Strategic Insights into Banking & Fintech

United Community adds former Truist exec to its board

United Community adds former Truist exec to its board

United Community Banks in Greenville, S.C., has added a former Truist Financial executive to its board.The $24.2 billion-asset company said in a press release Thursday that George Bell had become a director. Bell recently served as software engineering group head at Truist. He also worked at Truist predecessor BB&T and Bank of America. Bell “embodies a skillset identified by our Board as essential to the growth of our company and we

August 18, 2022
Puerto Rico de novo identifies proposed CEO

Puerto Rico de novo identifies proposed CEO

Organizers of the proposed Nave Bank in San Juan, Puerto Rico, have tapped a veteran banker to serve as its chairman and CEO. The group disclosed in an amended application with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. that Carlos Garcia would also serve as chairman and CEO of Nave Holdings, the bank’s proposed holding company. Garcia, who is also set to become president of commercial banking, is a director at Professional Holding and

August 18, 2022
TowneBank to buy Farmers Bankshares in Virginia

TowneBank to buy Farmers Bankshares in Virginia

TowneBank in Suffolk, Va., has agreed to buy Farmers Bankshares in Windsor, Va.The $16.9 billion-asset TowneBank said in a press release Thursday that it will pay $56 million in stock for the $609 million-asset Farmers. The deal, which is expected to close in the first quarter, priced Farmers at 196% of its tangible book value.TowneBank will enter Isle of Wight and Southampton counties when the deal is completed. Farmers has

August 18, 2022
Northwest in Ohio names permanent CEO

Northwest in Ohio names permanent CEO

Northwest Bancshares in Columbus, Ohio, has a new CEO.The $14 billion-asset company said in a press release Thursday that Louis Torchio will also serve as its president. Torchio, who joined the company in 2018, recently served as senior executive vice president of retail lending and business banking. Before he joined Northwest, Torchio held senior leadership and executive committee posts at Charter One Bank, Bank One and Mellon Bank. At Northwest, Torchio supervised

August 18, 2022
BofA overdraft fees down 90% from year earlier

BofA overdraft fees down 90% from year earlier

Bank of America in Charlotte, N.C., said its overdraft-service fees in June and July fell by 90% from a year earlier, reflecting policies designed to back off of such charges. The $2.2 trillion-asset BofA said in a Wednesday press release that consumer client overdraft fees made up less than 0.4% of its total revenue in the second quarter. For consumer accounts, the company eliminated nonsufficient funds (NSF) fees and reduced overdraft fees

August 18, 2022
Live Oak in N.C. set to benefit from Payrailz sale

Live Oak in N.C. set to benefit from Payrailz sale

Live Oak Bancshares in Wilmington, N.C., is set to benefit from the pending sale of Payrailz to Jack Henry & Associates. The $9.1 billion-asset Live Oak disclosed in a regulatory filing that it expects to report a $29 million pretax gain tied to its investment in Payrailz. The gain would be recorded when the acquisition closes. The announcement comes months after Live Oak said it would likely realize a $115 million pretax

August 18, 2022
Proposed N.H. mutual hits capital goal

Proposed N.H. mutual hits capital goal

The organizers of Walden Mutual Bank in Concord, N.H., has exceeded its capital goal. The group said in an email that they have secured more than $20 million of commitments. The plan is to open the mutual in late summer. Walden has received approval from the New Hamphsire Banking Department but it still needs a greenlight from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. "The participation and support we've received from you have been incredibly

August 18, 2022
BOK Financial taps new CEO for Bank of Texas

BOK Financial taps new CEO for Bank of Texas

BOK Financial in Tulsa, Okla., has named a new CEO for Bank of Texas. The $45 billion-asset company said in a press release Wednesday that Mark Wade will take over the post on Jan. 1. He will succeed Norm Bagwell, who previously announced plans to retire.“Norm Bagwell has been an important part of our company since he joined us in 2008,” Stacy Kymes, BOK Financial’s president and CEO, said in the

August 17, 2022