FirstBank Holding Co
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Financial services |
| Founded | 1963 |
| Founder | George Williams, Everett Williams |
| Headquarters | Lakewood , United States |
Area served | Colorado, Arizona, formerly California |
Key people | Roger Reisher (founding president) |
Number of employees | Up to 1,400 (headquarters capacity) |
FirstBank Holding Company (commonly known as 1stBank) is a privately owned financial institution in the United States, operating more than 100 branches predominantly across Colorado and Arizona. Established in 1963, its corporate headquarters are located in Lakewood, Colorado.
History
The origins of FirstBank trace back to 1963 when George and Everett Williams founded First Westland National Bank in Lakewood, Colorado. Early board members featured Ira C. Rothgerber Jr. and William Johnson, partners at the Denver law firm Rothgerber, Appel and Powers (currently Lewis Roca). Roger Reisher held the position of founding president for an extensive tenure of 36 years.
Throughout the 1970s, FirstBank broadened its presence within Colorado by opening branches in areas such as Vail and Wheat Ridge. In 1978, the institution unified its operations under the FirstBank name. The bank ventured outside Colorado for the first time in 1985 by establishing a branch in Palm Desert, California, eventually managing four branches in that state until they were acquired by California Bank & Trust in 2024. The expansion into Arizona began in 2007 as part of its ongoing regional growth plan.
Operations
Headquartered at 12345 W. Colfax Avenue in Lakewood, Colorado, FirstBank is a Member FDIC institution. In June 2016, the company enhanced its headquarters by developing a 227,000-square-foot campus capable of supporting up to 1,400 staff members. February 2020 marked the introduction of its Multicultural Banking Center in Lakewood, designed to provide services in Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Korean, and Vietnamese to better address the needs of diverse communities.
Philanthropy
Since 2010, FirstBank has collaborated with Community First Foundation to spearhead Colorado Gives Day, an annual 24-hour online fundraising campaign that has generated over $400 million for nonprofit organizations across Colorado. This philanthropic effort expanded nationally with the launch of Arizona Gives Day in 2013 and Coachella Valley Giving Day in 2023. The bank’s commitment to corporate social responsibility was honored with the Corporate Citizenship award presented by Governor John Hickenlooper in 2016.