<ARTICLE> 9 <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1998 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1998 <CASH> 80,107 <INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS> 100 <FED-FUNDS-SOLD> 0 <TRADING-ASSETS> 0 <INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE> 739,057 <INVESTMENTS-CARRYING> 11,081 <INVESTMENTS-MARKET> 11,477 <LOANS> 1,993,477 <ALLOWANCE> 29,433 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,969,928 <DEPOSITS> 2,283,266 <SHORT-TERM> 337,349 <LIABILITIES-OTHER> 27,045 <LONG-TERM> 48,531 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 30,000 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 15,653 <OTHER-SE> 228,084 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY> 2,969,928 <INTEREST-LOAN> 134,627 <INTEREST-INVEST> 35,312 <INTEREST-OTHER> 563 <INTEREST-TOTAL> 170,502 <INTEREST-DEPOSIT> 62,998 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 17,626 <INTEREST-INCOME-NET> 89,878 <LOAN-LOSSES> 5,525 <SECURITIES-GAINS> (243) <EXPENSE-OTHER> 73,883 <INCOME-PRETAX> 35,122 <INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY> 35,122 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 24,317 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.58 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.56 <YIELD-ACTUAL> 4.39 <LOANS-NON> 8,883 <LOANS-PAST> 2,051 <LOANS-TROUBLED> 6,378 <LOANS-PROBLEM> 0 <ALLOWANCE-OPEN> 25,721 <CHARGE-OFFS> 5,621 <RECOVERIES> 3,808 <ALLOWANCE-CLOSE> 29,433 <ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC> 29,433 <ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN> 0 <ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED> 0