As we soak up the remaining days of summer, the month of August signals the start of an important time in many households, back-to-school season! While the excitement of a new school year and a fresh start builds, many families are hitting stores, school supply lists in hand. According to the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights and Analytics’ annual back-to-school spending survey, families with children in elementary school through high school are expected to spend an Read More

The Community Bankers Association of Illinois (CBAI) Foundation for Community Banking has selected its 2019 Annual Scholarship Program winners. Now in its 33rd year, the program offers $21,000 to 24 high-school seniors via an essay‑writing contest; $500 is also awarded to the first‑place winner's high school. This year, 88 CBAI member banks representing 235 students statewide, participated in the contest. First Community Bank and Trust is very pleased to announce that Peotone High School Read More

First Community Bank and Trust will be participating in a scholarship competition that enables Illinois high school seniors to enter a statewide essay-writing contest. It is all part of a program sponsored by Illinois community banks and the CBAI Foundation for Community Banking to increase public awareness of locally owned banks and their contributions to the community. First Community Bank and Trust is a member of the Community Bankers Association of Illinois (CBAI) which formed the Foundation Read More

On Friday, November 13th, First Community Bank and Trust Senior Vice President, Karen Burgess and Commercial Loan Officer, Cameron Ohlendorf attended the 13th Annual Community Bankers Symposium hosted at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.  Speakers included Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President and CEO Charles Evans, Chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Jelena McWilliams, and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) Joseph Otting. Topics of the Read More

With Black Friday upon us and Christmas approaching, do you find yourself looking forward to the festivities, but concerned about the impact on your wallet? You are not alone. By doing some planning now, you can simplify your gift giving. Here are ten ways you can enjoy this special time of year and keep spending in check: Food. Consumable items are very popular during the holidays. The recipients may enjoy the product themselves or share it with others when entertaining. Consider Read More

As we think about Halloween costumes and trick-or-treaters, First Community Bank and Trust is focusing on the “treats” that set community banking apart, and keep our customers coming back for more. First, let’s look at some facts. Community bank customers are more successful and satisfied than those of other institutions, outperforming megabanks and online lenders, according to a Federal Reserve small business credit survey. And we do it by staying focused on our customers’ Read More

During the final week of September, six hundred community bankers from across Illinois met in St. Louis, Missouri for CBAI’s 44thAnnual Convention and Expo. First Community Bank and Trust’s Commercial Loan Officer, Cameron Ohlendorf and Vice President, Steve Koehn attended the conference.  “The conference is a great way to keep in touch with friends and colleagues from other banks as well as learn about new opportunities or products that could be valuable to our customers Read More

On Friday, September 14th, First Community Bank and Trust hosted its annual Homecoming Tailgate Party in the parking lot of the bank’s Peotone Financial Center. The much anticipated, free event provides hot dogs, brats, chips, and pop for attendees as well as music, Blue Devil tattoos and a raffle. This year, rain was nowhere in sight and the Blue Devils experienced perfect weather for their homecoming festivities. The ideal weather made this year’s tailgate party one of the most highly Read More