An investor group has applied to buy a controlling stake in Lineage Financial Network, the holding company for Lineage Bank in Franklin, Tenn.. Recap Financial Ventures, a group led by Paul Pratt Jr., Pamela Stephens, and Wesley Finch, recently applied with the Federal Reserve to become a bank holding company as part of a plan to recapitalize the $189 million-asset bank. Lineage, stung by its ties to the now-bankrupt middleware

Veteran banker Jason Payne bought a controlling stake in First National Bank of Williamson in West Virginia. Payne paid $15 million for the 65% stake in the $108 million-asset bank, according to published reports. Payne was a managing director for the Cincinnati and northern Kentucky market for Republic Bank in Louisville, Ky.

MVB Financial in Fairmont, W.Va., repositioned its securities portfolio. The company, which recently sold payments fintech Victor Technologies, said in a press release that it sold $73 million of available-for-sale investment securities with a weighted-average tax-equivalent yield of 1.70% and a weighted-average life of nearly 10 years. The securities were sold at a pretax loss of about $7.6 million. MVB said it expects to redeploy proceeds into higher-yielding securities. The

Engage fi in Orlando, Fla., has a new leader. The Orlando, Fla., consulting firm said in a press release that Andres Pasantes had become its CEO. Pesantes, who remains president, succeeded Jenn Addabbo, who became executive chair. Pasantes also served as chief operating officer. “This transition allows me to focus on what I value most – nurturing the trusted relationships we’ve built with clients and supporting Engage fi’s long-term strategy,”

Fifth Third Bancorp in Cincinnati has agreed to buy Comerica in Dallas. The $210 billion-asset Fifth Third said in a press release that it will pay $10.9 billion in stock for the $78 billion-asset Comerica. The deal, which is expected to close in the first quarter, priced Comerica at 173% of its tangible book value. The acquisition “marks a pivotal moment for Fifth Third as we accelerate our strategy to

F&M Bank in Edmond, Okla., has agreed to buy Community National Bank of Okarche in Oklahoma. The $758 million-asset F&M Bank did not disclose how much it will pay for the $128 million-asset Community National. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter. "We have immense respect for the relationship banking approach Community National ... represents in the markets they operate in," John Tom Anderson, F&M's CEO, said

Synchrony in Stamford, Conn., has acquired consumer financing software provider Versatile Credit. Synchrony said in a press release that Versatile Credit, based in Mechanicsburg, Pa., connects merchants, lenders, and consumers through point-of-sale solutions. The price wasn't disclosed. “As a trusted partner to some of the country's most respected brands, as well as hundreds of thousands of small- and midsize businesses and health and wellness providers, Synchrony is committed to bringing

Connections Bank in Platte City, Mo., has agreed to buy a branch in Columbia, Mo., from BTC Bank in Bethany, Mo. The $500.7 million-asset Connections did not disclose the price it will pay the $1.4 billion-asset BTC for the location. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter or early 2026. The branch had $17.6 million of deposits on June 30, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.