The First 100 Days: What to Expect
In anticipation of a new president taking office, BridgeTower Media spoke with experts across several industries — agriculture, banking and finance, energy, health care and manufacturing — to explore how the incoming Trump administration might affect those industries. The stories in this feature provide expert insights into what organizations can expect as a new administration […]
Banking and finance experts optimistic but cautious regarding new administration’s impact
The banking and finance industry could see gains under the incoming federal administration, those in the field say, with President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed plans of a lower-interest-rate environment coupled with lighter regulatory oversight on the horizon. They also note, however, that many proposals may never come to fruition or take some time before their impacts […]
Capital One, Discover clear hurdles for $35.3B megadeal
Announced in February, McLean-based Capital One Financial’s proposed $35.3 billion acquisition of Discover Financial Services is moving forward, with stockholders’ votes scheduled early next year, the credit card giants announced this week. Capital One also announced Thursday it received approval from the Office of the Delaware State Bank Commissioner on Wednesday to complete the purch[...]
VACUL to merge with regional credit union group Jan. 1
Members of the Virginia Credit Union League and the League of Southeastern Credit Unions & Affiliates voted Thursday to approve the Virginia league’s consolidation with the regional organization. The merger will be in effect Jan. 1, 2025, the two organizations announced Friday. “Thanks to the support of the membership, we are embracing a powerful opportunity […]
Navy Federal ordered to refund customers $80M, pay $15M civil penalty
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is ordering Navy Federal Credit Union to refund more than $80 million to customers and pay a $15 million civil penalty for allegedly charging illegal overdraft fees. CFPB announced the actions against the nation’s largest credit union on Thursday. CFPB alleges that from 2017 to 2022, Vienna-based Navy Federal charged […]
Atlantic Union to buy Maryland’s Sandy Spring Bank for $1.6B
Atlantic Union Bank is expanding further into Northern Virginia and Maryland with the $1.6 billion purchase of Maryland’s Sandy Spring Bank, an acquisition announced Monday. The two banks’ parent companies, Atlantic Union Bankshares and Sandy Spring Bancorp, have entered into a merger agreement that would create a combined bank with $39.2 billion in assets as […]
VACUL announces intent to merge with regional group
The Virginia Credit Union League has signed a letter of intent to consolidate with the League of Southeastern Credit Unions & Affiliates, the trade organization representing credit unions in Alabama, Florida and Georgia. Virginia credit unions will decide this fall whether to merge VACUL’s associations, foundations and service corporations with those of the LSCU, with […]
Virginia 500: The 2024-25 Power List
Who are Virginia’s most powerful and influential leaders in business, government, politics and education this year? Find out in the fifth annual edition of the Virginia 500: The 2024-25 Power List. Read more about how we assembled the Virginia 500 from our editor. Executives are listed in alphabetical order by industry. Below you will find links […]
2024 Virginia 500: Banking | Finance
JOHN C. ASBURY CEO, ATLANTIC UNION BANKSHARES, RICHMOND G. ROBERT ASTON JR. EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, TOWNEBANK, SUFFOLK VIKRAM ‘VIK’ ATAL PRESIDENT AND CEO, PRA GROUP, NORFOLK THOMAS I. BARKIN PRESIDENT AND CEO, FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF RICHMOND, RICHMOND JEFF BENTLEY PRESIDENT AND CEO, NORTHWEST […]
Appalachian Community Capital to launch Green Bank
Appalachian Community Capital, the Christiansburg-based community development financial institution for the Appalachian Valley, plans to launch the Green Bank for Rural America with a $500 million award from the Environmental Protection Agency, it announced Friday. Focused on financing up to 2,000 new energy projects that could create up to 13,000 jobs, the Green Bank will […]
Beyond number crunching
Becoming a chief financial officer requires much more than just being a good accountant or number cruncher. Indeed, the Journal of Accountancy in 2023 reported a noticeable shift of the top finance officer’s job from being a “CF-No” — or someone who just pulls tight the purse strings — to the “CF-Know.” That’s a leader […]
Merger mania
Banking mergers and acquisitions are picking back up again after the slowest year in recent history, and Virginia is no exception. Last year marked a modern low in merger and acquisition activity, with only 98 deals completed nationwide. That’s not just the lowest level of activity since the pandemic — it’s the slowest year since […]