Libertyville Bank & Trust Company, N.A. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wintrust Financial Corporation, a financial services holding company, headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois, with assets of approximately $52 billion; it is comprised of 15 separately chartered community banks with over 175 locations throughout Chicagoland, Northwest Indiana and Southeastern Wisconsin and several specialty niche businesses. Five of the 15 banks have branches in Lake County.
The Wintrust banks are run by entrepreneurial management teams with the authority to make decisions locally and react to local market competition. There is on-site control over all services, and the local leadership determines product, pricing, interest rates, personnel, loan approvals and new locations. As a result, bank management teams are able to offer superior customer service, customized products, sharper pricing, quicker decisions, and community involvement.
You have been instrumental in the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership. What does this initiative mean for growth in Lake County?
The Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership (GCEP) is a groundbreaking new partnership with the seven counties in Chicagoland and World Business Chicago. The initiative has formalized our relationship with our counterparts in a meaningful way, allowing us to grow our prominence in the region and on the global stage. It has given us a new voice, platform and opportunities to attract business.
GCEP has also enhanced our data intelligence, providing new tools and insights into Lake County's economic health. A recent deep dive into indicators painted a very favorable picture - Lake County's Gross Domestic Product has grown 9.6% over the past several years. Our number of businesses exceeds pre-pandemic levels, and our unemployment rate is also close to pre-pandemic levels. Forecasts indicate that we can expect to see further upticks in jobs, spending power and growth capital investment in the coming years. Get more data takeaways here.
As a graduate of Lake Forest College, how did the school support your personal and professional growth?
Lake Forest College offered a number of internship opportunities for me during the four years that I attended. Upon graduation, during a difficult economy, the career services team and I stayed close, which eventually lead to my first banking job, and the rest is history…
You are Past President and a current board member of the Goldie Initiative. How does it prepare women for senior leadership roles in commercial real estate?
The Goldie Initiative prepares women for senior leadership in all sectors of commercial real estate. We do this by selecting women with high potential who are committed to becoming leaders industry and offering them a once-in-a-lifetime mentorship and incredible networking opportunities, complete with a financial commitment of $15,000 over two years. Learn more about the Goldie Initiative and Steve's work with the organization here.
