Fentura Financial

The story of Fentura Financial begins not in 1987 when it was incorporated, but a century earlier. In 1898, H.B. Latourette and four others founded the Commercial Savings Bank of Fenton in Michigan. This institution became the bedrock of what would evolve into a key regional financial player. For over a hundred years, the bank, which later became The State Bank, focused on serving the communities of Genesee County and its surrounding areas. In 1987, the strategic decision was made to form Fentura Financial, Inc. as a holding company for The State Bank, a move designed to facilitate future growth and acquisitions. This new structure allowed for expansion, and over the years, the company grew by acquiring other local banks, such as West Michigan Community Bank in 2004. The most significant chapter in Fentura's modern history was written in 2024. In July, Fentura Financial and another long-standing Michigan institution, ChoiceOne Financial Services, announced a definitive merger agreement. This all-stock transaction, valued at approximately $180.4 million, was positioned as a combination of two community banks with remarkably similar cultures and histories spanning over 125 years each. The merger was finalized on March 1, 2025, creating the third-largest publicly traded bank in Michigan with assets exceeding $4 billion. Following the merger, Fentura was absorbed into ChoiceOne, with the combined entity operating under the ChoiceOne Bank brand.