Fourth Financial Corporation
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Banking |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Founder | George C. Strong |
| Defunct | 1995 |
| Fate | Acquired by Boatmen's Bancshares |
| Headquarters | Wichita , United States |
Area served | Kansas, Oklahoma |
Key people | Jordan L. Haines, Ron Baldwin |
| Products | Banking services |
Fourth Financial Corporation was a Wichita, Kansas-based bank holding company founded in 1968. It grew to become one of the oldest and largest banking institutions in Kansas, as well as a significant financial entity in Oklahoma, before being acquired by Boatmen's Bancshares in 1995.
History
The origins of Fourth Financial Corporation trace back to 1887 with the establishment of Fourth National Bank of Wichita by George C. Strong.
Because Kansas laws at the time imposed strict limits on branch banking, Fourth Financial Corporation was created in 1968 to enable regional bank acquisitions within legal allowances. Following the easing of these regulations in 1982, the company pursued an aggressive growth strategy, acquiring controlling interests in five banks situated near college towns with populations exceeding 10,000 residents. By 1986, it had become the largest bank holding company in Kansas and consolidated its various subsidiaries under the unified Bank IV brand to facilitate cohesive marketing efforts—for instance, Planters Bank & Trust Company was rebranded as Bank IV Salina, N.A.
Between 1985 and 1990, leadership under Jordan L. Haines and Ron Baldwin guided Fourth Financial through the acquisition of 24 banks—averaging one acquisition approximately every 75 days. This expansion accelerated during the 1990 Savings and Loan Crisis, when Fourth Financial purchased distressed institutions such as Anchor Savings.
As Kansas approached its limits on banking operations, legislative reforms in 1990 allowed for interstate expansion. Capitalizing on this, Fourth Financial inaugurated Bank IV Oklahoma to acquire banking entities within Oklahoma.
In December 1991, Fourth Financial merged its thirteen Kansas-based banks into a single organization named Bank IV Kansas.
Boatmen's Bancshares announced a $1.2 billion stock acquisition of Fourth Financial in August 1995, with the transaction concluding in January 1996. At the time of this acquisition, Fourth Financial controlled $7.4 billion in assets and operated 87 branches across Kansas along with 56 offices in Oklahoma, holding the position as the largest bank in Kansas and ranking third in Oklahoma.