▁& ▁Lo an ▁Association ▁to ▁Ocean ▁First ▁Bank . ▁ ▁Ocean First ▁completed ▁its ▁initial ▁public ▁offering ▁( IP O ) ▁converting ▁from ▁mut ual ▁to ▁stock ▁ownership ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁which ▁included ▁establish ing ▁a ▁holding ▁company . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁Ocean First ▁ ▁became ▁a ▁bank ▁holding ▁company , ▁Ocean First ▁Fin an cial ▁Cor p , ▁and ▁ ▁the ▁company ▁completed ▁the ▁conversion ▁of ▁its ▁char ter ▁from ▁a ▁federal ▁sav ings ▁bank ▁to ▁a ▁national ▁commercial ▁bank . ▁ ▁Business ▁expansion ▁ ▁Ocean First ▁Fin an cial ▁Cor p . ▁en hanced ▁it ' s ▁organ ic ▁growth ▁efforts ▁with ▁ac quis itions ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁ ▁Since ▁then , ▁it ▁has ▁completed ▁de als ▁to ▁ac quire ▁ 6 ▁different ▁financial ▁institutions ▁in ▁ ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁Philadelphia , ▁and ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁First ▁was ▁the ▁ac quisition ▁of ▁Col onial ▁American ▁Bank ▁on ▁July ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁Then , ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁it ▁agreed ▁to ▁buy ▁Cape ▁Ban cor p , ▁Inc . ▁which ▁was ▁a ▁bank ▁with ▁ 2 2 ▁branches ▁and ▁five ▁lo ans ▁offices , ▁for ▁$ 1 9 6 ▁million . ▁ ▁On ▁November ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Ocean First ▁Fin an cial ▁Cor p . ▁acquired , ▁for ▁$ 1 4 6 ▁million , ▁Ocean ▁Sh ore ▁Hold ing ▁Co