Strategic Insights into Banking & Fintech

HarborOne taps insider as next CEO

HarborOne taps insider as next CEO

HarborOne Bancorp in Brockton, Mass., has lined up its next CEO. The $4.5 billion-asset company said in a press release Thursday that James Blake will retire, effective May 18. Joseph Casey, the company’s president and chief operating officer, will succeed Casey. Blake and Casey will remain on the company’s board. Blake joined HarborOne Bank – then known as Brockton Credit Union – in 1993. He has been the CEO since 1995, overseeing the

January 27, 2022
Central Pacific discloses first BaaS client relationship

Central Pacific discloses first BaaS client relationship

Central Pacific Financial in Honolulu provided more information on its new Banking-as-a-Service platform, which it plans to lean on for mainland expansion. The $7.4 billion-asset company said in a press release Wednesday that it will make an equity investment in Swell, a new fintech that will work with credit-constrained consumers. Central Pacific will also serve as the bank sponsor for Swell, which is scheduled to launch its first product later this

January 26, 2022
Midland States expanding with deposits, loan purchase

Midland States expanding with deposits, loan purchase

Midland States Bancorp in Effingham, Ill., has agreed to buy deposits and loans from FNBC Bank & Trust in La Grange, Ill. The $7.1 billion-asset company said in press release Wednesday that it will buy $86 million of deposits and $26 million of loans tied to branches in Mokena and Yorkville, Ill. Midland States will also buy the Mokena branch. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter. The deposits being

January 26, 2022
N.Y. bank merger delayed due to slow reg approval

N.Y. bank merger delayed due to slow reg approval

Another bank merger is facing a delay tied to pending regulatory approval. Executives at Community Bank System in DeWitt, N.Y., said during a conference call to discuss quarterly earnings that they expect the acquisition of Elmira Savings Bank to close in May. The companies originally forecast a first-quarter completion. The revised guidance resulting from “the progress and the dialogue with regulators," Mark Tryniski, Community Bank System’s president and CEO, said during the

January 25, 2022
Customers to let BM Technologies deposit pact end

Customers to let BM Technologies deposit pact end

Customers Bancorp in West Reading, Pa., will let its deposit servicing agreement with BM Technologies lapse at the end of this year. The $19.6 billion-asset company said in a press release Monday that the agreement, tied to its January 2021 divestiture of BankMobile Technologies, will save it about $60 million a year.Customers expects about $1.8 billion of deposits serviced by BM Technologies to run off by Dec. 31. The company

January 25, 2022
Zions reports $12M gain tied to new tech campus

Zions reports $12M gain tied to new tech campus

Zions Bancorp. in Salt Lake City is close to opening a new corporate technology center. The $93 billion-asset company said in a press release Monday that it should occupy the building in mid-2022. The move allowed Zions to consolidate and sell a number of bank-owned facilities. The sales were largely responsible for $12 million in “other income” recording during the fourth quarter. Zions announced plans in May 2020 for the 400,000-square-foot facility

January 24, 2022
New York Community pledges $28B to back underserved

New York Community pledges $28B to back underserved

New York Community Bancorp in Hicksville, N.Y., has committed $28 billion of loans, investments and other financial support to underserved communities as part of its planned purchase of Flagstar Bancorp in Troy, Mich. The $58 billion-asset New York Community said in a Monday press release that it had made the pledge as part of an agreement with the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. The agreement includes $21.7 billion of community lending and affordable-housing commitments

January 24, 2022
Republic First in Penn. delays plan to raise capital

Republic First in Penn. delays plan to raise capital

Republic First Bancorp in Philadelphia is delaying plans to raise more capital. Executives of the $5.6 billion-asset company made the disclosure during a Thursday conference call to discuss fourth-quarter results. “As the quarter progressed, we made the decision that it would be in the best interest of not only the bank but our shareholders to do that raise at a time that would be most optable from a stock price perspective,” Frank

January 22, 2022