Overview
The Barack Ferrazzano Financial Institutions Group served as legal counsel to Centre 1 Bancorp, Inc. (“Centre”), in its agreement with Bank First Corporation (“Bank First”) (Nasdaq: BFC), whereby Bank First acquired 100% of the common stock of Centre in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $174.3 million. The sale was completed on January 1, 2026.
First National Bank and Trust will continue to operate as a division of Bank First until the planned system conversion in May 2026. At that time, all locations will transition to the unified Bank First brand and digital banking platform. Throughout this process, customers will continue to work with familiar local teams, ensuring personalized service and a smooth transition as we move forward together.
The combined organization will operate 38 branch locations across Wisconsin and the Stateline area of Illinois, with approximately $6 billion in assets, strengthening its ability to serve individuals, businesses, and communities throughout the region.
Barack Ferrazzano’s legal team was led by partners Abdul R. Mitha, John E. Freechack, and associate Zoe Xiuha Uvin. Compensation and benefits were handled by partner Andrew K. Strimaitis. Tax matters were handled by partners Michael J. Towne and Megan E. Toal.
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