Income Taxes (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Apr. 18, 2014
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Deferred tax asset, net	$ 229,520,000	$ 16,627,000	$ 276,800,000
Net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards	238,400,000
Valuation allowance	3,366,000	51,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Gross	420,000,000	98,300,000
State Tax Credits Benefit Period	5 years
State Tax Credits Carry Forward Period	8 years
Unrecognized Tax Benefits	2,700,000	602,000
Effective income tax rate on unrecognized tax benefits that would impact effective tax rate	1.00%
Recognized benefit in interest	206,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Interest on Income Taxes Expense		24,000
Accrued interest related to unrecognized tax benefits	399,000	193,000
Sterling Financial Corporation [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Unrecognized Tax Benefits	2,000,000
Recognized benefit in interest	128,000
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Valuation allowance	3,400,000
Tax Credit Carryforward, Amount	8,900,000	5,700,000
Foreign Tax Authority [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Valuation allowance	42,000	51,000
Low Income Housing And Alternative Minimum Tax, Tax Credit Carryforward [Member] | Domestic Tax Authority [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Tax Credit Carryforward, Amount	$ 13,000,000	$ 0
Low Income Housing Tax Credit Carryforward [Member] | Domestic Tax Authority [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Tax Credit Carryforward, Carryforward Term	20 years