Most financial institutions approach their clients’ wealth according to the bank’s own lines of business. Most business owners don’t. In fact, by looking at your business financials in isolation, you risk unintended consequences for your personal finances down the line.
At First Western, we understand that for entrepreneurs and business owners, your life is part of your business and your business is part of your life. And so we approach commercial banking from a holistic perspective – not a transactional one – looking at your business as integral to your personal wealth from the start.
This comprehensive approach to business banking services ensures you reach your business and personal goals today and in the future.
Our Approach to Corporate Banking Services
While many financial institutions simply look at their relationships with companies as business banking or lending transactions, we take a relationship-based approach to commercial banking services.
Through our ConnectView process, we look at four dimensions of wealth for your business:
- Relational Wealth – This focuses on the people you care about most, and in your business, that means your key stakeholders – customers, employees, and shareholders.
- Experiential Wealth – This focuses on the stories you tell, such as your company’s history, growth, and legacy.
- Spiritual/Ethical Wealth – This is about the values that guide you, such as your business’s operating principles or your commitment to the community.
- Financial Wealth – This is your company’s assets and liabilities. This dimension of wealth focuses on your corporate banking services, risk management solutions, or loans; and is used to grow the other dimensions of your wealth.
We also consider how your commercial banking services connect with your personal wealth management and banking needs because we understand that every dimension of your wealth connects. For example, the way you incorporate your business will have broad tax implications and could affect how you set up your trusts and wealth plan. If you are getting paid primarily through K-1’s rather than W-2s, this can have a serious impact on how easily you qualify for a mortgage.
By providing integrated business banking services and understanding our entrepreneurial clients’ every dimension of wealth, from a personal and business perspective, we can foresee potential issues before they become problems and provide the best advice.
Commercial Banking Services We Offer
We provide holistic business banking services to support your business’s goals, including:
- Treasury Management & Depository Services – Our commercial banking services help you efficiently and securely manage collections, disbursements, and liquidity.
- Commercial & Business Lending – Our lenders take the time to holistically understand all of your specific needs. Then, we design a loan to help you achieve your business banking goals in context with the rest of your financial picture.
- Retirement & 401(k) Consulting – Our team of fiduciaries and retirement experts help you build a benefits package to recruit and retain great employees.
- Insurance Planning – Our risk management team creatively uses insurance to protect your business, recruit employees, and support succession planning.
- Wealth Management Solutions – Often, business owners and executives have complex finances. We create a wealth plan to support each dimension of your wealth.
Our Commercial Banking Leadership Team
At First Western Trust, our clients are entrepreneurs, executives, and leaders who don’t see money as an end in itself but as a tool to achieve bigger goals and make an impact. That’s where our corporate banking services team sets itself apart. Our leaders deliver a creative, holistic approach to wealth management, deeply rooted in the entrepreneurial spirit of our clients, which leads to unique solutions to meet our clients’ business and personal wealth management needs.
Get to know our business banking leaders:
Gary Lutz
Gary Lutz, president, product groups, and commercial banking, is responsible for growing and leading the company’s teams of commercial banking subject matter experts.
Paula Hendrickson, CFP®
Paula leads our Retirement team and provides consulting services and oversight to all retirement plan clients at First Western Trust.
Don Silversmith
Don Silversmith leads our risk management team where he provides insurance services to high-net-worth individuals as well as businesses.
Greg Guidici
As Manager of Treasury Management, Greg oversees our corporate banking services to help companies effectively collect and disburse funds and manage their liquidity.
Celeste P. Villegas, Esq., CFP®
As Wealth Planning Advisor, Celeste partners with our clients to create and implement a well-thought-out, strategic, purposeful plan that meets their individual, family, and business objectives.
Are you interested in experiencing a more holistic approach to commercial banking? Our teams are available to work with you to develop creative financial solutions that can help position your company for success today and in the future. Connect with our experts by filling out the form below or calling our corporate team at 303.531.8100.