Bank mergers are becoming increasingly common in Wisconsin these days, and with a merger comes some inevitable changes.

What should a customer expect when his or her bank is acquired?

The bank merger process is a different animal than the usual private business merger. It requires both state and federal regulatory approval, as well as approval from both companies’ boards and shareholders, said Rose Oswald Poels, president and chief executive officer of the Wisconsin Bankers Association.

Regulators examine the impact of the transaction on the community, as well as other factors, such as their troubled loan portfolios.

That process can take between two months and two years, depending on whether both banks are financially healthy and whether regulators have any concerns, said Peter Wilder, an attorney in the banking and financial institutions practice group at Godfrey & Kahn S.C. in Milwaukee.

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