hayslett will also become CEO of Pendleton County Bank. Hayslett, the company's president, will succeed Bill Loving Jr., who will retire. Loving, who has led the bank since October 2000, will remain on the board. “For more than 25 years,

May 12, 2026
Western Alliance in Phoenix discloses issue with CRE loan

Western Alliance in Phoenix discloses issue with CRE loan

Western Alliance Bancorp. in Phoenix disclosed a new issue with a $99 million commercial real estate loan. The $98.9 billion-asset Western Alliance disclosed in its quarterly filing that a borrower told the bank in late April that it would not repay the CRE non‑owner‑occupied loan. The loan had been performing in accordance with its contractual terms and was internally graded as pass. The loan was downgraded to substandard and placed on

May 12, 2026
Eagle in Md. hires Western Alliance exec as its new CEO

Eagle in Md. hires Western Alliance exec as its new CEO

Eagle Bancorp in Bethesda, Md., looked outward for its new leader. The company said in a press release that it hired Stephen Curley as its president and CEO, effective July 6. He will also join the board. Curley, who was chief banking officer for national business lines at Western Alliance Bancorp. in Phoenix, will succeed Susan Riel. Riel, who plans to remain on the board, signed a 12-month consulting agreement

May 12, 2026
CB Financial in Pennsylvania disclosed AI-related cybersecurity breach

CB Financial in Pennsylvania disclosed AI-related cybersecurity breach

CB Financial Services in Carmichaels, Pa., disclosed that its bank was the victim of a cyberattack. The company disclosed in a regulatory filing that its bank became aware on May 5 of "an internal incident involving the handling of certain non‑public customer information" using an unauthorized AI-based software application. The bank took measures to secure the data at issue and initiated an internal probe with the assistance of external cybersecurity

May 11, 2026
Androscoggin in Maine, Mascoma in N.H. to merge holding companies

Androscoggin in Maine, Mascoma in N.H. to merge holding companies

Androscoggin Bank in Lewiston, Maine, and Mascoma Bank in Lebanon, N.H., are planning to merge their holding companies. The merger would result in the creation of ClearNorth Financial Mutual Holding Co. The banks will continue to operate under their own names, charters and boards. Clay Adams, Mascoma's president and CEO, will be CEO of the new holding company. Neil Kiely, Androscoggin Bank’s CEO, will serve as president. They will retain

May 11, 2026
Stablecoin-focused clearing bank Augustus secures OCC approval

Stablecoin-focused clearing bank Augustus secures OCC approval

Augustus, previously known as Ivy, has received conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to form a national bank. Augustus Bank is expected to become a clearing bank built on a stablecoin and AI-native core. The core banking system is built around AI and programmable money. Co-Founder Ferdinand Dabitz will serve as the bank's CEO. Greg Quarles, former CEO of Green Dot Bank, will serve as

May 11, 2026