<ARTICLE>                                            9
                         
                      
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1000
<CURRENCY>                                     US DOLLAR
       
                                            
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                  9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-1-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                             1
<CASH>                                                 40,806
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                                      1
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                                      316,000
<TRADING-ASSETS>                                            0
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>                           665,285
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>                                      0
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>                                        0
<LOANS>                                             1,278,822
<ALLOWANCE>                                            52,684
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                      2,344,499
<DEPOSITS>                                          1,999,248
<SHORT-TERM>                                          129,198
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                                    40,691
<LONG-TERM>                                                 0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                       0
<PREFERRED>                                                 0
<COMMON>                                               21,028
<OTHER-SE>                                            154,334
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>                      2,344,499
<INTEREST-LOAN>                                        81,441
<INTEREST-INVEST>                                      34,026
<INTEREST-OTHER>                                       12,937
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                                      128,404
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                                     60,180
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                     64,299
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                                  64,105
<LOAN-LOSSES>                                           3,740
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                                       (809)
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                                        33,902
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                        38,134
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                             38,134
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                             0
<CHANGES>                                                   0
<NET-INCOME>                                           23,929
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                            0.98
<EPS-DILUTED>                                            0.97
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                           4.04
<LOANS-NON>                                             6,036
<LOANS-PAST>                                              963
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                                        3,515
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                                             0
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                                       51,561
<CHARGE-OFFS>                                           5,118
<RECOVERIES>                                            2,501
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                                      52,684
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                                        0
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                                         0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                                52,684