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First Aboutus Timeline

Our Mission

To provide a premium finance experience so efficient and valuable that our partners and their insureds promote and champion us as FIRST in the insurance industry.

Our Vision

To be the FIRST choice for premium finance and financial solutions that support our partners’ goals and growth.

Our Values

Flexibility to meet our clients’ needs

Innovation in our products and services

Reputation for industry expertise and integrity

Service professionals that say YES, whenever possible

Teamwork that drives efficiency and productivity

Our Culture

FIRST is an industry leader, built on a culture of ingenuity and inclusion. We come from diverse backgrounds, united to go above and beyond for our partners and one another — and we have fun doing it!

Our Values

 Flexibility to meet our clients’ needs

 Innovation in our products and services

 Reputation for industry expertise and integrity

 Service professionals that say YES, whenever possible

Teamwork that drives efficiency and productivity

Our Culture

FIRST is an industry leader, built on a culture of ingenuity and inclusion. We come from diverse backgrounds, united to go above and beyond for our partners and one another — and we have fun doing it!

Our Beginning

 

In 1991, Ed Wehmer opened a small storefront community bank in a northern Chicago suburb with the idea of reimagining what a banking experience could be. Around the same time, Frank Burke also helped start a young company, FIRST Insurance Funding (FIRST), that was reimagining premium financing. A few years later, in 1996, the two and a handful of other community banks Ed helped open merged to form Wintrust.

For more than 30 years, FIRST has offered industry-leading premium finance services in the U.S., including Puerto Rico and Canada. But that relationship with Wintrust helps give us one of our biggest differentiators.

Our tie to Wintrust allows us to offer our partners complete financial solutions. We can provide perpetuation and acquisition lending, treasury management solutions, corporate plan services, capital leasing, and life insurance premium financing. We truly understand how to serve independent, middle to upper market insurance agents, brokers, and their business clients, and we can provide a full range of services that other premium financing companies can’t.

Frank and Ed

Wintrust Founder & CEO Edward J. Wehmer (left) and FIRST Chairman Frank Burke (right) in the early days. Ed and Frank are credited with the foundational work that created the Wintrust and FIRST we recognize today.

Frank and Ed
Frank and Ed

Wintrust Founder & CEO Edward J. Wehmer (left) and FIRST Chairman Frank Burke (right) in the early days. Ed and Frank are credited with the foundational work that created the Wintrust and FIRST we recognize today.

Our Beginning

 

In 1991, Ed Wehmer opened a small storefront community bank in a northern Chicago suburb with the idea of reimagining what a banking experience could be. Around the same time, Frank Burke also helped start a young company, FIRST Insurance Funding (FIRST), that was reimagining premium financing. A few years later, in 1996, the two and a handful of other community banks Ed helped open merged to form Wintrust.

For more than 30 years, FIRST has offered industry-leading premium finance services in the U.S., including Puerto Rico and Canada. But that relationship with Wintrust helps give us one of our biggest differentiators.

Our tie to Wintrust allows us to offer our partners complete financial solutions. We can provide perpetuation and acquisition lending, treasury management solutions, corporate plan services, capital leasing, and life insurance premium financing. We truly understand how to serve independent, middle to upper market insurance agents, brokers, and their business clients, and we can provide a full range of services that other premium financing companies can’t.

About FIRST

ONE OF THE LARGEST premium finance companies in North America

CUSTOMIZED rates and terms for P&C lines

More than 30 YEARS in business

Headquartered in CHICAGO, IL

More than 35 relationship managers across the nation

INTEGRATION to fit your needs

OVER $14 BILLION in annual loan volume

Best in class CUSTOMER SERVICE

Authorized to do business in 50 STATES, CANADA, GUAM, PR & USVI

Industry-leading TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

Backed by WINTRUST, a more than $59 billion holding company

       ONE OF THE LARGEST premium finance companies in North America

       More than 30 YEARS in business

       More than 35 relationship managers across the nation

       OVER $14 BILLION in annual loan volume

       Authorized to do business in 50 STATES, CANADA, GUAM, PR & USVI

       Backed by WINTRUST, a more than $59 billion holding company

       CUSTOMIZED rates and terms for P&C lines

       Headquartered in CHICAGO, IL

       INTEGRATION to fit your needs

       Best in class CUSTOMER SERVICE

       Industry-leading TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

ONE OF THE LARGEST premium finance companies in North America

More than 30 YEARS in business

More than 35 relationship managers across the nation

OVER $14 BILLION in annual loan volume

Authorized to do business in 50 STATES, CANADA, GUAM, PR & USVI

Backed by WINTRUST, a more than $59 billion holding company

CUSTOMIZED rates and terms for P&C lines

Headquartered in CHICAGO, IL

INTEGRATION to fit your needs

Best in class CUSTOMER SERVICE

Industry-leading TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

Our Timeline

Our Community Involvement

We work hard to support local organizations and national causes, including March of Dimes, Catholic charities, Ronald McDonald House charities, Habitat for Humanity, and the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation.

Our Community Involvement

We work hard to support local organizations and national causes, including March of Dimes, Catholic charities, Ronald McDonald House charities, Habitat for Humanity, and the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation.

Our Community Involvement

We work hard to support local organizations and national causes, including March of Dimes, Catholic charities, Ronald McDonald House charities, Habitat for Humanity, and the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation.