<ARTICLE> 9 <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR YEAR YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 DEC-31-1996 DEC-31-1995 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997 JAN-01-1996 JAN-01-1995 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1997 DEC-31-1996 DEC-31-1995 <CASH> 316,600 325,014 242,018 <INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS> 0 0 0 <FED-FUNDS-SOLD> 765,000 357,000 425,300 <TRADING-ASSETS> 35,782 64,887 40,050 <INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE> 669,266 426,336 295,312 <INVESTMENTS-CARRYING> 4,026 4,193 4,975 <INVESTMENTS-MARKET> 4,026 4,193 4,975 <LOANS> 2,788,608 2,063,048 1,699,347 <ALLOWANCE> (51,143) (36,051) (37,402) <TOTAL-ASSETS> 4,726,279 3,350,170 2,788,374 <DEPOSITS> 4,174,598 2,950,277 2,363,616 <SHORT-TERM> 55,915 44,897 159,636 <LIABILITIES-OTHER> 61,966 58,247 25,404 <LONG-TERM> 76,571 4,455 5,906 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 0 0 <PREFERRED> 0 0 0 <COMMON> 236,186 163,748 130,780 <OTHER-SE> 115,838 122,603 97,456 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY> 4,726,279 3,350,170 2,788,374 <INTEREST-LOAN> 233,124 173,734 143,627 <INTEREST-INVEST> 36,004 24,952 21,176 <INTEREST-OTHER> 13,844 10,470 9,976 <INTEREST-TOTAL> 282,972 209,156 174,779 <INTEREST-DEPOSIT> 72,786 64,551 55,491 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 81,637 68,054 60,154 <INTEREST-INCOME-NET> 201,335 141,102 114,625 <LOAN-LOSSES> 22,892 6,881 16,122 <SECURITIES-GAINS> 987 229 260 <EXPENSE-OTHER> 169,031 128,132 110,324 <INCOME-PRETAX> 91,050 105,580 31,725 <INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY> 54,548 62,302 21,654 <EXTRAORDINARY> 629 (8,168) 1,523 <CHANGES> 0 0 0 <NET-INCOME> 55,177 54,134 23,177 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.41 1.66 0.60 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.34 1.59 0.57 <YIELD-ACTUAL> 6.20 5.8 5.7 <LOANS-NON> 10,578 20,390 28,926 <LOANS-PAST> 0 0 0 <LOANS-TROUBLED> 23,970 28,681 33,608 <LOANS-PROBLEM> 0 0 0 <ALLOWANCE-OPEN> 36,051 37,402 40,072 <CHARGE-OFFS> 10,365 11,025 20,962 <RECOVERIES> 2,568 2,778 2,170 <ALLOWANCE-CLOSE> 51,143 36,051 37,402 <ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC> 0 0 0 <ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN> 0 0 0 <ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED> 0 0 0 <FN> RESTATEMENT OF EARNINGS PER SHARE DATA FOR 1996 AND 1995 TO REFLECT THE ADOPTION OF SFAS NO. 128, "EARNINGS PER SHARE." EARNINGS PER SHARE DATA IS FOR CONTINUING OPERATIONS. </FN>