First American Bank Taps Veteran Banker for Chicago Market Push

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill. – May 06, 2026 – First American Bank is intensifying its focus on the lucrative Chicago middle market with the appointment of commercial banking veteran Courtney Joyce as a Vice President. The move signals a strategic effort by the privately held, employee-owned institution to deepen its roots and compete more aggressively in one of the nation's most dynamic business environments.

Joyce, who will be based in the bank’s Orland Park office, joins from Wintrust Commercial Banking, where she spent nearly eight years building relationships with middle market business owners. Her appointment is a clear indicator of First American Bank's strategy: leveraging seasoned talent to reinforce its relationship-driven service model.

A Strategic Hire for a Competitive Arena

Courtney Joyce’s career path gives her a ground-level perspective on the financial needs of mid-sized companies. Having started as a Credit Analyst and advanced through portfolio and relationship management, she brings a holistic understanding of the commercial lending cycle. This experience is precisely what First American believes sets its team apart.

“Courtney understands commercial lending from the ground up,” said Mark E. Kroencke, Executive Vice President and Commercial Division Head at First American Bank. “She brings the kind of practical experience, judgment, and relationship focus that business owners value.”

This hire comes as the bank navigates the fiercely competitive Chicago metropolitan area, the third-largest middle market in the United States. The landscape is crowded with national giants like JPMorgan Chase, regional powerhouses, and specialized investment firms such as William Blair and Baird, all vying for a piece of the action. In this environment, differentiation is key. Research indicates that over half of Chicago’s middle market businesses are actively seeking stronger banking relationships and strategic guidance on financing and growth—a demand First American aims to meet directly.

The ESOP Differentiator: Banking with Owners

First American Bank operates on a distinct model that separates it from its publicly traded competitors. As the largest privately held bank in Illinois, it is structured with an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), meaning its employees are also its owners. This structure is central to its identity and growth strategy.

Joyce herself pointed to this as a primary reason for her move. “I joined First American Bank because the culture is built around local decisions, ownership, and long-term client relationships,” she stated. “That is the kind of environment where I can do my best work for business owners.”

An ESOP structure often fosters a culture of heightened employee engagement and motivation, as personal success is directly tied to the company's performance. For clients, this can translate into more consistent service, lower employee turnover, and a partner who is invested in their long-term success rather than just the next quarterly report. This model enables the bank to offer sophisticated, multi-million-dollar financing solutions while maintaining the personalized attention and local decision-making authority characteristic of a smaller community bank.

Navigating a Shifting Lending Landscape

Joyce’s appointment occurs at a pivotal moment for commercial lending. After a period of tightening credit, banks are beginning to show renewed appetite for lending. As of mid-2025, a significantly smaller percentage of banks reported tightening their lending standards compared to the previous year. This shift comes amid intense competition not just from other banks but from the booming private credit sector, which has grown into a $1.6 trillion global market by capturing a large share of leveraged buyout financing.

In this evolving climate, middle market companies continue to prioritize stability and reliability in their financial partners. While technology and AI are rapidly transforming underwriting and loan processing, the fundamental need for expert human guidance persists. First American's strategy appears to be a hybrid approach: offering the sophisticated treasury management and advisory services of a large institution while leading with the high-touch, relationship-centric service its ESOP model promotes.

A Pattern of Calculated Growth

This strategic hire is not an isolated event but part of a broader, deliberate expansion by First American Bank. With over $8 billion in assets, the bank has steadily grown from its Chicago-area origins to establish a significant presence in Wisconsin and Florida. This expansion has been fueled by both organic growth and strategic acquisitions, such as the 2017 purchase of Southport Financial in Wisconsin and the 2019 acquisition of Miami-based Continental National Bank.

The bank is also investing in its future talent pipeline through initiatives like its Commercial Analyst Training Program, a six-month immersive course designed to cultivate the next generation of commercial bankers. By bringing in experienced leaders like Joyce while simultaneously developing new talent, First American is building a sustainable foundation for long-term growth in its key markets.

Joyce's role will involve helping business owners navigate their lending needs and connecting them to the bank’s full suite of services. Her community involvement, including her role as Treasurer for Park Lawn, a nonprofit serving individuals with developmental disabilities, further aligns with the bank's ethos of local commitment and deep-seated community relationships. As First American Bank continues to press its advantages in the Chicago market, the addition of experienced, relationship-focused bankers like Courtney Joyce will be central to its success.