Bank of Bourbonnais

We've been right here growing with the community and its residents who have put their trust in us for all these years. First Nations Bank, formerly known as the First National Bank of Wheaton, was acquired by our group of investors in 1991. At that time, the bank's assets were lingering at the $9 million mark. We made customer service our first priority, expanded the bank's product lines, and further grew by branching to the northwest side of Chicago. With bigger banks, you make a deposit and you don't know where your money goes. In this community bank, that deposit helps you and your neighbors get a loan to buy a home or a car, or to start a local business. The money stays within our community. In 1993, our holding company acquired Bank of Bourbonnais. Through this relationship, we are able to double the amount of FDIC insurance to our customers. First Nations Bank and Bank of Bourbonnais are sister banks maintaining separate charters. Accounts at the sister bank can readily be opened at any branch. Through our commitment to the community, our banks' assets are upwards of $350 million today. Because of our branches, subsidiary companies, and the latest technology, we are able to offer all the banking and investment services available from the largest money-center banks but delivered in a faster, more efficient, and less costly manner to our customers. Nations Wealth Management and Financial Services, Inc. offers discount brokerage, financial/estate planning, 401(k), long-term care insurance, land trust and living trust administration, and related services. Nations Title Company offers all real estate title services and construction escrow funding. Nations Tax Deferred Exchange Corp facilitates 1031 exchanges. Our commitment to our customers includes timesaving financial solutions designed to meet the needs of your business. In fact, we have a wide array of products and services geared toward the entrepreneurial business. Acclaimed for our small business expertise, we are proud to have been ranked the Number One Small Business Lender in the state of Illinois by Entrepreneur Magazine in former years. We are experienced in offering SBA 504 and SBA 7A programs for business startups, plant improvement, expansion, and merger and acquisition. This also leads me to announce that we are two of a select few banks in the state of Illinois that have been approved under the U.S. Treasury's Small Business Lending Fund (SBLF) Program, a joint effort to stimulate the economy and create jobs. In conclusion, I feel our banks have a reputation based on trust, integrity, and viability. This leads to the most important component that a financial institution can generate: loyalty, "the key to success in good times and bad." Florian Barbi