UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

_______________________

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):

January 16, 2009

FIRST BUSEY CORPORATION

 

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (217) 365-4516

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

 

On Friday, January 16, 2009, the Registrant issued a press release announcing its Board of Directors’ approval of the first dividend of 2009. The dividend of $0.20 per share will be paid on Friday, January 30, 2009, to shareholders of record on January 27, 2009.

 

The press release is made part of this Form and is attached as Exhibit 99.1.

 

Note: the information in this report (including the exhibit) is furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, or incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing. This report will not be deemed a determination or an admission as to the materiality of any information in the report that is required to be disclosed solely by Regulation FD.

 

 

ITEM 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

 

99.1         Press Release, dated January 16, 2009.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

By: /s/ Barbara J. Harrington

 

 

 

 

January 16, 2009

 

 

First Busey Corporation Announces First 2009 Dividend

 

URBANA, IL – The Board of Directors of First Busey Corporation (“Busey”) (NASDAQ: BUSE) announced the approval of the first quarter dividend payment of 2009. A dividend of $0.20 per share will be paid on January 30, 2009, to shareholders of record as of January 27, 2009.

“We are pleased to have completed our 14^th consecutive year of dividend growth,” said Van A. Dukeman, President and Chief Executive Officer. During 2008, Busey declared dividends of $0.80 per share, up 3.9% from $0.77 per share declared in 2007. “Despite a challenging economic environment, we continue to provide value to our shareholders through our dividend.”

 

First Busey Corporation is a $4.4 billion financial holding company headquartered in Urbana, Illinois. First Busey Corporation has two wholly-owned banks with locations in three states. Busey Bank is headquartered in Champaign, Illinois, and has forty-five banking centers serving downstate Illinois. Busey Bank has a banking center in Indianapolis, Indiana, and a loan production office in Fort Myers, Florida. Busey Bank has total assets of $4.0 billion. Busey Bank, N.A. is headquartered in Fort Myers, Florida, with eight banking centers serving southwest Florida. Busey Bank, N.A. has total assets of $451.0 million.

 

Busey Wealth Management is a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Busey Corporation. Through Busey Trust Company, Busey Wealth Management delivers trust, asset management, retail brokerage and insurance products and services. Busey Wealth Management has approximately $3.8 billion in assets under care.

 

First Busey Corporation owns a retail payment processing subsidiary, FirsTech, Inc., which processes over 27 million transactions per year through online bill payments, lockbox processing and walk-in payments through its 4,000 agent locations in 36 states.

 

Busey provides electronic delivery of financial services through our website. For more information, visit www.busey.com.

 

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Contact:

Barbara Harrington, CFO

217.365.4516 or barb.harrington@busey.com