18
Wisconsin Community Banker
July/August 2014
Headquarters Expansion Supports Downtown
Economic Growth
OCONOMOWOC—Serving south-
eastern Wisconsin since 1859, First
Bank Financial Centre (FBFC) has
grown its commercial and retail loan
business to originate more than $1
billion in the past three years. During
that time, it has also added six new
locations, including a second branch
in Brookfield slated to open this
summer.
The bank’s surge in lending, foot-
print growth, and subsequent increase
in employees (now totaling more than
200) necessitated a 25,000-square-foot
addition to its 36,000-square-foot
headquarters at 155 W. Wisconsin
Ave. in Oconomowoc. According to
the bank’s president, the project is a
testament to the institution’s commu-
nity banking values.
“We approach everything on a local
basis. We know our customers indi-
vidually and are focused on delivering
high quality service and meeting their
specific financial needs. And, we hire
leading talent whose leadership and
involvement in our communities con-
tributes to our growth and success,”
said Mark W. Mohr, president and
CEO of First Bank Financial Centre.
“We’re a bank that uses local deposits
to fund local businesses that in turn
contribute to the vitality and quality of
life in the areas we serve.”
Program Aids Main Streets
In 2013, FBFC became Wisconsin’s
number one SBA Lender overall and,
with $160 million in small business
loans, the bank notched its second
largest lending year in company his-
tory. Among community banks in the
state, it ranked in the top five percent
in total mortgage volume last year
and has been the top community
bank SBA originator for the past five
years.
To help encourage the revitaliza-
tion of main streets and local down-
towns, in 2010 the bank established
a Business Loan Pool Program that
provides low interest funding to area
businesses. The program is now avail-
able in six communities — Brook-
field, Mequon, Grafton, Hartland,
Menomonee Falls, and Oconomowoc
— and has led to the opening, expan-
sion, or improvement of nearly two
dozen businesses.
In addition to increased lending,
last winter the bank began offering its
customers a more robust portfolio of
financial planning services and insur-
ance products through Summit Street
Wealth Management.
And, this August the bank is grow-
ing its presence in the western suburbs
of Elm Grove and Wauwatosa with
Employees Have Confidence in President/CEO
Mark W. Mohr is a banking veteran who has been president and CEO of
First Bank Financial Centre (FBFC) since 2007. He is a member of the board
of directors of Oconomowoc Bancshares, Inc., the bank’s holding company,
and FBFC. Headquartered in Oconomowoc and serving southeastern Wis-
consin, FBFC has assets of $808 million.
Mohr has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services
industry and previously spent six years as president and CEO of Monona
State Bank. Prior to that, he was with St. Francis Bank as senior vice president,
consumer lending group. He also spent time with Firstar Bank in various
executive positions.
He earned his bachelor of business administration degree in accounting
from St. Norbert College in De Pere and his MBA from the University of
Wisconsin-Madison. In June Mohr
received the Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel’s Leadership Award in the
midsize company category. The award
recognizes the president/CEO of the
company whose employees respond
most favorably to the survey ques-
tion: “I have confidence in the leader
of this organization.”
Mohr serves on a number of
boards and is a director and treasurer
for the Oconomowoc Area Chamber
of Commerce, director and finance
chair for Rogers Memorial Hospital,
and a director for ProHealth Care. He
is also actively involved in the com-
munity, recently volunteering for the
Wisconsin Breast Cancer Showhouse
and last fall joining FBFC employees
to purchase and pack Thanksgiving
meals for local families.
