There's a new president at 1st National Bank of Scotia in New York. The $676 million-asset bank said in a press release that Robert Dieterich had taken on the expanded role. Dieterich, who will remain chief operating officer, succeeded John Buhrmaster, who is still CEO. Buhrmaster will now focus on strategic direction and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders. Dieterich will oversee the bank’s employees, customer relationships, strategy execution, and operational efficiency.

Santa Cruz County Bank in Santa Cruz, Calif., has rebranded. The $2.7 billion-asset unit of West Coast Community Bancorp announced that it was renamed West Coast Community Bank. The change follows the company's purchase of 1st Capital Bancorp in Salinas, Calif., which introduced it to new markets. "Our new name reflects the vibrant and diverse West Coast communities we serve in Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz

Colony Bankcorp in Fitzgerald, Ga., is bucking a trend in banking by acquiring an insurance agency. The company said in a press release that it bought The Ellerbee Agency, an Allstate-appointed consumer property and casualty insurance agency. The price wasn't disclosed. The agency will become part of Colony Insurance. Sean Ellerbee, who led the agency, will join Colony Insurance's leadership team. "This acquisition supports our strategy of efficient growth and scalable

The banker responsible for building FB Financial in Nashville, Tenn., has died. Jim Ayers passed away on April 1. Once the sole owner of FirstBank, his ownership amounted to 23% of the company's stock following its initial public offering. FB Financial noted in a regulatory filing that a shareholder’s agreement with Ayers terminated with his passing. Under that agreement, Ayers had the right to designate up to a fifth of

The CEO of Legacy Bank in Murrieta, Calif., is retiring. Jim Hicken announced in a LinkedIn post that he will also retire as president of the $74.7 million-asset bank and step down from its board. "It has been an incredible journey—one that led me to start and open two community banks along the way, build outstanding teams, and contribute to the communities we served," he said in the post. "I’m

Stride Bank in Tulsa, Okla., struck a deal to become the new card issuing partner for the Affirm Card. The bank did not disclose the financial details of the agreement with Affirm Holdings for the card, which allows consumers to pay in full or request to pay-over-time for eligible purchases in the Affirm app. "We are thrilled to collaborate with Affirm and become a new card issuer for the Affirm

Plumas Bancorp in Reno, Nev., prevailed against an unnamed Pacific Northwest credit union to strike a deal to buy Cornerstone Community Bancorp in Red Bluff, Calif. The $1.6 billion-asset Plumas agreed in late January to buy the $658 million-asset Cornerstone for $64.6 million in a deal expected to close in the second half of this year. The relationship between Plumas and Cornerstone began informally in July 2024, when Cornerstone CEO

Plumas Bancorp in Reno, Nev., has reached a sale-leaseback agreement for two office properties in California. The company disclosed in a regulatory filing that it plans to sell the administrative offices in Quincy to Brookline Branch Services for about $5.6 million. The sales should result in a $4.9 million pretax gain in the second quarter. Plumas agreed to lease the properties for an initial 15-year period at an annual rent