Despite a slight decline, the Rural Mainstreet Index posted a healthy 69.0 in April, up from March’s 71.9, and still well above growth neutral. This is the fifth straight month of economic growth in the survey of rural bank CEOS from the central ag- and energy-dependent states. Just over a third of respondents said their local economies had expanded between April and March. [Continue]
Heartland Financial USA is rebranding as HTLF, the same letters as its stock ticker symbol, complete with new logo, tagline and value proposition. [Continue]
Kansas has historically been tough with legal cannabis penalties, and remains one of three states in the country without a legalized variety. Sale or production of cannabis means a possibile 17-year prison sentence and a half-million dollar fine. As of July 2019, Kansas residents are legally permitted to bring back low THC level cannabis oils from states where it’s legal and administer it. [Continue]
Green Bay, Wis.-based Nicolet Bankshares is acquiring Mackinac Financial Corporation and its subsidiary mBank, both based in Manistique, Mich., for $248 million. The combined company will have $6.1 billion in assets, $5.2 billion in deposits and $3.9 billion in loans, with Mackinac making up about a quarter of those assets. [Continue]
Community bankers economic outlook has largely returned to prepandemic levels, according to a survey from the Conference of State Bank Supervisors. [Continue]
Illinois-based First National Bank of Waterloo is adding a full-service branch in Swansea, Ill., later this year. [Continue]
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau wants to ban foreclosures until 2022, according to a recent proposal. [Continue]
Treynor, Iowa-based TS Banking Group is acquiring Callahan Financial Planning, roughly doubling its assets under management. [Continue]
The bank is launching an Emerging Leaders Advisory Board which will TCF employees and young and diverse leaders drawn from the community. [Continue]
President Biden signed into law a bill extending the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program. [Continue]