History of Zions Bancorporation in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 15, 2026

Zions Bancorporation is a prominent financial services holding company headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. Established as a regional bank, it operates primarily across the Western and Southwestern United States, including states such as Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington. The organization provides a comprehensive suite of banking products and services, including commercial and retail banking, mortgage lending, and wealth management. It distinguishes itself through a decentralized management structure, allowing its various brand names to operate with local autonomy while leveraging the technological and regulatory resources of the parent corporation. Publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol ZION, the company focuses on serving small-to-medium-sized businesses and individuals, positioning itself as a key pillar of economic activity within its geographical footprint. Through consistent acquisition strategies and a focus on digital transformation, Zions remains a significant player in the American regional banking sector.

1901: Growth in Deposits

In 1901, Zions Bancorporation reached a milestone with total deposits growing to $2 million.

1907: The Panic of 1907

During 1907, Zions Bancorporation experienced the Panic of 1907, which served as the only disruption to the company's otherwise consistent period of growth.

1918: Deposit Expansion

By 1918, Zions Bancorporation saw significant financial success as deposits reached a total of $9 million.

February 15, 1932: Bank Run on Zions Bancorporation

On February 15, 1932, Zions Bancorporation experienced a significant bank run where customers lined up outside the building to withdraw their funds. The bank honored all requests, resulting in $1.5 million being withdrawn over 2.5 days. To calm depositors, bank president Heber J. Grant posted a sign affirming the bank's strong liquid condition and solvency.

April 1955: Formation of Keystone Insurance and Investment Co.

In April 1955, the Keystone Insurance and Investment Co. was officially established for the purpose of acquiring the Lockhart Corporation.

1957: Merger forming Zions First National Bank

In 1957, Zions Bancorporation underwent a significant consolidation by merging with the Utah Savings and Trust Company (founded in 1889) and the First National Bank of Salt Lake City (founded in 1890), resulting in the creation of a new entity known as Zions First National Bank.

April 1960: Acquisition of Zions First National Bank

During April 1960, Keystone and a group of investors purchased a 57.5% stake in Zions First National Bank from the LDS Church, at which point the bank held roughly $120 million in deposits.

1960: Divestiture by the LDS Church

In 1960, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officially divested its financial interest in Zions Bancorporation, ending its previous ownership of the institution.

1962: Acquisition of Bank of Kearns

In 1962, Zions Bancorporation expanded its operations through the acquisition of Bank of Kearns.

1965: Renaming to Zions Bancorporation

In 1965, the company underwent a rebranding process and officially changed its name to Zions Bancorporation.

January 1966: Initial Public Offering

In January 1966, Zions Bancorporation officially transitioned into a public company through its initial public offering.

1966: Adoption of Zions Utah Bancorporation Name

Beginning in 1966, the organization began operating under the name Zions Utah Bancorporation.

1968: Acquisition of Bank of Spanish Fork

Zions Bancorporation completed the acquisition of Bank of Spanish Fork in 1968 as part of its growth strategy.

1969: Acquisition of Utah National Bank

The institution officially acquired Utah National Bank during 1969.

1970: Acquisitions of Bank of Commerce, Bank of St. George, and Bountiful State Bank

During 1970, Zions Bancorporation significantly increased its presence by acquiring three separate entities: Bank of Commerce, Bank of St. George, and Bountiful State Bank.

April 1972: Consolidation of Shares

In April 1972, the company completed its transition to full public ownership by exchanging all remaining minority shares for common shares.

1973: Acquisitions of Bank of Vernal and Carbon Emery Bank

In 1973, Zions Bancorporation finalized the acquisition of both Bank of Vernal and Carbon Emery Bank.

1985: Expansion into Nevada

In 1985, Zions Bancorporation marked its entry into the Nevada market by successfully completing the purchase of Nevada State Bank.

1986: Expansion into Arizona

Zions Bancorporation furthered its regional growth in 1986 by acquiring Mesa Bank, which facilitated the institution's entry into Arizona.

1987: Conclusion of Zions Utah Bancorporation Branding

The period during which the entity operated as Zions Utah Bancorporation concluded in 1987.

1996: Expansion into Colorado and New Mexico

In 1996, the bank extended its reach into Colorado and New Mexico through the acquisition of Aspen Bancshares, an entity that operated Pitkin County Bank and Trust, Valley National Bank of Cortez, and Centennial Savings Bank.

March 1997: Acquisition of Wells Fargo Branches

In March 1997, Zions Bancorporation expanded its physical footprint by acquiring 27 banking branches from Wells Fargo located across Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah.

July 1997: Acquisition of Tri-State Bank of Idaho

Zions Bancorporation completed the acquisition of Tri-State Bank of Idaho in July 1997 as part of its ongoing regional growth strategy.

September 1997: Acquisition of Vectra Banking and Tri-State Finance

During September 1997, Zions Bancorporation purchased both the Vectra Banking Corporation and the Tri-State Finance Corporation of Colorado in a deal valued at $200 million.

1999: Proposed Acquisition of First Security Corporation

In 1999, Zions Bancorporation announced a proposal to acquire First Security Corporation in a deal valued at $5.9 billion, though the process faced delays due to regulatory accounting requests.

1999: Unsuccessful Bid for First Security Corporation

In 1999, Zions Bancorporation attempted to acquire First Security Corporation but ultimately lost the bid to Wells Fargo. The loss occurred after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission mandated that Zions restate its financial results from previous years regarding acquisition accounting practices. Despite this setback, the company successfully established itself as the largest bank headquartered in Utah during 1999.

March 2000: Collapse of Zions and First Security Merger

By March 2000, the value of the proposed merger between Zions and First Security dropped to $3.8 billion following an earnings warning from First Security, eventually leading Zions' shareholders to reject the deal.

April 2000: Wells Fargo Acquisition of First Security

Following the failed merger with Zions, First Security reached an agreement in April 2000 to be acquired by Wells Fargo instead.

December 2005: Acquisition of Amegy Bank

In December 2005, Zions Bancorporation marked a significant geographical expansion by acquiring Amegy Bank, thereby establishing a formal business presence within the state of Texas.

October 27, 2008: Receipt of TARP Loan

On October 27, 2008, Zions Bancorporation obtained a $1.4 billion loan from the United States government as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

2010: Sale of NetDeposit

In 2010, Zions divested from the subsidiary NetDeposit by selling the company to BankServ.

2011: Civil Penalty Payment

In 2011, Zions Bank paid over $8 million in civil penalties following an Office of the Comptroller of the Currency investigation into alleged regulatory failures regarding anti-money laundering protocols.

September 26, 2012: Repayment of TARP Funds

On September 26, 2012, Zions completed the repayment of its government loan by paying the final $700 million, resulting in a $253 million profit for the government.

June 1, 2015: Corporate Restructuring Announcement

On June 1, 2015, Zions Bancorporation announced a major restructuring plan that involved consolidating seven different bank charters into one and implementing initiatives to reduce expenses by $120 million.

October 2018: Merger of Banking Subsidiary

In October 2018, the bank completed a consolidation process by merging its holding company and its subsidiary, ZB, N.A., into the single entity Zions Bancorporation, N.A.

2023: Operational Status and Market Presence

As of 2023, Zions Bancorporation maintained a network of 416 branches and served a customer base exceeding 1 million individuals, primarily concentrated within the western United States.