Kansas

Equity Bancshares in Wichita, Kan., has raised $35.4 million in a common stock offering and plans to use the proceeds to pay down a line of credit and support growth.

A former senior teller at Exchange National Bank & Trust in Atchison, Kan., has been sentenced to prison time and ordered to pay restitution after pleading guilty to an embezzlement scheme.

Dickinson Financial in Kansas City, Mo., has agreed to buy Community Bancshares of Kansas in Overland Park.

The president of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank is best known for her dissenting votes on monetary policy, but that's not the only way she stands out. Her background as a farmer and former bank examiner gives her a unique perspective among Fed officials.

Five banks in Kansas are putting together plans to share a compliance officer. While the move should save money, the banks are fully aware of the risks involved with the potential collaboration.

Equity Bancshares in Wichita, Kan., has agreed to buy Prairie State Bancshares in Hoxie, Kan.

The chairman of First National Bank of Santa Fe has accepted additional duties ahead of the bank's upcoming merger.

The $1.8 billion-asset Sunflower expects to combine with the $2.2 billion-asset Strategic Growth to create a company with $3 billion in loans and 60 branches in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico and Texas.

Valley View Bancshares in Overland Park, Kan., is planning to replace its longstanding practice of having multiple bank charters.

The $1.5 billion-asset Equity said in a press release Thursday that it will pay $68.8 million in cash and stock for the $475 million-asset parent of Community First Bank.

RCB Bank in Claremore, Okla., has agreed to buy CornerBank in Winfield, Kan.

Simmons First National in Pine Bluff, Ark., plans to close 10 banks across four states by the end of the second quarter: three branches in Arkansas, four in the Missouri and Kansas region and three in Tennessee.

The $973 million-asset bank will build one of its first stand-alone branches this year in Fairway, Kan., in the metro Kansas City area. Most of Academy's 88 branches are located inside Walmart stores.

Educational Credit Union and Quest Credit Union on Wednesday said they combine in a "merger of equals" under the new name Azura Credit Union.

Equity Bancshares in Wichita, Kan., is planning to raise up to $36 million through an initial public offering.

Blue Valley Ban Corp. in Overland Park, Kan., has named an executive from a large investor in the company to its board.

Argentine Federal Savings in Kansas City, Kan., has named Roger McWherter chief executive.

Blue Valley Ban Corp. in Overland Park, Kan., has obtained regulatory approval to redeem its Troubled Asset Relief program preferred shares.

Equity Bancshares in Wichita, Kan., has agreed to buy First Independence in Independence, Kan. The companies expect the deal to close in the fourth quarter, after approval from regulators and from First Independence's shareholders.

The merger of Missouri Corporate CU and Kansas Corporate CU continues the trend of consolidation among corporate credit unions and leagues.