Strategic Insights into Banking & Fintech

Iowa Trust appoints top credit exec as next CEO

Iowa Trust appoints top credit exec as next CEO

Iowa Trust & Savings Bank in Emmetsburg has a new leader lined up. The $523 million-asset bank said that Scott Menke will become CEO on April 21. Menke, who is the bank's chief credit officer, will succeed Kris Ausborn, who is retiring.

April 2, 2026
Houston group applies to form de novo Alba Bank

Houston group applies to form de novo Alba Bank

A group in Houston is planning to open a new bank. Organizers on March 31 applied to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. for deposit insurance for the proposed Alba Bank. The application wasn't immediately available. A legal notice tied to the application lists five organizers: George Martinez, Richard Figueroa, William Woodby, Gregg Reyes and Thomas Reiser. The FDIC currently has seven active applications for deposit insurance, including petitions from Revolut, Upstart,

April 2, 2026
Bolivian banking family behind push for South Florida de novo

Bolivian banking family behind push for South Florida de novo

The group looking to form Tidestone Bank in Coral Gables, Fla., already have banking chops. Organizers include members of the Monasterio family, who own Banco Ganadero in Bolivia, and Lou Ferreira, a former national bank examiner. Ferreira, set to become president and CEO, was previously brought in to remediate issues at Eastern National Bank in Miami, which was operating under a consent order. The Monasterio family once tried to buy a controlling

April 1, 2026
Pinnacle in Ga. rebrands at Vallant as part of Morris State acquisition

Pinnacle in Ga. rebrands at Vallant as part of Morris State acquisition

Pinnacle Financial in Elberton, Ga., rebranded after it acquired Morris State Bancshares in Dublin, Ga. The $4 billion-asset Pinnacle became Vallant Financial just before the deal closing. The combined bank was legally rebranded as Vallant Bank, though the predecessor brands will remain in place until the systems conversion later this quarter.

April 1, 2026
FedFis founder Dave Mayo dies

FedFis founder Dave Mayo dies

Dave Mayo, who founded FedFis and Bankers Helping Bankers, has died. FedFis announced Mayo's passing via a LinkedIn post. "Dave may no longer be with us, but his spirit lives on in the community he built," the post said. "Every time you share a memory and tag Bankers Helping Bankers, you’re keeping that spirit alive — and something tells us he’ll feel every one of them."

April 1, 2026
Hope in California to gain low-cost deposits from SMBC MANUBANK deal

Hope in California to gain low-cost deposits from SMBC MANUBANK deal

Hope Bancorp in Los Angeles has agreed to buy the commercial banking unit of SMBC MANUBANK. The $18.5 billion-asset Hope said in a press release that it will enter into a collaboration and partnership agreement with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. to provide commercial and consumer banking services to SMBC’s Japanese midsize business and retail customers. The deal is expected to close in the second half of this year. The price

April 1, 2026
Edgar County Banc Shares to buy Preferred Bancorp in Illinois

Edgar County Banc Shares to buy Preferred Bancorp in Illinois

Edgar County Banc Shares in Paris, Ill., has agreed to buy Preferred Bancorp in Casey, Ill. Edgar County, the parent of the $676 million-asset Prospect Bank, said in an announcement that it plans to buy the holding company for the $73.3 million-asset Preferred Bank later this year. The price wasn't disclosed. Preferred Bank President Kenneth Scott plans to retire.

March 31, 2026
Cross River Bank in New Jersey raises $50 million

Cross River Bank in New Jersey raises $50 million

CRB Group in Fort Lee, N.J., has raised $50 million to fuel growth initiatives at Cross River Bank. The company said in a press release that the funding round included existing investors, including accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Investment Management. "We're proud to announce that T. Rowe Price deepened its investment in Cross River,” Gilles Gade, Cross River's founder, chairman and CEO, said in a release. “We thank T.

March 31, 2026