washington

Unlike other regions of the country, the western U.S. has seen very few large bank mergers in recent years. Here's why Pacific Premier's acquisition of Opus Bank could change that.

The FDIC ordered the Seattle bank to pay a nearly $1.4 million fine tied to improper agreements with real estate brokers and homebuilders.

The Providence, R.I., bank recently installed a new regional head in California to oversee a commercial banking expansion into five western states. The bank says it’s trying to craft a successful growth strategy while reassuring investors it isn’t overreaching.

The transition to Stein from Hadley Robbins is the result of a multiyear succession process, the Tacoma, Wash., company said. Robbins had succeeded the late Melanie Dressel.

The Seattle company rebranded as WaFd Bank to address confusion that it might have ties to the federal government.