M&A

Associated's agreement to buy Whitness & Co. comes just weeks after the company lined up its first bank deal since the financial crisis.

The acquisition will allow Eagle to expand into southwestern Montana.

The new owner of this Miami bank might be from Chile, but it sure knew how to create warm feelings with the employees it acquired. Instead of cutting back on benefits, it added some new ones — including a cash bonus paid for life events like having a child.

Financial Institutions will incorporate Robshaw & Julian into another firm it bought early last year.

Heartland Bank had been operating under a regulatory order from the Fed since December.