Strategic Insights into Banking & Fintech

Finward in Indiana continues to close branches

Finward in Indiana continues to close branches

Finward Bancorp in Munster, Ind., is continuing to close branches. The $2.1 billion-asset company, which closed two branches in July, said in a press release that it will shutter three more locations by the end of this year. Finward also closed a branch in 2021. Finward said that each closure will reduce operational costs by roughly $250,000, excluding personnel expenses. The company said its remaining 26 branches are being analyzed

October 26, 2022
Second Iowa credit union cuts dozens of jobs

Second Iowa credit union cuts dozens of jobs

Collins Community Credit Union in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is the latest credit union to announce layoffs. The $1.6 billion-asset credit union cut 38 positions on Oct. 6, according to published reports. Most of the cuts came in its mortgage operations. The announcement comes weeks after GreenState Credit Union in North Liberty, Iowa, cut 42 positions, or about 5% of its workforce. The $10.7 billion-asset GreenState said most of the cuts

October 25, 2022
Fintech Finexio raises $35M in latest funding round

Fintech Finexio raises $35M in latest funding round

Finexio, an Orlando, Fla., fintech, has raised $35 million in Series B funding round that included several banks among the investors. Finexio, a B2B accounts payables Payments-as-a-Service company, said in a press release that J.P. Morgan was the biggest investor. Patriot Financial Partners, Discover Financial Services, Valley National Bancorp and Trogg Hawley Capital also participated. National Bank Holdings and Mendon Venture Partners co-led the fundraising round. “We are thrilled to

October 25, 2022
Peoples in Ohio to buy Limestone in Kentucky

Peoples in Ohio to buy Limestone in Kentucky

Peoples Bancorp in Marietta, Ohio, has agreed to buy Limestone Bancorp in Louisville, Ky. The $7 billion-asset Peoples said in a press release that it will pay $208.2 million in stock for the $1.5 billion-asset Limestone. The acquisition, nicknamed "Project Bourbon," is expected to close in the second quarter. The deal priced Limestone at 173% of its tangible book value. Limestone has 20 branches, $1.1 billion of loans and $1.2

October 25, 2022
GBank Financial in Las Vegas rebrands its bank

GBank Financial in Las Vegas rebrands its bank

GBank Financial Holdings in Las Vegas has rebranded its bank. The $667 million-asset company said in a press release that its Bank of George will be known as GBank. GBank Financial also debuted a new corporate brand and website. "More and more, our national markets and communities have associated our success with the shortened name of our holding company," T. Ryan Sullivan, the company’s president and CEO, said in the release.

October 25, 2022
Talks between Republic First, investor hit impasse

Talks between Republic First, investor hit impasse

Republic First Bancorp in Philadelphia has been unable to negotiate a truce with one of its biggest investors. The $5.7 billion-asset company said in a press release that it tried to hammer out a standstill agreement with a group that includes George Norcross and Gregory Braca. Republic First said the Norcross-Braca group wanted $3.5 million to cover various expenses, board seats and for Braca to become the company’s CEO. The

October 24, 2022
Sterling in Mich. reorganizes legal department

Sterling in Mich. reorganizes legal department

Sterling Bancorp in Southfield, Mich., which recently filed a lawsuit against its founder and former CEO, has hired a chief legal officer. The $2.5 billion-asset company disclosed in a regulatory filing that it had added Elizabeth Keogh as part of a reorganization of its legal department. Keogh has been a self-employed legal consultant for the past 13 years, with Sterling among her clients. Prior to 2009, she was a corporate

October 24, 2022
RBB in Los Angeles taps interim CEO as permanent leader

RBB in Los Angeles taps interim CEO as permanent leader

RBB Bancorp in Los Angeles didn’t have to look too hard to find its permanent CEO.   The $3.9 billion-asset company said in a press release that it has removed “interim” from David Morris’ title. Morris, who will remain RBB’s chief financial officer, will join the company’s board.   Morris will spearhead efforts to hire a president.   RBB said that Shalom Chang, who had been its controller, had become

October 24, 2022