Globe Newswire

WICHITA — Equity Bancshares Inc., the Wichita-based holding company of Equity Bank, and First Independence Corp., the holding company of First Federal Savings & Loan of Independence, based in Independence, today announced the completion of their merger.

Former First Federal Savings & Loan of Independence branch locations in Independence, Coffeyville, Neodesha and Pittsburg, opened as Equity Bank branches Tuesday as part of the Equity Bank branch network.

With completion of the merger, effective at close of business Friday, Equity Bank now has $1.5 billion in total assets and 29 banking offices in Kansas and Missouri.

Equity Bank’s deposits are insured up to the maximum legal amount by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. In addition to the locations mentioned above, Equity Bank has offices located in Andover, Ellis, Hays, Overland Park, Topeka, and Wichita, Kansas, and Clinton, Higginsville, Kansas City, Knob Noster, Lee’s Summit, Sedalia, Sweet Springs, Warrensburg, Warsaw and Windsor, Missouri.