We started the week with news of six more weeks of winter…but the news feed heated up after that! Take a look at this weekly recap from my Twitter feed (top stories have been highlighted in bold):
Trending
Watch @BillGates on @TheVerge: Can mobile banking revolutionize the lives of the poor? Here’s the video: http://t.co/y3ptGyWDht
— Jim Perry (@mi_jim) February 5, 2015
Mergers, Acquisition – Expansion, Consolidation
- VacationLand Federal Credit Union moves into Huron, OH http://bit.ly/16yGPVn
- Merger approved for First American Bank and First United Bank in Oklahoma http://bit.ly/1zf6Bof After merger, they’ll still be First.
![;)]()
- More movement in Florida: Sunshine Bancorp, Inc. to acquire Community Southern Holdings, Inc. http://bit.ly/1DGIp1V
- Wisconsin’s Parker Community Credit Union plans branch in former Milton bank http://bit.ly/1DGHQoU
- 2 Canadian banks looked into buying Boston Private Bank http://on.wsj.com/1Aw39Mu
- New @AllyBank CEO aims to build its retail bank, push further into sub-prime loans http://on.wsj.com/1DGFOFp
- Omaha-based Premier Bank to acquire Farmers Bank and Trust of Nebraska City http://bit.ly/1u2NXnD
- Navy Federal Credit Union expands into landlocked Arizona http://bit.ly/1Deq3Yr
- BofA selects 3 Twin Cities sites for new branches http://bit.ly/1vugvHI (photos: new Cherry Creek, CO branch)
- Grand Blanc credit union votes to merge with Auburn Hills-based Genisys http://bit.ly/1DdqsdG
- Mid Penn Bancorp, Inc. receives regulatory approvals for Phoenix Bancorp, Inc. merger http://on.mktw.net/1HZX1Qs
- Alabama’s ServisFirst Bancshares enters Atlanta market through acquisition of Metro Bancshares http://bit.ly/16mokn5
- Community & Southern Bank entered into a definitive agreement and plan of merger to acquire Community Business Bank http://bit.ly/1F5kg6z
- Dayton credit union to open new local branch http://bit.ly/1Knu78R
- Kentucky First Federal Bancorp announces merger of subsidiary banks http://bit.ly/1z7J600
- Follow up: Old National will sell 17 banking centers and close or consolidate 19 more. http://bit.ly/1zxrgYf
- Missouri’s Sterling Bank closes on acquisition of Poplar Bluff’s First Community Bank http://bit.ly/1vpYwCg
- AmericanWest Bank completed the acquisition of Greater Sacramento Bancorp http://bit.ly/1uTzNAs
- In Colorado, National Bank Holdings to acquire Pine River Valley Bank http://bit.ly/1wWvF2h
- Montgomery County, PA’s Huntingdon Valley Bank and The Victory Bank won’t merge http://bit.ly/1D547ix
- Seminole Tribe of Florida nixes acquisition of Mackinac Savings Bank http://bit.ly/1zMzGhp
Branch Evolution
- Mashreq, Dubai’s 3rd-biggest lender, launches imashreq, region’s first fully automated branch. http://bit.ly/1LTTCCh
- The transformation continues: @PNCBank to convert 14 Chicago-area branches to new format http://trib.in/16gi4NA
- In the UK, empty bank branches converted into free desk space for non-profits and startups http://bit.ly/1vsfIXS
- “there appears an inordinate amount of effort being put into ‘saving’ the old distribution models” -@brettking http://bit.ly/1u0UG1n
- As banking goes mobile, branch closures rip through local PA economy http://bit.ly/1BP6dyp “When branches close, they’re like dinosaurs.”
Marketing & Branding
- Wells Fargo has created a “total market” approach to its advertising, threading messages through multiple cultures http://bit.ly/1znRE7U
- Attn: bank & cu marketers: #Trending: Real, Human Emotion In Advertising! http://bit.ly/1Avp7iu
- “3 Marketing Obstacles Thwarting Bank & Credit Union Growth” from @CarieSays and The @FinancialBrand http://bit.ly/1z9zd1Z
- The Maine Credit Union League announced their Ending Hunger campaign results – raised $552K – great job folks! http://on.wcsh6.com/1vsgrIx
- The @FinancialBrand releases its “2015 State of Bank & Credit Union Marketing” http://bit.ly/1D93G6B #dontmiss
- And M&T Bank’s Super Bowl ad tells a story to demonstrate that they understand what’s important http://bit.ly/1zuyoV8
- First Bank’s Super Bowl ad promotes P2P transfers: “Don’t let ATMs slow you down!” http://bit.ly/1tUVDZ8 see ad here http://bit.ly/165JKEB
Mobile & Digital Transformation
- Banking and biometric technology: USAA introduces facial, voice recognition on mobile app http://bit.ly/1DdTOIY
- PayPal and eBay start downsizing in advance of split http://bit.ly/16gHsSV
- Now there’s an idea: U.S. Bancorp turns to young employees for digital banking advice http://bit.ly/16d8dHY via @BankTechNews
Industry News
- Even @usnews asks “Should You Break Up With Your Bank and Go Online?” http://bit.ly/1DlMLhs saying “leave your brick and mortar behind”
- Credit cards issued by a privately insured credit union affiliated w/@IllinoisLeague received a @CFPB $250K fine http://bit.ly/1F9fDbQ
- Consumer Reports checked out whether Walmart banking is smart banking – and they said it is worth considering http://bit.ly/1zeRn7j
- Free banking ‘dead within a decade’ in Britain http://dailym.ai/18H4unX
That’s all for this week. Please share this with your colleagues. If we missed an important story, drop me a note.