Sunflower Bank Prepares for Merger

Sunflower Financial, Inc. and Strategic Growth Bancorp Incorporated have received the required regulatory approvals necessary to merge their holding companies and banking entities. The deal is expected to close on June 19.

Sunflower is headquartered in Salina, Kansas, and is the parent company of Sunflower Bank and Logia Portfolio Management. Texas-based SGB is the parent company of First National Bank of Santa Fe, Capital Bank, SSB and Guardian Mortgage Company, Inc.

Once the closing takes place, the banks will operate as Sunflower Bank in Colorado, Kansas and Missouri and as First National 1870, a division of Sunflower Bank in New Mexico and Texas. The combined holding company will be named FirstSun Capital Bancorp and be headquartered in Denver. Guardian Mortgage and Logia Portfolio Management will retain their current names.

Bank leaders are looking forward to bolstering the role of community banking in the geographic locations they serve.

“We look forward to building upon the specialized strengths of each of these organizations. In this strategic merger, we will be able to enhance the innovative financial solutions we bring to our clients,” said Mollie Hale Carter, Sunflower’s chairman and CEO. “We have long believed that community banking plays an important role in the financial system, and we will continue to bring enhanced products and services to strengthen our personal and community relationships.”

William P. Sanders, chairman of First National Bank of Santa Fe and Capital Bank added, “We look forward to the benefits a greater capital base and expanded services will bring to our clients and our communities. In addition, the integration of our people and processes is designed to remain loyal to our community heritage, retaining our focus on quick resolution and locally informed decisions.”