“California is more analogous to a country,” said U.S. Bank exec Tim Welsh, pointing to the Golden State’s sizable economy and status as the nation’s most populous state. “How could we not be excited when you look at the market, the scale, the diversity and the vitality?”

Two months after being prohibited from future trades by a federal judge, a former UNC project manager has been hit with criminal charges tied to what’s been described as a Ponzi scheme.

Lendmark Financial opened its second location in the Kansas City area, setting up a branch in Liberty to offer household credit and consumer loans.

The 9-year-old firm has already invested a large chunk of the proceeds in a dozen early-stage companies.

Banks operating in Arizona this year reported fewer deposits in their coffers amid inflation, economic uncertainty and rising interest, according to the annual report from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.