First Business Bank

Our Company

The bank built for business.

First Business Bank Madison office building

The First Business-focused Bank in the Midwest

There’s a reason we’re called First Business Bank.

Founder Jerry Smith reinvented banking over thirty years ago, launching a business-focused bank that addressed the unique needs of business owners. 

By employing bankers and entrepreneurs, each with expertise in their clients’ business, Jerry sparked an idea that each of our now 300+ employees holds close. A client focus leads to expertise, which leads to client success. Your success.

Making Banking For Businesses Easy

Experience. The Advantage. Your Advantage.

The groundwork laid by our founder, Jerry Smith, and his associates more than 30 years ago continues to provide stable footing for us today. 

While we’ve grown to a publicly traded company with over $2 billion in assets and expanded to include Private Wealth, Specialty Finance, and Bank Consulting, we’ve never wavered from our mission: be the experts our clients deserve. 

Experience The Advantage of First Business Bank

The Personal Side of Business Banking

We create value by living our values.

We Listen First
We ask a lot of questions and always put people first, building long-lasting relationships and learning more every day.
We Help Clients Succeed
Our best days at work are when we guide clients to successful results. We return phone calls. We find solutions. It’s a responsibility that transcends roles and titles.
We Aspire to be Good People
We reward kindness and honest feedback. We make time for our families and contribute to our communities.

The People Behind Better Banking For Businesses

Meet the people guiding our client focus and tailored commercial banking services. 

Giving Back To Our Communities

We want to create a wealth of good in the world.

Recently named an “Outstanding Business” by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, we’ve donated thousands of hours and supported over 500 organizations in the last year. 

Community Reinvestment Act (CRA)

At First Business Bank, we take pride in actively participating in our communities. The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) ensures we provide fair access to credit and banking services for all, including those with lower incomes. We embrace this mission by making our CRA public file readily available, providing transparency so you can see how we uphold our commitment. When banks meet their obligations, it strengthens our local economies and creates opportunities for everyone.

What our Clients Say

Benchmarking our performance to continuously improve

At First Business Bank, we strive to be better tomorrow than we are today. Our annual client survey, conducted by a third party, gauges overall client satisfaction, how likely clients are to recommend us, and asks for ways to improve. One result – Net Promoter Score (NPS) – allows us to compare our performance to that of other leading financial institutions. The results across both speak for themselves.

nps score customer satisfaction score

The Results of Our Commitment

We appreciate the awards and recognition we receive for our commitment to clients, employees, and the communities in which we live and work.

Top Workplaces USA Award

Awarded by Energage, 2022-2024

IB Executive Choice Award Winner - Business Bank

Awarded by In Business magazine, 2023

IB Executive Choice Award Finalist - Wealth Management

Awarded by In Business magazine, 2023

Member Of The Sm-All Stars List

Inclusion by Piper Sandler, 2013, 2021, 2023, 2024

Milwaukee, WI Top Workplaces Award

Awarded by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2023

Madison, WI Top Workplaces Award

Awarded by WI State Journal, 2022-2023

#2 Best Bank With $1B to $5B Total Assets & #5 Best Bank

Ranking Banking, Awarded by Bank Director Magazine, 2023

9 Culture Excellence Awards

Awarded by Energage, 2022-2023

Best Places To Work Award

Awarded by Milwaukee Business Journal, 2016, 2018-2021, 2023

AHA Workplace Health Achievement Index

Silver Recognition, 2019-2020, 2022

Leading the Way Award

Awarded by United Way of Dane County, 2022

Collaboration Award

Awarded by United Way of Dane County, 2022

Financial Services Industry Award

Awarded by Energage, 2022-2023

5-Star Rated

Awarded by BauerFinancial, 2022-2023

People's Choice Favorite for Wealth Management

Awarded by Madison.com, 2021-2022

news paper and coffee cup on a table

Newsroom

Find the latest press releases and news about First Business Bank, our board members, and our employees.

Investor Relations

First Business Financial Services and FBIZ Stock

First Business Financial Services, Inc. (Nasdaq: FBIZ) is the proud parent company of First Business Bank, providing shared corporate services to the entire organization. Our investor relations site offers earnings releases, presentations, financials, and more. 

investment charts computer

Join A Team Committed To Client Success

Are you passionate about helping businesses and people? You’ll be right at home with our team.

Insights to Guide Banking for Businesses

As a business-focused bank working all day, every day with business leaders, we discuss what’s effective in successful businesses through our First Business Bank podcast, articles, and our blog.

Article: Weekly Economic Update

Article

Weekly Economic Update

The Weekly Economic Activity Report is your guide to the latest economic insights and banking trends from our seasoned Bank
a group of business professionals sitting around a table

Article

Using SBA Loans For Business Acquisitions

Discover how the SBA 7(a) loan program facilitates business acquisitions with flexible terms, low down payments, and federal guarantees. Learn
stu vendor finance section179

Article

The Advantage of Section 179 for Business Equipment Financing

If you buy or finance equipment for your business, you’ll want to be familiar with Section 179 of the U.S.

Partner With The Business Bank Experts

You deserve business-focused banking that puts your success first.