Points West merging with Fullerton National

Points West Community Bank of Sidney and Fullerton National Bank of Fullerton are merging.

The two institutions reached an agreement this month, Bruce Batt, Points West president, told the SunTelegraph.

"Fullerton National and Points West are affiliate banks with the Olson family of Nebraska being majority shareholders," Batt said. "With the increasingly difficult regulatory and technology environments it makes sense to reduce duplication in these areas."

He added, "Our group is community oriented and very customer service driven. We look forward to providing continued quality products and services to the Fullerton market area."

Fullerton National, Batt wrote, will become a member of Points West's Nebraska and Wyoming banks, which includes two locations in Sidney, and locations in Dalton, Kimball and Chappell.

The acquisition will bring the total assets of the group to over $400 million.

Joseph Wegner, Fullerton National Bank president, applauded the merging of institutions.

"Both have the same ownership basically, so it should be seamless really," Wegner said. "I think we'll be able to cost-save some expenses and all that."

There should be no recognizable changes between the two institutions, Wegner said.

"Probably none really other than the name change. I'm sure in Sidney there will be nothing," he said. "We'll be able to offer a few more services to our customers here."

Batt confirmed there will be no lay-offs as a result of the institutions merging.

The merger, awaiting regulatory approval, should be completed by the end of the year.