PRESS RELEASE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
October 26, 2000 Robert W. King
President & CEO
Hardin Bancorp, Inc.
201 Northeast Elm Street
Hardin, MO 64035
(660) 398-4312
(660) 398-4317 FAX
DICKINSON FINANCIAL CORPORATION
TO ACQUIRE HARDIN BANCORP, INC.
HARDIN, MO. - Dickinson Financial Corporation and Hardin Bancorp, Inc.
(NASDAQ; HFSA) announced today that they have entered into a definitive
agreement and plan of merger for Dickinson to acquire Hardin's stock in a
transaction which would be valued at $21.75 in cash for each share outstanding.
The transaction is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2001,
pending regulatory approval and approval by Hardin's shareholders.
Hardin Bancorp, Inc. is the parent company of Hardin Federal Savings
Bank, whose three offices will become branches of one of Dickinson Financial
Corporation's subsidiaries, Bank Midwest, N.A. "We are excited about the
opportunity to expand in our existing markets of Richmond and Excelsior Springs
and to add a presence in Hardin, Missouri as well" said Rick Smalley,
Dickinson's President. "We sincerely believe that the combination of Hardin
Federal Savings Bank with Bank Midwest will be very positive for everyone
because both organizations have a strong commitment to meeting the financial
needs of the individual residents of the communities they serve, and to helping
support the communities as a whole."
Robert King, Chief Executive Officer of Hardin Federal, stated "The
customers of both Hardin Federal and Bank Midwest will benefit from the joining
of our two banks by having access to a greater variety of products and services
and more banking locations. That fact, combined with the value of the offer to
our shareholders, makes this a very favorable transaction for everyone."
Dickinson Financial Corporation, a privately held regional financial
services company with approximately $2.7 billion in assets, is the holding
company for Bank Midwest, N.A. headquartered in Kansas City, Armed Forces Bank,
N.A. headquartered at Ft. Leavenworth, Air Academy National Bank headquartered
in Colorado Springs, and Armed Forces Bank of California, N.A. headquartered in
San Diego. Dickinson Financial Corporation, headquartered in Kansas City,
Missouri, employs more than 1,200 people through its affiliates which operate in
Kansas, Missouri and eleven other states throughout the United States.
Hardin Bancorp, with approximately $143 million in assets, is the
parent company of Hardin Federal Savings Bank which has offices in Hardin,
Richmond and Excelsior Springs, Missouri.
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