Pat Hickman, CEO of Happy State Bank, wants his institution to remain viable in the face of stifling regulation. As for selling? That'll happen over his dead body, he says.
The company, which recently bought Sabadell United in Miami, is pledging to make billions of dollars in mortgages and small business loans in low- and moderate-income communities.
Ira Robbins, the CEO-in-waiting at Valley National Bancorp, will have to complete a major acquisition, make the bank more competitive on returns and costs and tackle other tough tasks after taking over for Gerald Lipkin.
The Montana company agreed to buy Inter-Mountain Bancorp in an all-stock deal valued at $173 million. The company has lined up nine bank acquisitions in the last five years.
