Strategic Insights into Banking & Fintech

Pinnacle in Nebraska to buy Crockett National in Texas

Pinnacle in Nebraska to buy Crockett National in Texas

Pinnacle Bancorp in Lincoln, Neb., has agreed to buy Crockett National Bank in San Antonio, Texas. The $7.6 billion-asset Pinnacle said that its purchase of the $630 million-asset Crockett National should close in the second half of this year. The price wasn’t disclosed. Crockett National has five branches and two loan-production offices. Todd Huckabee, Crockett National’s CEO, will become a regional president at Pinnacle.

July 5, 2022
First Bank of Highland Park in Illinois rebrands

First Bank of Highland Park in Illinois rebrands

First Bank of Highland Park in Illinois has changed its name to First Bank Chicago.The $1.9 billion-asset bank said the change reflects a brand that it has been using with its commercial clients. The new brand “allows us to reach more clients and continue our growth throughout the Chicago metro area,” Eric Ephraim, the bank’s president and chief operating officer, said in a press release. First Bank Chicago has been expanding beyond

July 1, 2022
Customers formally ending deposit servicing pace

Customers formally ending deposit servicing pace

Customers Bancorp in West Reading, Pa., has given formal notice to end its deposit servicing agreement with BM Technologies. The agreement, which has been in place since January 2021, is set to end on Dec. 31. The $19.6 billion-asset Customers announced in January that it planned to end the relationship, noting that the move should save it $60 million a year. The company said at the time that it expected about $1.8

July 1, 2022
BOK looking for new CEO for Texas operations

BOK looking for new CEO for Texas operations

BOK Financial in Tulsa, Okla., is looking for a new leader for its Texas operations. The $46.8 billion-asset company said in a regulatory filing Friday that Norm Bagwell will step down as CEO of Bank of Texas on Dec. 31.  Bagwell “will support the organization’s talent and business development activities on a part-time basis” after he relinquishes his title. BOK Financial said it plans to appoint a new CEO for the Texas

July 1, 2022
BMO Harris takes bite out of overdraft, NSF fees

BMO Harris takes bite out of overdraft, NSF fees

BMO Harris Bank in Chicago is reducing its overdraft and nonsufficient funds (NSF) fees for consumer and small business banking accounts. The $167 billion-asset unit of Bank of Montreal said in a press release Thursday that it will eliminate overdraft transfer fees on July 12 and do away with NSF fees on Aug. 23. Overdraft fees will be lowered from $36 to $15 per occurrence beginning in the fall. "Our latest fee

June 30, 2022
Former Cape Cod CEO joins university’s board of trustees

Former Cape Cod CEO joins university’s board of trustees

Dorothy Savarese, who recently retired as president and CEO of Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank in Hyannis, Mass., has joined the board of trustees at Suffolk University in Boston.Savarese, who remains the $4.6 billion-asset bank's chairman, was its CEO for more than 17 years. She was succeeded as CEO by Matt Burke and as president by Bert Talerman.Savarese earned her MBA from Suffolk’s Sawyer Business School. The other new trustees

June 30, 2022
ICBA reiterates stance against CBDC

ICBA reiterates stance against CBDC

The Independent Community Bankers of America has reiterated its opposition to a U.S. Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).The trade association said in a comment letter to the Commerce Department that it wants the government to step up oversight of digital assets, including cryptocurrency. The ICBA made several arguments in the letter:Digital assets present numerous significant threats, including financial crimes and risks for financial stability.Stablecoins exist in an unregulated space with several

June 30, 2022
New Peoples in Va. discloses ‘cybersecurity incident’

New Peoples in Va. discloses ‘cybersecurity incident’

New Peoples Bankshares in Honaker, Va., disclosed that its recent systems issues resulted from a cyberattack.The $813 million-asset bank disclosed on its website that it first experienced aninterruption to the operability of its computer systems on June 15. An investigation by a third-party cybersecurity firm found that an unauthorized person gained access to those systems on June 9. The investigation also determined that “some personal information” of customers, shareholders and employees

June 29, 2022