BankFirst Capital Corporation (“BankFirst”) and Newton County Bancorporation Inc. (“NCB”) have merged.

    “We will be operating as two separate banks until our system is converted sometime in the first quarter of 2016,” BankFirst President and CEO Moak Griffin said. “Beyond that, no real changes are planned in operations.”

    According to a bank press release, with the merger BankFirst will have more than $875 million in total assets, plus 18 branches across 10 Mississippi counties – making it the 11th largest Mississippi-based banking institution. It will also capture a Top 10 share of the Mississippi state-wide deposit market.

    Newton County Bank President and CEO Bill Freeman will serve as Newton Community Bank president following the transaction. He will also join the BankFirst Board of Directors.

    “NCB and all of its employees, officers and directors are excited about the merger,” Freeman said. “It’s important to know that both banks have very similar philosophies and really match up well. BankFirst is a strong and stable community bank like NCB. They stress good personal service, they care about their employees and the communities they serve.”

    Freeman said the merging of both banks will provide a broader product offering, increased, lending limits and an expanded set of branch offices that serve Mississippi and Alabama.

    “NCB and BankFirst believe our customers will be better served, and better growth opportunities will be achieved by combining the two banks,” Freeman said. “This partnership will benefit our customers, our community, and our employees, immediately and over the long term.”

    He added that it will be “business as usual,” with no changes in personnel.

    “We will continue to operate as NCB through the end of the year, and once our systems merge after the first of the year, we will be BankFirst,” Freeman said. “We will treat our customers the same way they have been treated and will do business as we have been doing for 103 years.”

    Griffin agreed with Freeman that BankFirst and NCB have the same philosophies and values.

    “Both banks make sure to always do the right thing for our customers, our communities and our employees,” Griffin said. “It expands our footprints in Central Mississippi, where we can continue to give that great customer service by offering high-touch, community banking service to NCB’s customers. NCB has consistently ranked as one of the best performing banks in Mississippi, so we look forward to keeping their culture and performance intact. The BankFirst board of directors, management team and employees are equally as excited about the opportunity.”

    BankFirst is a 127-year-old community bank serving the Mississippi communities of Macon, Columbus, West Point, Starkville, Madison, Flowood, Jackson and Hattiesburg, as well as Tuscaloosa, Ala.    Newton County Bank was founded in 1912, and has $162 million in total assets and $135 million in total deposits. Newton County Bank currently operates six offices serving the Mississippi counties of Newton, Scott and Jasper.