Trustmark in Jackson, Miss., plans to launch new business lines, enter new markets and improve technology under a new program. The $17.4 billion-asset company said in a press release Tuesday that FIT2GROW began in the second quarter. As part of the initiative, Trustmark opened a loan-production office in Atlanta that will focus on its institutional business. Trustmark plans to form an equipment finance business line as part of its specialty banking unit

NSTS Bancorp in Waukegan, Ill., has a new bank CEO. The $285 million-asset company said in a press release Tuesday that Nathan Walker had also become its executive vice president. Walker succeeded Stephen Lear as CEO of North Shore Trust and Savings. Lear remains chairman of the bank and the company’s chairman, president and CEO. Walker, who joined the company in 1996, has been the bank’s president and chief operating officer since November

Mark Hoppe, who orchestrated the sale of Taylor Capital Group to MB Financial nearly a decade ago, is retiring. Hoppe plans to step down as the Chicago region president for the $211 billion-asset Fifth Third Bancorp, a title he gained after the Cincinnati regional bank acquired MB Financial in 2019. He will retire at the end of this year. Mark Heckler, a senior commercial banker, will succeed Hoppe, who will serve in

Genesis Bank in Newport Beach, Calif., has created an escrow division. The $95.1 million-asset bank said in a press release Tuesday that Genesis Bank Escrow handles commercial and commercial real estate-related escrow transactions, including compliance with local, state and federal real estate guidelines. Genesis launched the division after hiring Michelle Gregorian.  “Over multiple decades, our team has successfully built, acquired and operated numerous leading commercial escrow companies across the bank’s target markets,”

Ford Motor Co. has applied to form a bank. Ford Credit Bank would operate under an industrial loan charter from Utah. Ford applied with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on July 22 for deposit insurance.  Toyota and BMW already have industrial banks. Ford Credit Bank would look to help customers finance vehicles, accept deposit and provide funding to the automaker, among other things.

Bank First in Manitowoc, Wis., has agreed to buy Hometown Bancorp in Fond Du Lac, Wis. The $2.9 billion-asset Bank First said in a press release Tuesday that it will pay $124 million in cash and stock for the $628 million-asset Hometown. The deal, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter, valued Hometown at 213% of its tangible book value. Hometown has $421 million of loans and $539 million of

Somerset Savings Bank in Bound Brook, N.J., plans to convert to a stock-owned company and acquire Regal Bancorp in Livingston, N.J. The $649 million-asset Somerset said in a press release Monday that it has formed SR Bancorp to prepare from its conversion from a mutual bank. Somerset also plans to convert to a New Jersey chartered commercial bank. The mutual said it agreed to pay $58.4 million in cash and stock for

NBT Bancorp in Norwich, N.Y., has agreed to buy an insurance agency. The $11.7 billion-asset company said in a press release that NBT Insurance Agency agreed to buy Harrison A. Rogers Agency. The price wasn’t disclosed. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter. H.A. Rogers is a small personal and commercial lines property and casualty insurance agency.  NBT said the deal was a strategic purchase that will allow it to