A Community Banker’s Guide

This booklet is designed to help community bank managers and owners execute a successful acquisition or sale transaction. Mergers and acquisitions are virtually inescapable facts of life in the modern banking world. Community bankers must understand enough about the M&A process to know how to represent and protect the interests of the bank’s shareholders when the time almost certainly comes. This booklet covers the basic facts every bank CEO should know about how banks are bought and sold.

The guide highlights the most common business and legal issues that arise in community bank M&A transactions, most often from the seller’s perspective. It does not offer an exhaustive examination of these subjects, or legal advice, because circumstances and technical issues can vary enormously between situations. Instead, drawing upon the author’s practical experience, the narrative offers suggestions about how common issues are typically resolved, which may sometimes include obtaining further specific professional advice from the bank’s lawyers, accountants and investment bankers.

Download the 2010 M&A Guide