Strategic Insights into Banking & Fintech

Innovations Financial CU to buy First National Bank NW Florida

Innovations Financial CU to buy First National Bank NW Florida

Innovations Financial Credit Union in Panama City, Fla., has agreed to buy First National Bank Northwest Florida in Panama City – the third credit union-bank deal announced this week. The $390 million-asset credit union did not disclose the price it will pay for the $179 million-asset First National. First National had agreed last year to sell to Harvesters Credit Union but that transaction was eventually terminated. Eight credit unions have

August 30, 2023
Western Alliance hires treasury, C&I executives

Western Alliance hires treasury, C&I executives

Western Alliance Bancorp. in Phoenix has hired executives to oversee treasury management and commercial and industrial (C&I) banking. The $65 billion-asset company said in a press release that Todd Sondrini had become its head of treasury management, a new position. He previously served as executive director of treasury management at Fifth Third Bancorp. Sondrini’s “global banking expertise, which includes building high-performance teams in treasury management and more, will help the

August 30, 2023
Integro in Phoenix forms mortgage division

Integro in Phoenix forms mortgage division

Integro Bank, a Phoenix de novo, has created a mortgage division. The $42.6 million-asset bank said in a press release that the division is led by Steven Zielsdorf, its director of residential mortgage lending. “We offer a wide variety of loan programs to meet your mortgage financing needs whether you are a traditional residential home buyer or a small business owner with challenges validating income to meet the financial requirements,”

August 30, 2023
How PacWest juggled deposit outflows and merger talks

How PacWest juggled deposit outflows and merger talks

PacWest Bancorp in Beverly Hills, Calif., held “more advanced” talks with two potential buyers before it began negotiating its agreement to sell to Banc of California in Santa Ana. The $9.3 billion-asset Banc of California agreed in July to buy the $38.3 billion-asset PacWest in a roughly $1 billion deal backed by entities tied to Warburg Pincus and Centerbridge Partners. PacWest briefly considered a capital infusion from Warburg and Centerbridge

August 30, 2023
American Bank of Oklahoma settles DoJ mortgage claims

American Bank of Oklahoma settles DoJ mortgage claims

American Bank of Oklahoma in Collinsville has settled claims by the Justice Department that it failed to meet the mortgage lending needs of minority neighborhoods around Tulsa. The $383 million-asset bank, which denied the allegations, said in a press release that agreed to resolve the matter “to avoid the cost and distraction of protracted litigation.” The bank agreed to invest at least $950,000 in a loan subsidy fund for residents

August 29, 2023
Proposed Ohio bank gets approval from state regulator

Proposed Ohio bank gets approval from state regulator

Fortuna Bank, a proposed de novo in Grandview Heights, Ohio, has received conditional approval from the Ohio Department of Financial Institutions. The proposed women-owned bank still needs approval from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. “We are now permitted to initiate our capital raise and accept investor dollars,” Lisa Berger, the proposed bank’s chairman, said in a LinkedIn post. “Thrilled to be working with our team to be able to make

August 29, 2023
Regulators propose debt rules for large U.S. banks

Regulators propose debt rules for large U.S. banks

Federal bank regulators want regional banks to hold more debt and update their resolution plans. U.S. banks with at least $100 billion of assets would be required to hold enough long-term debt to absorb losses should they fail, according to a notice of proposed rulemaking from the Treasury Department, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Reserve and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Large banks would be required to maintain

August 29, 2023
Fourth Capital, Volunteer State in Tennessee to merge

Fourth Capital, Volunteer State in Tennessee to merge

Gaylon Lawrence Jr. is looking to combine two banks he owns. Fourth Capital Bank in Nashville, Tenn., is planning to merge with Volunteer State Bank in Portland, Tenn., to create a $1.5 billion-asset bank with 18 branches. “Middle Tennessee is known for its vibrant and diverse economic climate, and it continues to be one of the fastest growing areas in the nation,” Lawrence said in a press release. “The decision

August 29, 2023