First National Bank Completes Its Merger With Homestead Bank

First National completed a merger on July 1, 2021 with its affiliate bank, Homestead Bank. The combined bank holds total assets of near $450 million and is one of the highest capitalized banks in Nebraska.

“Homestead and First National have shared common ownership since 1990,” said Steve Cleveland, a long-time executive of First National Bank. “Our operating systems and locally focused business cultures were identical. Customers will experience few changes, other than a change of name to Homestead Bank. The merge into
Homestead Bank allows us to better serve our customers by providing branch access across the state and more resources to expand our line of digital banking services.”

Homestead Bank has been serving Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming consumers, farmers, ranchers, and commercial businesses for more than one-hundred years, and offers a full line of financial, investment, and insurance products and services through its nine (9) locations in Cozad, Lexington, St. Paul, Wolbach, Schuyler, Albion, Howells, Ainsworth, and Chadron.

Homestead Bank has been awarded a five-star rating for its financial practices from Bauer Financial, a national bank rating service. Forbes identified First National Bank as one of America’s Best-in-State Banks 2020.

Chief Executive Officer of Homestead Bank, Scott Zimbelman, noted, “Homestead Bank now spans Nebraska. We view
community banking as a people business, and are blessed to have highly experienced and caring community bankers.”