OceanFirst Financial in Red Bank, N.J., has agreed to buy Partners Bancorp in Salisbury, Md. The $11.8 billion-asset OceanFirst said in a press release Thursday that it will pay $186 million in cash and stock for the $1.6 billion-asset Partners. The deal, which is expected to close in the first half of 2022, priced Partners at 146% of its tangible book value. Partners has two banks: Bank of Delmarva and Virginia

A group in central Pennsylvania is looking to form a minority, women-owned bank. Organizers of American Women’s Bank in Camp Hill, Pa., applied with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on Tuesday for deposit insurance. The bank would have a national charter and would be regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The group’s “mission is to create a financial platform for women who would like to pursue

Richard Hunt is preparing to step down as president and CEO of the Consumer Bankers Association.Hunt, who has held the post since 2009, confirmed in a tweet Wednesday that he plans to retire next summer. "When the board entrusted me with the job … in 2009, I set a goal of serving for 10 years, but I’ve loved being part of CBA so much, I stayed an extra three,” Hunt said

First Internet Bancorp in Fishers, Ind., has agreed to buy First Century Bancorp in Roswell, Ga. The $4.3 billion-asset First Internet said in a press release Tuesday that it will pay $80 million in cash for the $408 million-asset First Century. The deal, which is expected to close in the first quarter, priced First Century at 135% of its tangible book value. First Century is a technology-driven bank that focuses on payments,

MidWestOne Financial Group in Iowa City has agreed to buy Iowa First Bancshares in Muscatine. The $5.9 billion-asset MidWestOne said in a press release Monday that it will pay $47.6 million in cash for the $520 million-asset Iowa First. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter. “This is a natural extension of the MidWestOne geographic footprint as we increase our market presence in Muscatine and Jefferson counties,” Charles Funk, MidWestOne’s

Wintrust Financial in Rosemont, Ill., has agreed to buy a loan portfolio from Allstate. The $48 billion-asset Winstrust said in a press release Monday that it will acquire about $570 million of loans, most of which belong to Allstate agents. The agents use the funds to establish and expand their businesses, along with other working capital needs. Wintrust also agreed to become the national preferred provider of loans to Allstate agents.

Midland States Bancorp in Effingham, Ill., will spend the next two years winding down a portfolio of point-of-sale loans. The $7.1 billion-asset company holds about $834 million of loans originated by GreenSky, a nonbank lender that agreed in September to be sold to Goldman Sachs.  The company said loan originations should continue through mid-2022. After that, Midland States expects the portfolio to shrink by $400 million to $450 million until mid-2023,

BancFirst in Oklahoma City has agreed to buy Worthington National Bank in Arlington, Texas.The $11 billion-asset BancFirst disclosed in a regulatory filing Monday that it expects to buy the $463 million-asset Worthington in the first quarter. BancFirst did not disclose the price it will pay. Worthington has four branches, $269 million of loans and $421.5 million of deposits.BancFirst said Worthington would continue to operate under its brand and would keep