Strategic Insights into Banking & Fintech

Minority-focused neobank Greenwood raises $45M

Minority-focused neobank Greenwood raises $45M

Greenwood, a challenger bank that is focused on Black and Latino customers, has raised $45 million in new capital. Greenwood said in a press release that the investment round was led by Pendulum, which is now the digital bank’s biggest investor. Other new investors included Cercano Management, Cohen Circle, The George Kaiser Family Foundation and NextEra Energy. Bank of America, Citi Ventures, PNC, Popular, Truist Ventures, TTV Capital and Wells

November 30, 2022
Former MLB player to join Farmers National board

Former MLB player to join Farmers National board

A former professional baseball player will join the board of Farmers National Banc Corp. in Canfield, Ohio. The $4.1 billion-asset Farmers said in a press release that André Thornton will join the board on Jan. 1, with an initial term that will run through 2024. Thornton will also serve on the corporate governance and nominating committee and the board enterprise risk management committee. Thornton, who played for the Cleveland Indians

November 30, 2022
TowneBank president plans to retire at yearend

TowneBank president plans to retire at yearend

TowneBank in Suffolk, Va., announced that its president will retire at the end of this year. The $16.9 billion-asset bank said in a press release that Brad Schwartz will also retire as chief operating officer on Dec. 31. He plans to step down from the board when his term expires in 2023. Billy Foster will succeed Schwartz as president. Foster is also set to become CEO when J. Morgan Davis

November 30, 2022
OceanFirst ups investment in equipment finance firm

OceanFirst ups investment in equipment finance firm

OceanFirst Financial in Red Bank, N.J., has boosted its stake in a specialty commercial equipment finance company. The $12.7 billion-asset company disclosed in a regulatory filing that it invested $2.8 million in Auxilior Capital Partners as part of a new round of finance by the lender. OceanFirst had already invested $10 million in Auxilior in 2021, gaining a minority, noncontrolling stake. OceanFirst said in the filing that the new financing

November 30, 2022
State Street, BBH terminate investor services deal

State Street, BBH terminate investor services deal

State Street in Boston and Brown Brothers Harriman have agreed to terminate a deal where State Street would have acquired BBH’s investor services business. The $300 billion-asset State Street disclosed in a regulatory filing that the purchase agreement did not allow for a contractual penalty by either party. BBH, in a separate release, said the deal was terminated because State Street was unable to secure the necessary regulatory approvals. The

November 30, 2022
Central Bank of St. Louis lines up next president

Central Bank of St. Louis lines up next president

Central Bank of St. Louis will have a new president. The $2.3 billion-asset unit of Central Bancompany announced that Dan Kleffner will take on the role on Jan. 1, according to the St. Louis Business Journal. Kleffner, the bank’s executive vice president of commercial lending, will succeed Dan Stephen. Stephen became the bank’s president in 2021. The bank also said that Jim Lewis will be promoted to oversee its four

November 29, 2022
Challenger bank Totem raises $2.2M in preseed funds

Challenger bank Totem raises $2.2M in preseed funds

Totem, a challenger bank in Tulsa, Okla., that plans to offer banking services to Native Americans, has raised $2.2 million of preseed funding. Totem said in a press release that it will use the funds to hire personnel and develop an app. Raven Indigenous Capital Partners, a Canadian firm that invests in indigenous social enterprises, led the funding round. Other investors included the Alloy Alchemist Fund, Candide Group, Debut Capital

November 29, 2022
First Reliance COO leaving to lead nonbank financial firm

First Reliance COO leaving to lead nonbank financial firm

First Reliance Bancshares in Florence, S.C., said that its chief operating officer is leaving to become CEO of a nonbank financial services company. The $946 million-asset company said in a press release that Robert Dozier is, effective Dec. 31. First Reliance did not name the nonbank that hired Dozier. First Reliance said there are no plans to hire a replacement, adding that its existing management team will perform the duties

November 29, 2022