Associated Bank History
With a history rooted in northeast Wisconsin, we've grown to serve the ever-changing needs of the Midwest.
Associated Bank, as we know it today, is the result of many mergers and acquisitions. The roots of our founding banks run deep in our communities.
Our Roots Are Deep
At Associated Bank, we’re proud of our long legacy of service to our customers and communities!
The founding of Associated Bank dates to 1970, when three strong banks in Northeast Wisconsin—Kellogg Citizens Bank of Green Bay, Manitowoc Savings Bank and First National Bank of Neenah—formed a powerful alliance. The Neenah-based bank is the oldest branch of our family tree, dating back to 1861.
Another key event in our history was the merger of First Financial and Associated Bank in 1997, retaining the name of the latter. First Financial was a consolidation of many mostly Wisconsin-based thrifts and savings and loan banks.
Bringing the Associated Bank Tree to Life
It was in September 1992 when leaders of our founding banks—Kellogg Bank, First National Bank of Neenah and Manitowoc Savings Bank—adopted the Associated Bank name and tree symbol logo. The idea for our name was inspired by their coming together to form better relationships with customers and communities.
The evergreen tree symbol represented the company’s branches joining to share stability, strength and deep-rooted commitment to the growth of their communities. It also paid homage to the bank’s history. When our founding banks first opened their doors in 1861, pine lumber was one of the largest industries in Northeast Wisconsin. Partnering with lumber businesses provided the bank with capital to support economic growth and the development of businesses, many of which are successful yet today.
Recent Acquisitions
Over the past five years, Associated Bank has completed seven acquisitions. The 2019 acquisition and integration of the Wisconsin branch operations of the Huntington National Bank added more than 60,000 deposit accounts and 33,000 households to Associated. It also expanded our presence into 13 new communities.
We also acquired First Staunton Bancshares in February of 2020. The addition of First Staunton brought approximately 30,000 customers in the Metro East region of the St. Louis Metropolitan Area to Associated Bank. As a result of this relationship, Associated Bank has strengthened its Illinois network and expanded services into seven additional communities.
By successfully integrating these businesses, we’ve gained efficiencies, grown our market presence and have been able to offer new products, services and technology enhancements to our customers.
