Dentons represented German American Banccorp, Inc., in its merger with Heartland BancCorp, the parent company of Heartland Bank, effective February 1, 2025. Immediately following completion of the holding company transaction, Heartland Bank, which had approximately US$1.9 billion in assets, merged with and into German American’s banking subsidiary, German American Bank.

The combined organization now has approximately $8.3 billion in total assets and a community branch network of 94 locations across Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio.

Heartland Chairman, President and CEO G. Scott McComb and board member Ronnie R. Stokes have been appointed to the German American Bancorp and German American Bank Boards of Directors, effective February 1. Many members of the Heartland executive and senior teams will continue to serve the combined organization as regional management to provide local leadership and decision-making, while the customer/client-focused Heartland banking and wealth management teams will continue to serve the financial and investment needs of individuals and businesses throughout the Greater Columbus and Cincinnati communities.

Indianapolis Corporate Partners Jeremy Hill and Tonya Vachirasomboon led a large team of Dentons lawyers in representing German American throughout the transaction. The other attorneys assisting included Jasper Office Managing Partner, National Corporate Co-Chair and Dentons Bingham Greenebaum Corporate Chair Bill Kaiser; Corporate Partners Arin Aragona (Louisville) and Jake Michul (Lexington); Energy and Environment and Natural Resources Partner Clay Larkin (Lexington); DBG Litigation Co-Chair Andrew Gruber (Indianapolis); Indianapolis Litigation Partners Michael Dorelli, Jessica Meek and Greg Neibarger; Cincinnati Pensions, Benefits and Executive Compensation Partner Erin Shick; Louisville Tax Partner Ross Cohen; Indianapolis Corporate Of Counsel Jeffrey Bush; Corporate Senior Managing Associates Michael Hoffmann (Indianapolis) and Elizabeth Lampert (Lexington); Lexington Environment and Natural Resources Senior Managing Associate Bradley Strait; and Corporate Associates Blair Johnson (Lexington), Georgiana Stacy (Lexington) and Amanda Wilhite (Indianapolis).

Read more about the deal here.

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