Another strong quarter for Independent Bank Corp., the parent company of Rockland Trust Co., put the bank over $8 billion in assets, inching closer to the $10 billion threshold and therefore more regulatory oversight from the federal government.

“Through our disciplined approach to organic growth and acquisitions in the past year we have grown total loans and net interest income by over 10 percent and core deposits by over nine percent, all while managing expenses in an efficient manner to achieve economies of scale,” Christopher Oddleifson, CEO and president of Independent Bank Corp. and CEO of Rockland Trust Co., said in a statement.

Net income for the second quarter was $20.6 million compared to $20.4 million for the second quarter of 2016. However, excluding merger and acquisitions expenses for the purchase of Island Corp. and its four locations in Martha’s Vineyard, which closed this quarter, net income would have been $22.4 million.

Earnings-per-share in the second quarter was $0.75, down two cents per diluted share at this time in 2016.

Net interest income for the quarter was $63.8 million, up more than $7 million compared to the second quarter of 2016.

Non-interest income totaled $21.4 million for the quarter, up roughly $300,000 from the second quarter in 2016.

Net loans, spurred by more than $155 million in new loans from the Island Corp. acquisition, were over $6.2 billion, up nearly $600 million from this time in 2016.

Small business loans, reaching more than $130 million at the end of this quarter, grew 18.5 percent year-over-year. Residential real estate loans, at almost $750 million, grew 19.26 percent year-over-year, powered by demand for Rockland’s jumbo mortgage product in the greater Boston area.

Commercial real estate, which is the largest part of Rockland’s loan portfolio, also had a good year growing 13 percent from the second quarter of 2016 with a $3.1 billion value.

“Commercial construction had strong closing volumes [this quarter],” said Robert Cozzone, CFO and Treasurer of Independent Bank Corp and CFO of Rockland Trust Co. in a quarterly conference call, adding that the company recently hired five new commercial lenders. “Loan growth is likely to accelerate.”

Commercial and industrial, home equity and total consumer real estate loans also grew, while commercial construction and other consumer loans lost ground from the second quarter of 2016.

During the call, Rockland executives said they have been preparing to cross the $10 billion threshold. Recently, they hired a consumer risk specialist to join their credit portfolio group and expect to do a practice run of the Dodd-Frank Act Stress Test by the end of the year.

Expenses would likely increase by $1 or $2 million annually to comply with the Dodd-Frank Act once Rockland crosses the threshold, executives said.

When asked about a time frame, Cozzone said they are likely two to three years out unless the company makes another acquisition, something that he and Oddleifson seemed open to.

“There are other banks that may raise their hand,” Oddleifson said on the conference call. “We are ready, willing and able to have that conversation.”