<ARTICLE>                                         9
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1000
       
                                                        
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS                        9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1997          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1998          JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-1998          SEP-30-1997
<CASH>                                         7,132                32,614
<INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS>                         0                    0
<FED-FUNDS-SOLD>                               94,801               39,040
<TRADING-ASSETS>                               0                    0
<INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE>                    154,760              195,367
<INVESTMENTS-CARRYING>                         6,885                6,996
<INVESTMENTS-MARKET>                           6,865                6,975
<LOANS>                                        5,349,712            5,283,838
<ALLOWANCE>                                    31,444               30,918
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<DEPOSITS>                                     5,179,380            4,782,794
<SHORT-TERM>                                   148,894              533,616
<LIABILITIES-OTHER>                            50,283               54,482
<LONG-TERM>                                    61,207               65,416
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<PREFERRED>                                    0                    0
<COMMON>                                       281                  268
<OTHER-SE>                                     470,534              417,392
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY>                 5,910,579            5,853,968
<INTEREST-LOAN>                                314,877              298,214
<INTEREST-INVEST>                              13,625               11,747
<INTEREST-OTHER>                               0                    0
<INTEREST-TOTAL>                               328,502              309,961
<INTEREST-DEPOSIT>                             188,780              166,982
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             11,119               30,024
<INTEREST-INCOME-NET>                          128,603              112,955
<LOAN-LOSSES>                                  2,719                5,606
<SECURITIES-GAINS>                             68                   0
<EXPENSE-OTHER>                                82,826               76,933
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                79,605               54,778
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                     45,321               31,197
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0                    0
<CHANGES>                                      0                    0
<NET-INCOME>                                   45,321               31,197
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  1.61                 1.11
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  1.60                 1.11
<YIELD-ACTUAL>                                 7.81                 7.66
<LOANS-NON>                                    38,553               42,159
<LOANS-PAST>                                   0                    0
<LOANS-TROUBLED>                               0                    0
<LOANS-PROBLEM>                                929                  1,310
<ALLOWANCE-OPEN>                               32,092               30,094
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<RECOVERIES>                                   2,431                645
<ALLOWANCE-CLOSE>                              31,444               30,918
<ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC>                           31,444               30,918
<ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN>                            0                    0
<ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED>                        2,800                2,800