First Bank to Merge with Peoples Bank & Trust- Now Serving 13 Central Illinois Communities

Pana, Ill. – May 20, 2024 – John Gardner, President & CEO of Peoples Bank & Trust, headquartered in Pana, Ill. is pleased to announce an agreement to merge Arcola First Bank with Peoples Bank & Trust. The bank resulting from the merger will be Peoples Bank & Trust. The transition will see the Arcola, Arthur and Tuscola locations join the existing 10 communities currently served by Peoples Bank & Trust and grow the total communities served to 13, all located in central Illinois.

John Gardner, President and CEO of Peoples Bank & Trust stated, “In addition to being a part of the Arcola, Arthur and Tuscola communities, we’re excited about the opportunity to have the outstanding employees of these locations join our existing team.” As a part of the merger, all existing staff will be retained. “Personal relationships between customers and bank employees are some of the most important and maintaining those was of utmost significance. Recognizing that relationship is our first step in continuing to provide outstanding customer service” said Gardner.

Gardner continued, “Our motto ‘We Put People First’ is very representative of the type of service customers of the Arcola, Arthur and Tuscola branches are accustomed too. We know that this approach will be continued in these communities moving forward. I have had the pleasure to meet personally with every employee and have found them to be professional, honest, hardworking and caring individuals. We are excited to have them continue to serve their communities but also to be members of the Peoples Bank & Trust family.”

Dale Boyer, Community Bank President for these locations stated, “As one of the top USDA and SBA guaranteed lenders in the state, the merger with Peoples Bank & Trust will certainly be a benefit for our business customers as well. This expanded breadth of product offerings coupled with the heightened business lending expertise that will be available to customers will certainly benefit the customers we serve.”

Monday, May 20^th, the Arcola, Arthur and Tuscola locations will officially open as branches of Peoples Bank & Trust. The staff of all three locations will continue to provide customers with the fast and courteous service they have become accustomed too.

 Additionally, customers will have access to banking services at all 13 Peoples Bank and Trust facilities located throughout the central Illinois region, their ATM network and the numerous online banking options available to customers regardless of where they may be located.

Peoples Bank & Trust is a locally owned and managed independent community bank with thirteen offices located in Altamont, Arcola, Arthur, Charleston, Morrisonville, Palmyra, Pana, Springfield, Taylorville, Tower Hill, Tuscola, Waverly, and White Hall. Peoples is a full-service bank offering outstanding customer service to consumers, small businesses, and farmers in Central Illinois. Peoples First Bancshares, Inc., with corporate offices in Pana, Illinois, is the holding company for Peoples Bank & Trust. For more information about Peoples Bank & Trust, visit BankPBT.com