JASPER, Ind (WEHT) – German American Bancorp, Inc. announced today that it has completed its merger with Citizens Union Bancorp of Shelbyville, Inc., the parent company of Citizens Union Bank of Shelbyville, Inc. of Shelbyville, Kentucky, effective at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on January 1, 2022.
Immediately following completion of the holding company transaction, Citizens Union Bank merged with and into German American’s banking subsidiary, German American Bank.
D. Neil Dauby, President and CEO of German American, stated, “We are delighted to welcome Citizens Union’s customers, employees and shareholders to German American. This merger with Citizens Union represents the next step in German American’s strategic vision to expand our community-focused, customer-centric business model throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This combination of German American’s existing operations in the greater Louisville, Kentucky market area with that of Citizens Union’s strong community banking franchise will result in tripling our market share to approximately 2.5% for an overall top-10 market share position. It increases German American’s deposit market share rank to #4 of banks with less than $20 billion in assets. We are excited to expand in this very vibrant and growing market and believe 2 we are positioned extremely well to provide our extensive offerings of banking, insurance, and investment products and services to Citizens Union’s current and prospective clients.”
Dauby continued, “We expect that this strategic transaction will be accretive to German American’s earnings per share during the 12 months following completion of the transaction, and will have a quick tangible book value earn back. Coupled with our previous First Security and Citizen First combinations, this transaction also adds to our efficiency and scale. Following completion of the merger, German American’s pro forma capital ratios will continue to significantly exceed regulatory well-capitalized levels, enabling us to continue to take advantage of future organic growth opportunities in Kentucky and throughout our existing Southern Indiana market area.”
David Bowling, CEO of Citizens Union, and Darryl Traylor, President of Citizens Union, will assume regional roles in a senior advisory capacity as Regional Chairman and Vice Chairman. Commenting on the merger, Mr. Bowling stated, “This partnership with German American will enable us to deepen and broaden the financial services we provide in each of our markets, materially increase our lending limits and will provide great opportunity for both our customers and employees. Citizens Union is well aligned with German American both culturally and strategically, and through this partnership, German American is gaining a significant presence in the greater Louisville, Kentucky market area.”
Mr. Traylor added, “German American is consistently one of the nation’s best-performing community banking organizations, and their stock provides our shareholders with enhanced liquidity and trading volume. German American’s reputation, financial strength and capabilities will provide tremendous value to our customers, employees, communities and shareholders.”
Following the Merger and planned Merger integration, German American, through its banking subsidiary German American Bank, will operate 79 banking offices in 19 southern Indiana counties and in 14 counties in Kentucky. German American also owns an investment brokerage subsidiary known as German American Investment Services, Inc., and a full line property and casualty insurance agency via German American Insurance, Inc. On a proforma basis, as of September 30, 2021, the combined German American/Citizens Union operations reported total assets of approximately $6.6 billion, total loans of approximately $3.7 billion, and total deposits of approximately $5.5 billion.
