Formations of, Acquisitions by, and Mergers of Bank Holding Companies

The companies listed in this notice have applied to the Board for approval, pursuant to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841 et seq.) (BHC Act), Regulation Y (12 CFR Part 225), and all other applicable statutes and regulations to become a bank holding company and/or to acquire the assets or the ownership of, control of, or the power to vote shares of a bank or bank holding company and all of the banks and nonbanking companies owned by the bank holding company, including the companies listed below.

The applications listed below, as well as other related filings required by the Board, are available for immediate inspection at the Federal Reserve Bank indicated. The application also will be available for inspection at the offices of the Board of Governors. Interested persons may express their views in writing on the standards enumerated in the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1842(c)). If the proposal also involves the acquisition of a nonbanking company, the review also includes whether the acquisition of the nonbanking company complies with the standards in section 4 of the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1843). Unless otherwise noted, nonbanking activities will be conducted throughout the United States. Additional information on all bank holding companies may be obtained from the National Information Center website at www.ffiec.gov/nic/ .

Unless otherwise noted, comments regarding each of these applications must be received at the Reserve Bank indicated or the offices of the Board of Governors not later than February 9, 2004.

A. Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta (Sue Costello, Vice President) 1000 Peachtree Street, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30303:

1. Allied Bancshares, Inc., Cumming, Georgia; to become a bank holding company by acquiring 100 percent of the voting shares of First National Bank of Forsyth County, Cumming, Georgia.

B. Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (James Hunter, Assistant Vice President) 925 Grand Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64198-0001:

1. Pine River Bank Corporation, Bayfield, Colorado; to acquire 100 percent of the voting shares of First National Bank of Lake City & Creede, Lake City, Colorado.

2. First Pioneer Holding, Inc., Denver, Colorado; to become a bank holding company by acquiring 100 percent of the voting shares of First Western Trust Bank, Denver, Colorado (in organization).

In connection with this application, Applicant also has applied to acquire First Western Investment Management, Inc., Denver, Colorado, and thereby engage in investment advisory activities, pursuant to sections 225.28(b)(6)(i) and (ii) of Regulation Y, and James Sprout & Associates, Inc., Fort Collins, Colorado, and thereby engage in investment advisory activities, pursuant to sections 225.28(b)(6)(i) and (ii) of Regulation Y.

In connection with this application, Applicant also has applied to acquire Poudre River Valley Trust Co., Fort Collins, Colorado, and thereby engage in trust company activities, pursuant to section 225.28(b)(5) of Regulation Y.