Esquire Financial Holdings in Jericho, N.Y., is headed to Southern California. The $1.6 billion-asset company said in a press release that it plans to open a branch in Los Angeles. The release did not give a timeline for opening the location. The branch “underscores our commitment to meeting the needs of law firms nationally and our confidence in the vitality of the litigation market,” Tony Coelho, Esquire’s chairman, said in

Wells Fargo in San Francisco has recruited a former JPMorgan Chase executive to serve as its vice chairman. The $1.9 trillion-asset company said in a press release that Doug Braunstein will assist in growing its corporate finance and advisory businesses. Braunstein spent two decades at JPMorgan Chase, where he held several executive management roles, including CFO and vice chairman. He also served as head of JPMorgan Chase’s Americas investment banking business. “Doug

Southern States Bancshares in Anniston, Ala., has agreed to buy CBB Bancorp in Cartersville, Ga. The $2.5 billion-asset Southern States said in a press release that it will pay $27 million in cash and stock for the parent of the $310 million-asset Century Bank of Georgia. The deal, which is expected to close in the third quarter, priced CBB at 126% of its tangible book value. Southern States said about

Citizens National Bank in Bluffton, Ohio, has a new CEO. The $987 million-asset bank said in a press release that Eric Faulkner had succeeded Mike Romey. Faulkner, who joined the bank in 2009, has been acting president since 2019.

Stockton Bancshares in Stockton, Kan., has agreed to buy Coffeyville Bancorp in Coffeyville, Kan. Stockton, the parent of the $310 million-asset Solutions North Bank, said in a press release that it expects to buy the holding company for the $180 million-asset Community State Bank in the second quarter. The price wasn’t disclosed. Community State has one branch, $86 million of loans and $157 million of deposits. “As part of our

Organizers of the proposed Fortuna Bank in Grandview Heights, Ohio, have received conditional approval from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Ilaria Rawlins, who would serve as the bank’s president and CEO, confirmed the approval in a message to The Bank Slate. She said the FDIC is requiring her group to raise $20 million. Rawlins added that organizers are about 60% to that goal. Organizers applied with the FDIC in February

Zions Bancorp. in Salt Lake City has shaken up its executive ranks following two retirements. The $87 billion-asset company said in a press release that A. Scott Anderson will retire as president and CEO of Zions Bank on April 1. He will become the bank’s non-executive chairman. Paul Burdiss, Zions’ chief financial officer, will succeed Anderson as bank president and CEO, while R. Ryan Richards will become the company’s CFO.

Discover Financial Services would pay Capital One Financial in McLean, Va., a nearly $1.4 billion if it opts to sell to someone else. There would be no termination fee if the $35.3 billion deal is stymied by regulators, according to a copy of the merger agreement included in a recent regulatory filing. Capital One and Discover are both subject to the fee if their boards change their recommendations for the