Friday, April 15, 2011

Hamilton State Bancshares acquires Bartow County Bank from FDIC

Media release: Hamilton State Bancshares, Inc., a locally owned and operated bank holding company based in Braselton, announced today that it has acquired all deposits and certain assets and other liabilities of Bartow County Bank from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as Receiver pursuant to a purchase and assumption agreement entered into on April 15, 2011.

The four branches of Bartow County Bank will reopen during their normal business hours beginning on Saturday, April 16, 2011, as branches of Hamilton State Bank.

Bartow County Bank customers may continue to conduct normal banking business and will have access to all of their accounts. In addition, all outstanding Bartow County Bank checks will be processed, and customers may continue to write Bartow County Bank checks and use their ATM and debit cards. Bartow County Bank loan customers also should continue to make their regular payments. New and existing customers will receive additional information from Hamilton State Bank in the near future.

The acquired Bartow County Bank operations are headquartered in Cartersville, Georgia, operating a total of four branches in Bartow and Cobb counties, Georgia. As of December 31, 2010, Bartow County Bank had total assets of approximately $330 million and total deposits of approximately $304 million.

"As a growing community bank with branches in six northeast Georgia towns, we look forward to this opportunity to broaden our bank's market and serve new communities in Georgia," said Hamilton State Bank Chairman and CEO Robert Oliver. "We welcome our new customers and assure them that they will be served by the same friendly professionals at each of the Bartow County Bank branches in the days to come. We appreciate the loyalty of Bartow County Bank's customers and plan to enhance the high level of quality services to which they are accustomed."

"Our goal is to have all Hamilton State Bank offices operating on the same system in the months to come in order to provide streamlined, consistent service to all our customers," Oliver added.

Led by an executive team with decades of community banking experience, Hamilton State Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hamilton State Bancshares, Inc. The company focuses on conservative and sound banking practices.

Hamilton State Bancshares, Inc. recently completed a private offer and sale of common stock and securities convertible and exercisable into common stock that together resulted in proceeds of approximately $231.6 million. The offering was led by investments in the company by affiliates of Angelo, Gordon & Co. and Tailwind Capital, each of which invested approximately $60 million. Hamilton State Bancshares, Inc. and Hamilton State Bank are among the highest capitalized banking companies in the state of Georgia.

The acquisition solidifies Hamilton State Bank's position as a full-service bank offering a variety of services to its customers from its offices in Barrow, Hall, Forsyth, Jackson, Bartow and Cobb counties in Georgia. With the acquisition, Hamilton State now has approximately $602 million in total assets and $497 million in deposits.

To learn more about Hamilton State Bank, visit www.hamiltonstatebank.com.

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