AKRON -- Shareholders of First Bancorporation of Ohio on Thursday approved the acquisition of Civista Corp.
The stock-swap transaction is expected to close in the first quarter Of 1995, subject to certain conditions.
The merger will result in a $1 billion-asset Stark County bank formed by uniting Civista's subsidiary, Citizens Savings Bank of Canton, with First Bancorp.'s subsidiary, First National Bank in Massillon.
The merged entity will be named Citizens National Bank. All 19 offices of both institutions will remain open.
In separate action, shareholders approved a name change for First Bancorporation of Ohio to FirstMerit Corp. The FirstMerit name and its new stock symbol, FMER, will not be used until mid-March.
First Bancorp. has $4.8 billion in assets.
