First National Bank of Omaha will buy Independence, Missouri-based Blue Ridge Bancshares to expand its presence in the Kansas City area, the banks said Tuesday.
Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The deal, though, comes nine months after FNBO closed its acquisition of Country Club Bank, which added 20 Kansas City-area branches to the Nebraska lender’s stable.
Blue Ridge, which counts $850 million in assets, would bolster FNBO with another eight locations in Missouri’s Jackson County, where Kansas City lies.
“We’re excited to strengthen our presence in Kansas City, and we’re looking forward to what we can build together,” Joe Close, FNBO’s Kansas City regional leader, said in a statement. "FNBO has been intentional about our growth in this region, and Blue Ridge Bank fits that vision in a meaningful way. Blue Ridge Bank’s positive reputation and people make it an ideal addition to our organization.”
FNBO said it expects regulatory approval of the deal by the end of the year. The acquisition would make FNBO fifth in deposit market share in Kansas City, the bank said. FNBO’s parent firm, First National of Nebraska, counts $35 billion in assets.
“We have enjoyed expanding our presence and becoming more invested in the Kansas City metro area,” Clark Lauritzen, FNBO’s chair and president, said in a statement Tuesday. “We’ve built strong momentum here, and this is the next step of that journey. It strengthens our ability to serve customers and become more deeply connected in the community.”
Like Country Club, Blue Ridge is an independently owned community bank.
“Our mission has always been to help people acquire the financial resources to realize their dreams, and this opportunity with FNBO only amplifies our ability to do just that,” Blue Ridge Bank and Trust Co. CEO Bill Esry said in a statement Tuesday. “Partnering with FNBO allows us to carry that mission forward with more tools, more access and the same commitment our customers and community have come to trust us for.”
FNBO said it plans to rebrand Country Club Bank branches this fall, with the goal to rebrand and convert Blue Ridge locations to FNBO in early 2027.
