About Us

Founded in 1909, The First Trust and Savings Bank of Watseka has weathered a number of historical events with area residents – events such as World War I, World War II, The Great Depression and The Great Recession. Through it all, The First Trust and Savings Bank points with pride to the fact that it has consistently grown to better meet the needs of its customers.

  
Bauer Small

Another way we might evaluate these 110+ years is in terms of growth. The bank was originally capitalized with $93,750 and by December 2021 had capital in excess of $43,000,000 and assets exceeding $300,000,000. The First Trust and Savings Bank is routinely recognized as one of America’s strongest banks by national bank rating firms. Specifically, First Trust has earned the "5-Star Superior" rating for 85 consecutive quarters by BauerFinancial, Inc., the nation's leading bank rating and research firm.

During 1993, The First Trust and Savings Bank created a bank holding company, First Trust Holdings, Inc. Also in 1993, The First National Bank of Clifton joined the Bank Holding Company. In December 2004 the two banks merged into The First Trust and Savings Bank.

Through the Bank’s Trust Department, we are able to additionally serve customers with their wealth and financial management. With a team of experts, the bank assists in estate planning; farm and asset management; and in other fiduciary capacities.

At The First Trust and Savings Bank, we believe that banking is personal and relationships are valued. It is important to take the time to visit with you about the many issues that affect your finances and your future. Our objective is to match you with the product and service that is right for your needs, from checking and savings accounts to mortgages, ag and business loans. Your financial well-being is our top priority. That’s why we offer a number of different packages of products and services to simplify the process of managing your money. We’ll assist you in finding the right combination of services to help you meet your specific financial needs today and in the future. You can always Trust Us First to provide you with the very best financial services available as well as maintaining a standard of quality and integrity that people welcome. We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to serve your financial needs!

Our Mission Statement

Our mission as a locally owned and operated financial institution is to create customer satisfaction and trust, thereby enhancing shareholder value through a team of professionals committed to product and service excellence.

Our Vision

Helping People Succeed

Our Values

  • We put our customers first
  • We are professionals
  • We respect each other
  • We work as one team
  • We are committed to excellence and continuous improvement
  

A Letter from Our President

It is my sincere pleasure to welcome you to The First Trust and Savings Bank, a financial institution that has been known and trusted for over 100 years. We hope you find the information on our website to be helpful, and we invite you to experience our “community banking” commitment first-hand by meeting members of our “First Team”.

First Trust has been built upon the reputation of providing outstanding customer service in the most convenient, professional, friendly and caring manner possible.

The “5 Star” Bank Rating we treasure goes well beyond our financial strength. It includes being a community-focused bank, where every customer matters and also by having the ability, the tools, and the expertise to aid you in your financial success.

There truly is a difference at First Trust. We guarantee you will love our high-quality financial products, which include banking and wealth management services that, combined with our relationship approach, deliver financial solutions from people you know and trust.

Thank you for your interest in us. Our Vision is “Helping People Succeed” and we want to be your partner in achieving your financial goals.


Kerry A. Bell
President & Chief Executive Officer

 

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