M&I to be acquired by parent company of Harris Bank

M&I to be acquired by parent company of Harris Bank

By now you may have read the headline above published by a variety of news outlets. You may offer M&I Bank as your bank of choice to your employees, offer another bank, or allow employees to choose the bank of their choice. We have reached out to our contacts at M&I Bank to understand more about the transition timeline and process. Unfortunately, the details are still not finalized for public release. Here is what we do know, as reported by the BizTimes.com and offered by local M&I representatives.

Bank of Montreal, who owns Harris Bank and soon M&I Bank, has strong a financial history and a community/customer focus that aligns well with the M&I Bank we have all come to know and trust. The deal is slated to commence in July, with speculation that the name will officially change to Harris Bank shortly after.

"For customers, shareholders and employees, the combined bank group will be a stronger entity," Downe said. "This acquisition gives us the opportunity to leverage the greatest strength of both organizations: our brands and reputations. We are very pleased to announce this transaction with M&I. We are committed to ensuring an excellent transition and to maintaining M&I's strong presence and community leadership in Milwaukee and other M&I markets. Making each M&I customer feel welcome will be a high priority for us. Harris and M&I set the standard in the Midwest for exemplary customer experience and commitment to communities, and we will build upon this reputation. We have a brand promise common to each of our businesses. It speaks directly to customers and reinforces our focus on personal and commercial banking in North America." - BizTimes.com

We will continue to keep you apprised of the situation. If M&I Bank is your bank of choice, you will be hearing from a local representative in the coming weeks.

Serving you is our top priority. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your Account Executive.