Branch business: Equity Bank sells branch to High Plains Bank

High Plains Bank has agreed to buy a branch of Equity Bank in Cordell, Oklahoma, bringing with it $20 million in deposits.

The deal will substantially expand High Plains’ footprint in Cordell, according to a joint statement from the two banks.

Brad Elliott, chairman and CEO of Equity Bank, said: “Our focus as a community bank is our customers, and doing what is right for our communities, businesses, and families in our regions. This includes working with strong community banks to ensure that local bank locations continue to appeal to and reflect the customers they serve.”

Equity Bank, headquartered in Kansas, and High Plains, based in Oklahoma, expect to complete the transaction by the end of this year subject to regulatory approvals.

Equity Bank has had a presence in Oklahoma since 2017 after a series of acquisitions. Following the sale of the Cordell location, it will have eight branches across Oklahoma.

Elsewhere, Ohio-based Heartland Bank is to open a new branch in the town of Delaware, Ohio. Work on the site will begin in mid-September 2022 and is expected to last 12 months. The new branch will include drive-thru facilities and an ATM, as well as additional community spaces.

“Delaware County has been on our radar for quite a while, and we are very excited to bring our brand of community banking to the county seat,” said Scott McComb, chairman, president and CEO of Heartland Bank.

Meanwhile, Virginia-based Trustar Bank has opened its first branch in Washington, DC. The Pennsylvania Avenue location is the bank’s fifth branch. Trustar has three sites in its home state and one in Maryland.

Separately, WesBanco Bank is opening a new financial center in downtown Charleston, West Virginia. The renamed WesBanco Center has been designed as a “high-tech, high-touch” facility to cater for “a wide range of financial service needs while providing the latest in digital banking solutions with personalized customer service”, the company said in a statement.