M&A

The company has agreed to pay more than $50 million for United American Bank.

The bank says it received an “outstanding” rating on its most recent Community Reinvestment Act examination. Its previous rating, a “needs to improve,” not only was bad publicity but restricted its ability to buy banks.

In some ways the Canadian bank's U.S. consumer business is only now shaking off many of its crisis-era problems here. CEO Darryl White is pinning his retail-comeback hopes on a rejuvenated sales culture and a focus on more profitable customers.

The payments company will pay $321 million for Crestmark Bank, a commercial lender that focuses on asset-based lending, equipment finance and government-guaranteed loans.

Banks, especially smaller institutions, will be forced to find more ways to differentiate, Bryan Jordan said in an interview that also covered his company's recent purchase of Capital Bank and how tax reform will immediately stimulate the economy.