Strategic Insights into Banking & Fintech

Citizens State in Texas to buy neighboring bank

Citizens State in Texas to buy neighboring bank

Citizens State Bank in Somerville, Texas, has agreed to buy Burton State Bank in Texas.The $840 million-asset Citizens State said in a press release Monday that the deal for the $85 million-asset Burton State should close later this year. Citizens State did not disclose the price it will pay.Burton State has one branch. Citizens State is “excited about the acquisition … and the opportunities for growth it will provide for

August 17, 2021
Northeast Bank in Maine to leverage PPP relationships

Northeast Bank in Maine to leverage PPP relationships

Northeast Bank in Portland, Maine, is planning to ramp up efforts to offer traditional Small Business Administration loans to small businesses that participated in the Paycheck Protection Program.The $2.2 billion-asset bank disclosed in a regulatory filing that it has reached a five-year agreement with United Operations and AmLoan to market 7(a) loans to PPP participants. United will provide the marketing and servicing, while Northeast will underwrite and fund any approved

August 17, 2021
New York Community enters blockchain partnership

New York Community enters blockchain partnership

New York Community Bancorp in Westbury is planning to work with Figure Technologies on a series of blockchain projects.The $57.5 billion-asset New York Community said in a press release Monday that it expects to use Figure’s Provenance Blockchain to support financial inclusion, lower costs and complexity in its mortgage business and support a faster and less expensive payments system.New York Community said it will make a direct equity investment in

August 16, 2021
Senate bill would expand SBLC program to add fintechs

Senate bill would expand SBLC program to add fintechs

Sens. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., and Sens. Tim Scott, R-SC, have introduced a bill that would lift the moratorium on issuing new Small Business Lending Company licenses and allow fintechs to participate in the Small Business Administration’s 7(a) program.Fintechs were given their first access to SBA lending as part of the Paycheck Protection Program."Our bipartisan bill will modernize the SBA’s primary loan program to help underserved small businesses grow and thrive,”

August 16, 2021
Amalgamated in N.Y. adds former banker to board

Amalgamated in N.Y. adds former banker to board

Amalgamated Financial in New York has added a former banker to its board.The $6.6 billion-asset company said in a press release that Darrell Jackson is its newest director. Jackson is president and CEO of The Efficace Group, an executive coaching business.“We are thrilled to welcome Darrell as a valuable member of our team,” Lynne Fox, Amalgamated’s chairman, said in the release.“We firmly believe that his demonstrated expertise and leadership across

August 15, 2021
N.C. de novo raises more capital to back growth goals

N.C. de novo raises more capital to back growth goals

Triad Business Bank, a Greensboro, N.C. de novo that opened last year, has raised $15 million in new capital. The $267 million-asset bank said in a press release this week that it sold 1.5 million shares of stock on Aug. 3 for $10 each as part of an oversubscribed offering. A third of the shares were sold to the bank’s directors and executive officers. Triad Business Bank raised $51 million

August 14, 2021
Minnwest to buy Roundbank in Minnesota

Minnwest to buy Roundbank in Minnesota

Minnwest Bank in Redwood Falls, Minn., has agreed to buy Roundbank in Waseca, Minn.The $2.4 billion-asset Minnwest said in a press release that it expects to complete the purchase of the $385 million-asset Roundbank by the end of this year. The bank did not disclose the price it will pay.The proposed acquisition “represents an exciting opportunity for Minnwest to expand its geographic footprint and customer reach,” Doug Karsky, Minnwest’s president

August 13, 2021
GreenSky downplays impact of Truist ending loan pact

GreenSky downplays impact of Truist ending loan pact

GreenSky in Atlanta said plans by Truist Financial in Charlotte, N.C., to end a loan origination agreement will not have a material impact on its profitability.The point-of-sale lender disclosed in a regulatory filing Wednesday that it had received notice from the $522 billion-asset Truist a day earlier that the regional bank would terminate the agreement. The termination will be effective on Nov. 9.Truist announced on Tuesday that it plans to

August 13, 2021