Southern First Bancshares operates in two markets: Greenville, South Carolina, where it operates under the Greenville First Bank moniker, and in Columbia, South Carolina as Southern First Bank. Selling itself as a local alternative to larger institutions, the company, which has more than five bank branches, targets individuals and small to midsized businesses. It offers traditional deposit services and products, including checking accounts, savings accounts, and CDs. The banks use funds from deposits mainly to write commercial mortgages, residential mortgages, and commercial business loans.

Bank Leumi le-Israel B.M., whose name translates as National Bank of Israel, offers retail banking (for consumers and small businesses), commercial banking (middle-market businesses), corporate banking (large companies), and private banking (wealthy clients) through deposits, mortgages and other loans, credit cards, trust services, and investments. It has about 235 branches in Israel and more than 80 locations (including branches, agencies, and representative offices) in some 20 countries, including the US. Subsidiary Leumi Partners provides corporate investment banking services and makes direct investments in nonbanking businesses.

NBT Bank and its Pennstar Bank division, which together operate about 120 branches in central and upstate New York, northeastern Pennsylvania, and Burlington, Vermont. The community banks offer such standard products and services as checking, savings, and money market accounts; CDs; and trust services. The company's lending activities are dominated by business and commercial real estate loans. Other subsidiaries offer insurance, financial and retirement planning, and investment products. Its NBT Capital subsidiary provides venture funding to area businesses.

First Bancshares is hoping you'll remember it for its banks. Iowa First Bancshares is the holding company for First National Bank of Muscatine (founded in 1870) and First National Bank in Fairfield (founded in 1865 and acquired by Iowa First Bancshares in 1985). The banks, which operate eight branches in the two southeastern Iowa towns for which they're named, offer individuals and businesses checking, savings, money market, and time deposit accounts, as well as other traditional products and services including loans, trust services, debit cards, credit-related insurance, Internet and telephone banking, and brokerage services.

1st Source Corporation, parent of 1st Source Bank, which provides commercial and consumer banking services through more than 75 branches in northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan. The bank offers deposit accounts; business, agricultural, and consumer loans; residential and commercial mortgages; credit cards; and trust services. Its specialty finance group provides financing for aircraft, automobile fleets, trucks, and construction and environmental equipment through about two-dozen offices nationwide; such loans account for approximately half of 1st Source's portfolio. Subsidiaries offer insurance and investment advisory services.

Fentura Financial has its hands full. Fentura Financial is the holding company for Michigan community banks The State Bank, Davison State Bank, and West Michigan Community Bank. From about 20 branch locations, the banks provide commercial and consumer banking services and products, including checking and savings accounts and loans. Commercial loans account for some two-thirds of the bank's combined loan portfolio. The State Bank, Fentura's first subsidiary, traces its origins to 1898.

BankUnited was established on May 21, 2009, when a group of investors led by John A. Kanas acquired the assets and most of the liabilities of the former BankUnited, FSB from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The group recapitalized BankUnited with a $900 million investment, making it one of the most well capitalized financial institutions in the country.

Nexity Financial Corporation was incorporated in Delaware on March 12, 1999 and is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. Nexity Financial operates a wholly owned subsidiary bank, Nexity Bank, with its main office in Birmingham, Alabama and correspondent banking offices in Atlanta, Georgia, Columbia, South Carolina, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and Raleigh, North Carolina.

Arbuthnot Banking Group consists of three divisions that provide a variety of services ranging from personal financial services to investment banking. Secure Trust Bank provides banking and insurance through retail branches in the West Midlands region of the UK. Arbuthnot Latham offers private banking, financial planning, and investment management, while Arbuthnot Securities is an investment bank whose services include corporate finance, brokerage, and market making. Chairman and chief executive Henry Angest owns a majority stake in Arbuthnot Banking Group.

Chong Hing Bank (CHB) offers retail and wholesale banking services and products, including deposit accounts, mortgage and automobile loans, corporate banking, and trade financing. The company has approximately 50 branches in Hong Kong and a handful of branches and representative offices in China and the US. Through subsidiaries, CHB also offers insurance and re-insurance investment services, securities trading, and commodities. Its Chong Hing Securities unit offers MPF (pension fund) services. The managing Liu family founded CHB as Liu Chong Hing Bank in 1948.

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