Foro, a fintech that aims to pair business owners with commercial lenders, has launched after receiving financial backing from a group that includes former Bank of America CEO Hugh McColl Jr. The Charlotte, N.C., startup said in a press release that will focus on small- and midsize businesses. The plan is to reduce the initial vetting process for loan applications from 30 days to seven. The venture launched after raising

Ken Guenther, who served as president and CEO of the Independent Community Bankers of America for more than 20 years, has died. The association announced Guenther’s passing in a press release. Guenther joined the ICBA in 1979. He led the association from 1982 to 2004, when he was succeeded by Cam Fine. Guenther established a private consulting practice after leaving the ICBA. He retired in 2012.

The Federal Reserve has denied an application by Custodia Bank in Cheyenne, Wyo., to become a member of the Federal Reserve System. The Fed said in a press release that it concluded that Custodia’s application “is inconsistent with the required factors under the law.” The regulator determined that the special purpose depository institution’s business model and proposed focus on novel and untested crypto activities “presented significant safety and soundness risks.”

Atlantic Union Bankshares in Richmond, Va., has hired the former chief technology officer at PNC Financial Services Group to fill a key executive position. The $20.5 billion-asset company said in a press release that it had hired Matt Lindeman as its chief information officer. Linderman will be responsible all areas of technology and digital strategy, development and implementation. Lindeman “is an accomplished IT executive with extensive expertise leading information technology and

Silvergate Capital in La Jolla, Calif., is preserving capital by suspending dividends on a series of preferred stock. The $11.4 billion-asset company said in a press release that dividends were paused on its 5.375% fixed-rate non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock “This decision reflects the company’s focus on maintaining a highly liquid balance sheet with a strong capital position as it navigates recent volatility in the digital asset industry,” the release said. Silvergate

Primis Financial in McLean, Va., expects its bulked-up mortgage business to break even in the first quarter. The $3.6 billion-asset company has been aggressively growing Primis Mortgage by hiring lenders. The expansion lowered the company’s pretax net income by $2.7 million in the fourth quarter. The mortgage division had $27.5 million of loans on Dec. 31. It is now licensed in 39 states and Washington, D.C. Primis said elevated expenses

Brent Beardall is set to return to Washington Federal in Seattle just weeks after surviving a plane crash in Utah. The $21.7 billion-asset company said in a press release that Beardall, its president and CEO, expects to be discharged from the hospital on Feb. 10 and return to full-time duty three days later. Beardall is currently undergoing extensive physical therapy at the Rehabilitation Hospital at the University of Utah Health.

Bank of South Carolina in Charleston has finalized its CEO succession. The $653 million-asset company said in a press release that Fleetwood Hassell will also retire as president on Sept. 30. Hassell will be succeeded by Eugene Walpole IV, Bank of South Carolina’s chief financial officer. Hassell, who co-founded the bank in 1986 and has been its leader since 2012, will remain on the board. Walpole, who joined the bank