Upstate New York's Evergreen Bancorp plans to merge its three subsidiaries into a new national bank, effective Dec. 5.
The new entity will assume the name of Evergreen Bank, East Greenbush, the holding company's lone state-chartered bank.
The other subsidiaries are First National Bank of Glens Falls and Keeseville National Bank.
President and chief executive George W. Dougan said he wanted to make the change as soon as he arrived in March, but the Glens Falls-based corporation "had more important problems to handle."
"They've [bank officials] been talking about it and talking about it and they weren't doing it," Mr. Dougan said. "They've been diverted and focusing on a number of other things."
Nonperforming loans had surged to $57 million in 1992, almost 9.29% of assets.
The bank also lost $3.3 million in 1993.
The $839-million-asset holding company will retain regional presidents and advisory boards in Keeseville and East Greenbush, with full authority for all local decisions.
Still, Mr. Dougan expects some staff consolidation through attrition and "significant cost savings"--about $200,000 per year.
"It puts the troubles of the past behind us and we're taking off in a new era," he said.
