Mergers and acquisitions
In 1970, Birmingham Federal Savings (Michigan) merged with Standard Federal. Main offices moved to Birmingham on Woodward Avenue near Big Beaver Road. Total assets in 1973 reached $1 billion. In 1973, offices moved to a larger building in Troy at 2401 Big Beaver Road.
It acquired Wayne Federal Savings (Michigan) in 1975 and in 1980 First Federal Savings of Niles (Michigan) merged with Standard Federal. In 1981, it purchased Landmark Savings and Loan (Saginaw/Bay City, Michigan) and First Savings Association of Dowagiac (Michigan).
In the largest merger in Standard Federal's history, it took control of American Federal Savings of Fort Wayne, First Federal Savings of Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne Federal Savings, and South Bend Federal Savings and Loan Association (all of Indiana) in November 1983. The following year, assets totaled $5 billion.
On January 1, 1985, the bank converted from a federally chartered mutual savings and loan association to a federally chartered mutual savings bank and changed its name from Standard Federal Savings and Loan Association to Standard Federal Bank. On August 28, 1986, the bank's board of directors adopted a Plan of Conversion providing for the bank's conversion from a mutual to a stock institution. As of December 31, 1986, Standard Federal had 83 offices in 16 counties in Michigan and Indiana; 78 of which were full-service branches. The conversion from a mutual company to a publicly owned stock company listed on the New York Stock Exchange took place on January 28, 1987. This was one of the largest stock conversions by dollar amount in the history of the thrift industry.
Standard Federal completed the acquisition of Tower Federal Savings Bank of South Bend (Indiana) on June 18, 1988. During 1989, the bank acquired two savings institutions in Michigan: First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Kalamazoo (originally known as the Kalamazoo County Building Loan Association) and Peoples Savings Bank, F.S.B. in Monroe. On September 6, 1991, Standard Federal entered the Ohio market, gaining a significant presence in the northwest Ohio area through the acquisition of United Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of Toledo. It purchased First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Lenawee County, Adrian (Michigan) on August 8, 1992.
On April 25, 1993, Standard Federal celebrated its centennial. The bank stood as the largest thrift institution in the Midwest and the seventh largest in the United States, with assets of approximately $10 billion. In December of the same year, Standard made its largest single acquisition in history – Heritage Federal Savings Bank in Taylor (Michigan). Other acquisitions include InterFirst Bankcorp (1993), Colonial Central Savings Bank (1994) and Fidelity Savings Bank (1996). Effective May 1, 1995, Standard Federal Bank reorganized as Standard Federal Bancorporation, Inc., a holding company.
Purchase by ABN AMRO
On November 21, 1996, ABN AMRO reached an agreement to purchase Standard Federal Bancorporation for $1.9 billion; the acquisition completed on May 1, 1997. In 1996, Standard Federal was the largest savings bank in the Midwest, and the fourth largest bank in the State of Michigan. At December 31, 1996, Standard Federal's total assets amounted to $15.7 billion, with total deposits of $11.0 billion, loans serviced for others of $10.5 billion and stockholders' equity of $956.8 million.[4]
In 2001, ABN AMRO acquired Michigan National Bank and merged it into Standard Federal. The merged bank adopted the acquired bank's national bank charter and the bank became Standard Federal Bank N.A., closing 59 overlapping branch offices and making Standard Federal Michigan's largest bank by the number of branch offices.[5]
