Wintrust Financial
| Company type | Public company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Financial services |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Founder | Ed Wehmer |
| Headquarters | Rosemont, Illinois , United States |
Area served | Northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin |
Key people | Tim Crane (CEO and President), David Dykstra (Vice Chairman and COO) |
| Products | Consumer and corporate banking, insurance, investment banking, mortgage lending, private banking, private equity, wealth management, credit card services, financial analytics |
| Revenue | $2.16 billion (2023) |
| $622.63 million (2023) | |
| Total assets | $56.26 billion (2023) |
Number of employees | 5,521 (2023) |
| Website | wintrust |
Wintrust is a financial holding company headquartered in the United States, operating 15 chartered community banks throughout northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Recognized as a mid-sized banking entity, it is publicly traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker WTFC. Wintrust holds the position of the second largest banking institution within Chicago.
Established in 1991 by entrepreneur Ed Wehmer, the company is based in Rosemont, Illinois. Leadership includes CEO and President Tim Crane alongside Vice Chairman and COO David Dykstra. Wintrust provides a broad array of products and services, encompassing consumer and corporate banking, insurance offerings, investment banking, mortgage lending, private banking, private equity, wealth management, credit card services, and financial analytics.
For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023, Wintrust reported revenues totaling $2.16 billion with net earnings of $622.63 million, while its total assets amounted to $56.26 billion. The firm employs 5,521 full-time staff members and maintained a BBB+ credit rating from Fitch as of the end of 2023.
Wintrust’s business model capitalizes on its robust regional footprint to deliver tailored financial solutions to its target clientele. The company’s strategic direction emphasizes increasing market share and fostering growth through both acquisitions and organic expansion within its core sectors.
Services
Wintrust provides a comprehensive suite of services including traditional retail and commercial banking, wealth management, commercial and life insurance premium financing, along with treasury management solutions such as payroll and billing data processing. Since 2015, the company has broadened its offerings to include equipment financing via bank branches and dealer partnerships.
History
Founded by Ed Wehmer, Wintrust secured funding from the U.S. Treasury's Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) during the 2008 financial crisis. Utilizing pre-crisis capital augmented by TARP resources, Wintrust acquired several small distressed banks in the Chicago region, enabling cost reductions and expanding its local presence to become one of the largest retail banks in that market. The company continues to pursue growth within this geographic area.
In 2018, Wintrust expanded by acquiring Veterans First Mortgage, a Utah-based company with approximately 400 employees. The following year saw further growth through the acquisitions of Rush-Oak Corporation (parent company of Oak Bank), which had assets totaling $201 million, and STC Bancshares Corp., owner of STC Capital Bank with about $275 million in assets.
In 2021, Hinsdale Bank—a Wintrust subsidiary—launched Oak Park Bank in a historic location and later opened a second branch within the village.
In 2022, Wintrust announced it would acquire Rothschild & Co’s U.S. asset management division, which managed roughly $8 billion in assets at that time.
On August 1, 2024, Wintrust finalized its merger with Macatawa Bank Corporation based in Holland, Michigan, thereby extending its operational reach and market presence internationally.
Community banks
Unlike most large U.S. banks that rebrand acquisitions, Wintrust maintains the original identities of its community bank subsidiaries while uniting them under the collective tagline "A Wintrust Community Bank." This strategy fosters local brand loyalty and market influence across its network of 15 chartered banks:
- Barrington Bank & Trust Company, N.A. (Hanover Park, Hoffman Estates, Palatine)
- Beverly Bank & Trust Company, N.A. (Brighton Park, Evergreen Park, Hyde Park, Oak Lawn, Pullman)
- Crystal Lake Bank & Trust Company, N.A. (Algonquin, Cary, McHenry)
- Hinsdale Bank & Trust Company, N.A. (Clarendon Hills, Downers Grove, Western Springs, Willowbrook, Lemont, Oak Park, Proviso, Riverside, Suburban)
- Lake Forest Bank & Trust Company, N.A. (Highwood-Fort Sheridan, Highland Park, North Chicago, Waukegan, Wintrust Banking Center)
- Libertyville Bank & Trust Company, N.A. (Gurnee, Mundelein, Vernon Hills, Wauconda)
- Northbrook Bank & Trust Company, N.A. (Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Glenview, Northview)
- Old Plank Trail Community Bank, N.A. (Dyer; Illinois First National; Joliet; Markham; Orland Park; Shorewood; South Holland)
- St. Charles Bank & Trust Company, N.A. (Aurora; Elgin State Bank; Geneva)
- Schaumburg Bank & Trust Company, N.A. (Addison; Bloomingdale; Elk Grove Village; Roselle; Wood Dale)
- State Bank of the Lakes, N.A.
- Town Bank, N.A.
- Village Bank & Trust Company
- Wheaton Bank & Trust Company (Bolingbrook; Glen Ellyn; Naperville)
- Wintrust Bank (Evanston Community Bank & Trust and North Shore Community Bank & Trust)
This decentralized organizational structure strengthens Wintrust’s competitive positioning by preserving strong local market engagement while benefiting from centralized oversight of financial performance and strategic governance at its headquarters.
Subsidiaries
Prominent non-banking subsidiaries consist of:
- Great Lakes Advisors, LLC
- The Chicago Trust Company
- First Insurance Funding
- Tricom, Inc.
- Wintrust Investments, LLC
- Wintrust Information Technology Services Company
- Wintrust Mortgage – operating as a division of Barrington Bank & Trust Company N.A.
Marketing
Wintrust utilizes targeted sports affiliations to boost its brand recognition. Serving as the official banking partner of the Chicago Cubs, the company sponsors the left-field Daktronics ProStar video display at Wrigley Field. After Cubs victories, the "W" in "Wintrust" lights up, enhancing brand impact through fan interaction.
Moreover, Wintrust has secured naming rights for club seating at Rate Field in collaboration with the Chicago White Sox, further solidifying its footprint within Chicago’s sports landscape.