24 December 2020
ST. LOUIS– {Despite|In spite of|Regardless of} the {pandemic and {related|associated}|{related|associated} and pandemic} {economic|financial} {turmoil|chaos}, St. Louis {area|location} banks increased {profits|revenues|earnings}, {expanded|broadened} geographically, continued to {buy|purchase} {competitors|rivals}, and {selected|chose|picked} {a new|a brand-new} generation of leaders.
Banks and {credit unions|cooperative credit union} {also|likewise} continued to {expand|broaden} geographically in the year of the pandemic. At Bank of Belleville, a three-county {expansion|growth} is underway, with the addition of full-service banks in in Clinton, Monroe and Madison counties, {as well as|in addition to|along with} its St. Clair County {headquarters|head office}.
Bank Star is growing to {three|3} branches with the addition of a branch in {Sunset|Sundown} Hills. Bank of Hillsboro {chose|selected|picked} {a permanent|a long-term|an irreversible} {location|place|area} for its Staunton branch, {next to|beside} the {temporary|short-term|momentary|short-lived} {office|workplace} it opened there a year {ago|back|earlier}. Midwest BankCentre made its {first|very first} {foray|venture} into Illinois with a loan production {office|workplace} in O’Fallon. Saint Louis Bank {entered|went into|got in} Edwardsville with {a division|a department} called Edwardsville Bank.
Source: ksdk.com