Associated Banc-Corp. in Green Bay, Wis., plans to close 13 branches in two states. The $37.2 billion-asset company plans to shutter six locations in Illinois and seven in northwest Wisconsin on Nov. 18, several media publications reported. Six of the offices are in-store branches, with five in Festival Foods stores and one inside a Piggly Wiggly.The branches represent about 6% of the company’s overall network, based on June 2021 data from the

High Plains Bank in Okeene, Okla., has agreed to buy a branch in Oklahoma from Equity Bancshares in Wichita, Kan. The $5 billion-asset Equity said in a press release that it is selling its location in Cordell to the $160 million-asset High Plains. The sale is expected to close by Dec. 31. The price wasn’t disclosed. The branch has about $20 million of deposits. “Our focus as a community bank is our customers, and

Cornerstone Home Lending has received regulatory approval to buy Roscoe State Bank in Roscoe, Texas.The mortgage lender said in a Wednesday press release that it expects to buy the $226 million-asset Roscoe on or around Oct. 1. Cornerstone Capital Bank will have more than $380 million of capital and roughly $1.5 billion of assets. The bank will have three business segments: mortgage lending and servicing, commercial and retail banking and institutional

First Commonwealth Financial in Indiana, Pa., has agreed to buy Centric Financial in Harrisburg, Pa.The $9.6 billion-asset First Commonwealth said in a press release Tuesday that it will pay $144 million in stock for the $1.1 billion-asset Centric. The deal, which is expected to close in the first quarter, priced Centric at 131% of its tangible book value. Centric has seven branches, a loan production office, $900 million of deposits and

First National Bank of Omaha in Nebraska has formed a business to offer credit card services to fintechs and other startups. The $27.2 billion-asset bank said in a press release that Bend by FNBO will offer customized credit card issuance to clients. The business is being marketed as a credit card-as-a-service (CaaS) platform. Bend offers an embedded model of open API services for credit cards through a network of strategic partnerships. The

Genesis Bank in Newport Beach, Calif., has created a division to handle 1031 exchanges. The $95.1 million-asset company said in a press release that it had launched Genesis Bank Exchange to facilitate Section 1031 exchanges of investment and business real estate. The division will hold client funds in segregated trust accounts and handle administrative, legal and tax-related compliance obligations for clients. “We have developed deep relationships … with a broad range of real

A group in Irvine, Calif., has received approval from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to open a bank.The FDIC on Aug. 24 gave conditional approval for Beach Cities Commercial Bank. Organizers must raise $25 million before the bank can open. The group applied with the FDIC in September. “The bank plans to serve the banking needs of small- and medium-sized businesses, business professionals and business owners in the bank’s market areas through

Thumb Bancorp in Pigeon, Mich., has agreed to buy Exchange State Bank in Carsonville, Mich.The $401 million-asset Thumb said in a press release that it will pay $29.9 million in cash and stock for the $219 million-asset Exchange Bank. The merger is expected to close late this year or in early 2023.The final consideration is subject to adjustment based on unrealized losses in Exchange’s investment portfolio at closing and potential