Recruiting

The CEOs of smaller regional banks received fatter bonuses last year than their big-bank counterparts, possibly thanks to low performance expectations at the smaller banks after the 2023 banking crisis.

Trump's return to the Oval office, and his administration's vocal disdain for climate and DEI issues, has acted as a brake on ESG hiring across America.

Banks such as Texas Capital and Synovus say they're learning from anti-money-laundering failures elsewhere. They emphasize the importance of having enough compliance staffers — and ensuring they have the necessary skills.

The regional bank, which hired a commercial banking team away from Citizens Financial Group, has identified growth opportunities not only in the Garden State, but also in Pennsylvania and Texas.

The Bethesda, Maryland-based company called its success in luring a team from Capital One as its most "newsworthy" move to date executing a strategy aimed at diversifying its lending operation.

The Georgia-based bank plans to hire 85 relationship managers over the next three years to support growth in commercial and middle-market lending and private wealth. "The biggest risk is not being able to hire the bankers," said CEO Kevin Blair.

The Cleveland-based bank now has commercial lending teams in both markets, including a team it recently hired away from Huntington Bancshares.

The Long Island-based thrift, long associated with multifamily and CRE lending, saw business lending spike the past year as it onboarded 15 banking teams. Other banks that did significant hiring have also reported more deposits and wider margins.

Gone are the days when Wall Street executives dressed in conspicuously expensive clothing. Now the industry has adopted a more relaxed and casual dress code.

Kinecta Wealth Management, the wealth arm of Kinecta Federal Credit Union, will switch firms by the end of the year.