Pending nods from the Kansas State Bank Commissioner and the Federal Reserve Board, Great Bend-based American State Bank will merge with First National Bank of Holcomb in Holcomb, said Don LacKamp, president and CEO of the holding company American State Bank Shares and vice-chairman of American State Bank and Trust.However, LacKamp said the approval process should be merely a formality since American State has owned the Holcomb institution via its holding company since December 2012. The merger is really just a name change for First National.The deal should be completed by July 18.“We intend to keep the existing staff at the Holcomb facility,” LacKamp said. It will merely become a branch of ASBT.American State has operated a branch in Garden City since 2005.