Luse Gorman Served as Legal Counsel to First Interstate BancSystem, Inc. in its Proposed Acquisitions of Idaho Independent Bank and Community 1st Bank
On October 11, 2018, First Interstate BancSystem, Inc. (“First Interstate”), Billings, Montana, the holding company for First Interstate Bank (the “Bank”), announced that it had entered into separate definitive merger agreements with each of Idaho Independent Bank (“IIB”), Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and Community 1st Bank (“Community”), Post Falls, Idaho, pursuant to which IIB and Community will each merge into the Bank, with the Bank as the resulting institution. IIB stockholders will receive 0.50 shares of First Interstate Class A common stock per share of IIB common stock for total merger consideration of approximately $181.3 million.
Read More...Kent Krudys and Tom Hutton presented at the Pennsylvania Association of Community Bankers Annual Convention
On September 29, 2018, Kent Krudys and Tom Hutton presented, together with professionals from S.R. Snodgrass, at the annual CEO Breakfast Session at the PACB Annual Convention. Luse Gorman has been a long-time presenter at the CEO Breakfast. Messrs. Krudys and Hutton led a discussion on current trends in community banking, including topics related to mergers and acquisitions, corporate structure alternatives, regulatory matters, executive and director compensation and benefits and tax matters.
Read More...Luse Gorman Served as Legal Counsel to Blue Hills Bancorp, Inc. in its Proposed Merger with Independent Bank Corp.
On September 20, 2018, Blue Hills Bancorp, Inc. (“Blue Hills”), Norwood, Massachusetts, the holding company for Blue Hills Bank, and Independent Bank Corp. (“Independent”), Rockland, Massachusetts, the holding company for Rockland Trust Company, announced a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which Blue Hills will merge with and into Independent, with Independent as the resulting company.
Read More...OCC Releases Proposed Rule to Allow Certain Federal Savings Associations to Elect to Operate with National Bank Powers
On September 10, 2018, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the “OCC”) issued a proposed rule implementing Section 206 of the Economic Growth, Relief and Consumer Protection Act, which permits federal savings associations with total consolidated assets of $20 billion or less as of December 31, 2017 to elect to operate with national bank powers without converting to a national bank charter. This election would allow an eligible federal savings association to exceed its statutory commercial and consumer lending limits and avoid compliance with the qualified thrift lender test.
For more information, including a summary of the OCC’s proposed rule, please see the attached News Alert.
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