Ponce Bank in New York converted to a national bank charter. The bank, a unit of Ponce Financial, had been a federally chartered stock savings association. Ponce Financial also became a financial holding company, which lets it engage in activities that are "financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity," according to a press release. The new charter allows the bank to receive municipal deposits in New York.

Doug Ledba, founder and CEO of LendingTree in Charlotte, N.C., died in an all-terrain vehicle accident over the weekend. The online lending platform said in a statement that Scott Peyree, its president and chief operating officer, had become the CEO, while Steve Ozonian, previously the lead independent director, is now the chairman. “Doug was a visionary leader whose relentless drive, innovation, and passion transformed the financial services landscape, touching the

A group is looking to form a bank in Southern California. Organizers of the proposed TriCoast Bank in Torrance filed applications with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the California Department of Financial Protection & Innovation in mid-September. The applications weren't immediately available. The state regulator noted on its website that the group plan to have offices in Torrance and Encino. A call to Jim Jones at Carpenter & Co.,

Mick Mulvaney, former acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, will chair a new advisory board at SOLO. The fintech, founded by data scientist Georgina Merhom, is looking to create a customer data sharing network and mount a challenge to existing credit bureaus. SOLO recently announced plans for SOLO introduced its Customer Data Clearinghouse concept in July, a large-scale, bank-led effort that includes banks, fintechs, and other financial service

A group is looking to form a bank north of Atlanta. First City Bank would be based in north Fulton County, according to a LinkedIn post. There is no record of an application on file with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Bob Koncerak posted on his LinkedIn account that he would serve as the proposed bank's CEO. He was an executive at American Commerce Bank from 2017 to 2023.

Washington Trust Bancorp in Westerly, R.I., warned that its third-quarter results will be impacted by chargeoffs tied to two commercial loans. The company disclosed in a regulatory filing that it will record $11.3 million in chargeoffs tied to the loans, adding that it expects to have a $7 million loan-loss provision in the quarter. The first loan is a participation in a shared national credit to a telecom infrastructure construction

Kentucky First Federal Bancorp in Frankfort has lined up a new leader. The company said that R. Clay Hulette will become its CEO and president and CEO of First Federal Savings Bank of Kentucky, subject to regulatory approval. Until approvals are received, Hulette will serve as interim president and CEO of First Federal. As part of the transition, Don Jennings was named director of operations of First Federal, with a

Facebank International, an international banking entity based in Puerto Rico, is seeking Bank Holding Company status as part of a plan to buy and recapitalize Eastern National Bank in Miami. Facebank, which also operates a mortgage company Florida Home Trust, also applied with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to buy the $100.5 million-asset Eastern. Financial terms have not been disclosed. DBRS noted when it placed Facebank's credit ratings under review,