#80 and 8th in Illinois

Blackhawk Bank & Trust, Milan, Illinois, Assumes All of the Deposits of Country Bank, Aledo, Illinois

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 14, 2011
Media Contact:
LaJuan Williams-Young
(202) 898-3876
Email: Lwilliams-young@fdic.gov

Country Bank, Aledo, Illinois, was closed today by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation – Division of Banking, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver. To protect the depositors, the FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with Blackhawk Bank & Trust, Milan, Illinois, to assume all of the deposits of Country Bank.

The two branches of Country Bank will reopen on Saturday as branches of Blackhawk Bank & Trust. Depositors of Country Bank will automatically become depositors of Blackhawk Bank & Trust. Deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship in order to retain their deposit insurance coverage up to applicable limits. Customers of Country Bank should continue to use their existing branch until they receive notice from Blackhawk Bank & Trust that it has completed systems changes to allow other Blackhawk Bank & Trust branches to process their accounts as well.

This evening and over the weekend, depositors of Country Bank can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards. Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual.

As of June 30, 2011, Country Bank had approximately $190.6 million in total assets and $167.5 million in total deposits. In addition to assuming all of the deposits, Blackhawk Bank & Trust agreed to purchase approximately $113.3 million of the failed bank's assets. The FDIC will retain the remaining assets for later disposition.

Customers with questions about today's transaction should call the FDIC toll-free at 1-800-591-2916. The phone number will be operational this evening until 9:00 p.m., Central Daylight Time (CDT); on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., CDT; on Sunday from noon to 6:00 p.m., CDT; and thereafter from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., CDT. Interested parties also can visit the FDIC's Web site at http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/countrybank.html.

The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) will be $66.3 million. Compared to other alternatives, Blackhawk Bank & Trust's acquisition was the least costly resolution for the FDIC's DIF. Country Bank is the 80th FDIC-insured institution to fail in the nation this year, and the eighth in Illinois. The last FDIC-insured institution closed in the state was First Choice Bank, Geneva, on August 19, 2011.