IF Bancorp in Watseka, Ill., has reached a truce with an activist investor. The company disclosed in a regulatory filing that it entered into a standstill agreement with funds associated with Joseph Stillwell and Stilwell Partners. The agreement is set to last until March 2026 or the company's sale, whichever comes first. IF Bancorp agreed to add Scott Dworschak to its board. Stilwell will have the opportunity to appoint a

Five banks in northeast Arkansas and southeast Missouri are combining under a single brand. Farmers Bank and Trust in Blytheville and Piggott State Bank, both in Arkansas, will merge with First Missouri State Bank in Poplar Bluff, First Missouri Bank of SEMO in Kennett, and First Missouri State Bank of Cape County in Cape Girardeau to create FM Bank & Trust. FM Bank will have $1.4 billion of assets and 19

Stablecore, a Dallas fintech that lets small and midsize banks and credit unions offer digital assets, raised $20 million. The company said in a press release that the fundraising was led by Norwest, with participation from Coinbase Ventures, Curql, BankTech Ventures, Bank of Utah, EJF Ventures, Bankers Helping Bankers Fund. “Following landmark regulatory changes this year, stablecoins and digital assets have entered a new paradigm, becoming permissible activities within banking,” Alex Treece, Stablecore's co-founder and CEO,

National Bank Holdings in Denver has agreed to buy Vista Bancshares in Dallas. The $9.9 billion-asset parent of NBH Bank said in a press release that it will pay $369.1 million in cash and stock for the $2.4 billion asset Vista. The deal, which is expected to close in the first quarter, priced Vista at 152% of its tangible book value. Vista has $2.1 billion of deposits, $1.9 billion of

Fowler State Bank in Fowler, Ind., will begin 2026 with a new president. The $198.5 million-asset bank said in a press release that Courtney Rooze will take on the new role on Jan. 1. Court, the bank's senior ag lender, will succeed Steven Brunton, who will remain CEO. Brunton plans to fully retire in March 2027.

Range Bank in Marquette, Mich., has lined up its CEO succession. The $575.2 million-asset bank said in a press release that Jamey Markham will also become president in December 2026. Markham, the bank's chief lending officer and community bank president, will succeed Roxanne Daust when she retires. Daust joined Range Bank in 1997 as chief financial officer. She took over leadership in 2018. Markham joined the bank in 2002. “Since

Is Brian Moynihan setting the stage for naming a successor at Bank of America? Moynihan, the Charlotte, N.C., company's chairman and CEO, said in a press release that Dean Athanasia and Jim DeMare had been named co-presidents. Athnasia was president of regional banking, while DeMare was president of global markets. Alastair Bothwick, the company's chief financial officer, was elevated to executive vice president. Moynihan, who has led BofA since 2010, made

First Northwest Bancorp in Port Angeles, Wash., hired Curt Queyrouze as its CEO. The company said that Queyrouze will also become its president and join the board on Sept. 17. “It's a privilege to step into this role at a company with such a long-standing reputation," he said in the release. "First Fed has a remarkable 100-year-plus history, and my goal is to honor that by continuing to deliver long-term