HAPO Community Credit Union in Richland, Wash., has agreed to buy Community First Bank in Kennewick, Wash. The $2.3 billion-asset credit union said in a press release that it plans to buy the $632 million-asset Community First in the third quarter of 2025. The price wasn't disclosed. HFG Trust, a unit of Community First, will be restructured as an independent entity. HAPO will enter a strategic partnership with HFG Trust to

Grasshopper Bank in New York has agreed to buy Auto Club Trust in Dearborn, Mich. The $835 million-asset Grasshopper said in a press release that it will raise about $35 million in conjunction with the acquisition. The deal is expected to close in the first half of next year. The price wasn't disclosed. The $485 million-asset Auto Club Trust is a federal savings bank owned by The Auto Club Group.

Stryv Bank in Wichita, Kan., has a new president. The $236 million-asset bank said in a press release that Zach Weast succeeded Cuy Mauck, who remains CEO. Weast, who joined Stryv in 2018, was the bank's executive vice president, according to his LinkedIn profile. Stryv was created in September 2021 when Chisholm Trail State Bank rebranded.

River Run Bancorp in Newburyport, Mass., is planning to merge with Rollstone Bancorp in Fitchburg, Mass. The $2.6 billion-asset River Run said in a press release it plans to absorb the $900 million-asset Rollstone in the first half of next year. The mutuals did not disclose the merger's terms. "As community banks face challenges that could impact their long-term sustainability, River Run provides the structure for them to not only

Discussions between WesBanco in Wheeling, W.Va., and Premier Financial in Defiance, Ohio seemingly began at the Acquire or Be Acquired conference hosted by Bank Director. The $18.1 billion-asset WesBanco agreed in July to buy the $8.8 billion-asset Premier for $959 million in a deal expected to close in the first quarter. Talks began on Jan. 27 at a banking conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., when Jeffrey Jackson, WesBanco’s president and CEO,

NASB Financial in Kansas City, Mo., will have a new leader in 2025. The parent of the $2.8 billion-asset North American Savings Bank said in a press release that Tom Wagers will retire in January. He will be succeeded by Enrique Venegas, who was recently promoted to serve as president. Wagers will remain on the board as NASB and its bank. Venegas, who joined NASB in 2013, was the company's

The Georgia Department of Banking and Finance approved Fiserv’s application for a special banking charter that gives it direct access to card networks. The Brookfield, Wis., payments company, by obtaining the merchant acquirer limited purpose bank charter, no longer needs to partner with banks to process credit card transactions. The charter gives Fiserv the right to authorize, settle and clear payment transactions for merchants. Fiserv, which applied for the charter

Territorial Bancorp in Honolulu, which is facing pressure from an unsolicited offer, has postponed a shareholder vote for its pending sale to Hope Bancorp in Los Angeles. The $2.2 billion-asset company said in a press release that it will move the meeting from Oct. 10 to Nov. 6 to give its board and management time "to continue discussions with stockholders regarding" the agreement with Hope. Territorial's board said it continues to