Each day is an opportunity to reinvent ourselves, our businesses, and our communities. That ambitious spirit and willingness to change drives the best businesses of today and creates the strongest communities of tomorrow.
President and CEO, Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago
Chairman of the Board of Directors, The Stephenson National Bank & Trust
Our products, solutions, and services meet the needs of our members and the communities they serve. The value we deliver to our members is—and always will be—the cornerstone of who we are as a cooperative.
Sustainable growth
Exceptional member experience
Diverse team
Reliable solutions
Community and social impact
Our members and communities in Illinois and Wisconsin face new challenges every day. That's why we continue to develop solutions to help you adapt and flourish, as well as hone our existing products and processes to make them more responsive to your needs. As a member-owned cooperative, we move with you.
First Midwest Bank is a relationship-focused financial institution committed to helping clients achieve financial success in communities across metropolitan Chicago, southeast Wisconsin, northwest Indiana, central and western Illinois, and eastern Iowa. Membership with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago) has enabled First Midwest to offer a wider range of funding solutions to meet its clients’ individual needs. This includes the competitive AHP, DPP, and most recently, the Community Small Business Advance.
"Our partnership with FHLBank Chicago helps us provide economically favorable lending services to eligible clients," said James Hotchkiss, Executive Vice President and Treasurer, First Midwest Bank. "FHLBank Chicago’s products and services give us the flexibility to offer a range of options that meet our clients’ individual funding needs and can impact the quality of life of our clients in the communities in which they live and work."
James Hotchkiss, Executive Vice President and Treasurer, First Midwest Bank
Through FHLBank Chicago advance products, members like First Midwest can access a range of structures to meet their specific funding needs. “Advance products are an important option and source of funding for us,” said Hotchkiss. “We utilize advances to accomplish certain risk management objectives and strategies by reducing our exposure to the variability in cash outflows related to funding.”
In July 2019, FHLBank Chicago’s collateral eligibility requirements were updated, making funding solutions even more flexible and accessible to members like First Midwest. “FHLBank Chicago has been a great partner in helping us optimize our collateral,” Hotchkiss added. “These changes have increased our collateral value, provided us with additional funding capacity, and improved our liquidity ratios.”
FHLBank Chicago offers a variety of competitively priced funding options to give our members and their clients the flexibility they need to thrive in an ever-changing environment. At year-end 2019, advances outstanding were $50.5 billion.
Insurance companies strive to offer personalized solutions to their customers to help them find cost-effective ways to protect their property, lifestyle, and financial well-being. However, due to fluctuating liquidity and limited income opportunities, they may be constrained in what they can offer. With the help of FHLBank Chicago, insurance company members can focus on providing the most attractive offerings to their clients.
“Through membership with FHLBank Chicago, our insurance company members have more flexibility to provide customized solutions to their clients,” said Roger Platt, Managing Director, Institutional Sales, FHLBank Chicago. “Our Sales, Strategy, and Solutions team partners with insurance company members to design individual strategies and analysis.”
Roger Platt, Managing Director, Institutional Sales, FHLBank Chicago
“We have an experienced team and a long history of helping members achieve their goals of positively impacting their customers' lives and communities,” added Sanaz Maleki, Senior Associate Director, Institutional Sales, FHLBank Chicago.
Sanaz Maleki, Senior Associate Director, Institutional Sales, FHLBank Chicago
In addition to offering customized strategies and solutions, the Federal Home Loan Banks host an annual Insurance Conference, specifically designed for key decision makers and prominent voices in the insurance industry. The 2020 FHLBank Insurance Conference is being held on June 22 and 23 in Chicago, Illinois. At year-end 2019, FHLBank Chicago insurance company members had $19.6 billion advances outstanding and are a growing segment of our membership.
In 2019, FHLBank Chicago’s Community First® Disaster Relief Program provided $265,000 in grants to support reconstruction efforts in Wisconsin and Illinois counties affected by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding. One of these communities, the small town of Elcho, was devastated by violent storms that blew a 15- by 20-mile path through Wisconsin’s North Woods in July. Thousands of trees and hundreds of buildings were damaged, and residents were without power for several days. Antigo-based CoVantage Credit Union was unable to open its Elcho branch due to the outage, but its staff still went to work—assisting the local fire department with more than 320 hours of volunteer time conducting welfare checks, clearing debris, delivering water, and serving food, as well as an additional 100 hours of staff time assisting members with grant applications.
Soon, the credit union was also working on a special reduced-rate loan program for members recovering from the damage. In addition, through the Community First Disaster Relief Program, CoVantage was able to expand its storm relief efforts by distributing grant funds to individuals and small business owners. “In the wake of the storms, our community was struggling financially and emotionally,” said Charlie Zanayed, President and CEO, CoVantage Credit Union. “The Disaster Relief Program was a way we could provide assistance to those who had damage, debris, and replacement costs, many of whom were low-income families or local businesses.”
Through the Community First Disaster Relief Program, our member institutions distribute grants to eligible households and businesses within FEMA-declared disaster areas in our district. Since the creation of the program in November 2013, we have distributed over $1.6 million in disaster relief grants across Illinois and Wisconsin.
“The Community First Disaster Relief Program does many things,” said Zanayed. “For some, it allows safe access to their homes; for others, it funds repairs so their business can fully function. This program allows people and families to take a much-needed step toward financial security in the wake of a disaster.”
Charlie Zanayed, President and CEO, CoVantage Credit Union
Director of the Graaskamp Center for Real Estate, University of Wisconsin–Madison
As a cooperative, we are dedicated to delivering the highest value to our members and providing a seamless borrowing experience when you transact with the Bank. This past year was an exciting time of discovery as cross-department teams identified how we can improve your borrowing experience by reducing processing time, enhancing eBanking, and expanding our offering of the products available to transact online. By rethinking our core business practices, improving our processes, and delivering innovative solutions to our members faster, we are transforming the ways we support your businesses.
Throughout the year, teams participated in process reviews, walking through day-to-day routines to explore how these methods could evolve to better support our members. Similar work took place in the MPF Program, as they began identifying ways to enhance MPF Program products and processes in support of Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) nationwide.
View our video to hear from our employees on their experience with these initiatives thus far. We look forward to the continued, exciting work ahead!
In 2019, our philanthropic volunteer group, CommuniTeam, continued to create and facilitate opportunities for employees to get involved and give back. One of the group’s most popular initiatives is the volunteer dates it organizes at the Ronald McDonald House, a charity that provides lodging to families of hospitalized children. Dozens of employees throughout the Bank, including our Executive Team members, jumped at the opportunity to cook lunch, bake cookies, and bring joy to these deserving families when they need it most. The partnership between CommuniTeam and Ronald McDonald House is continuing in 2020, with many employees eager to lend a helping hand.
We’re all in this together. At FHLBank Chicago, we believe that when we recognize how our differences make us stronger, when we give everyone a chance to be heard and succeed, and when we lend a hand to bring local families’ and businesses’ goals within reach, we make our district a better place to work and live.
Since it first opened in 1962, Town and Country Bank—a community bank with headquarters in Springfield, Illinois—has stayed true to its mission "to empower the financial well-being of our communities, one person at a time." Town and Country focuses on helping local businesses succeed, and its membership with FHLBank Chicago supports those efforts. “Our leadership has always believed that success comes from our investment within the communities we serve, and partnering with FHLBank Chicago helps us provide competitive financial solutions for businesses in those communities,” said Dana Dow, President and COO, Town and Country Bank.
For example, by leveraging FHLBank Chicago letters of credit, Town and Country is able to help local businesses provide their employees with workers' compensation insurance. Businesses are required to obtain letters of credit from a bank to back these insurance policies, but many community banks may be unable to provide this service on their own due to business or regulatory constraints, or insurance provider requirements. By asking FHLBank Chicago to confirm its letters of credit, Town and Country can meet this qualification need for its customers.
The letters of credit products from FHLBank Chicago provide members a cost-effective way to attract and secure deposits. At year-end 2019, our members had $23.9 billion of letters of credit outstanding.
“The letters of credit team makes the process easy,” Dow added. “With this product and others, our membership with FHLBank Chicago helps our communities thrive.”
Dana Dow, President and COO, Town and Country Bank
We can better serve communities across our district if we deepen our understanding of their cultures, perspectives, and needs. That’s why, over three days in November 2019, our Board of Directors and FHLBank Chicago team members explored the Latino experience in Chicago by visiting the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture, and the National Museum of Mexican Art. We heard from local policy experts, affordable housing developers, and Latino business leaders. And we walked through some of the neighborhoods that Latino Chicagoans call home.
View our video to learn more about this event, and about how our community investment programs are helping to preserve affordable housing in one of these areas. The Pilsen neighborhood is home to Casa del Sol, a 54-unit single-room occupancy building recently acquired by The Resurrection Project, a nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing this traditionally immigrant-friendly area. With support from Community Investment Corporation (CIC)—a Chicago-based community development financial institution member of FHLBank Chicago, Community First Fund partner, and active user of the Community Housing Advance product— and through an awarded competitive AHP grant, The Resurrection Project is ensuring that residents can remain in their homes as Pilsen housing costs rise.
2019 has been a year of transition for the Community Investment Advisory Council (CIAC). Many seasoned members completed their term on the council, and others arrived, bringing new energy and points of view. We began our first year as chair and vice chair, respectively, and the opportunity to lead this group of accomplished professionals has been both thrilling and humbling. The diversity and breadth of knowledge, experience, and expertise they bring to the council from their work in communities across our district enrich the insights we contribute to FHLBank Chicago’s Community Investment programs.
Community Investment Advisory Council Chair, Executive Director, Springfield Housing Authority
Community Investment Advisory Council Vice Chair, Director of Real Estate Development, Movin' Out, Inc.
View Our Full ReportTo give our best to our members and your communities across our district, we begin by cultivating a community right here at the Bank. We're building a culture that values inclusion, respects diversity, and requires bold action from leaders at all levels of the organization. View our highlight reel showing ways FHLBank Chicago staff and our Office of Diversity and Inclusion took on this challenge in 2019. Employee Resource Groups hosted events that highlighted the variety of backgrounds and life experiences represented at the Bank, raising awareness and helping to build mutual understanding. Bank leaders encouraged their colleagues to establish common values, open up lines of communication, and explore new approaches to hiring, promotion, and vendor selection. Networking events brought people together not only from different areas of the Bank, but from different backgrounds and different life experiences. These events facilitate connections that enhance our ability to work as a team across departments and organizational levels.
In October 2019, we had the opportunity to spend a day with our members outside of the typical office setting and give back to a community within our district. Together with the Chicago Housing Authority, Lincoln Benefit Life, Royal Savings Bank, and Verve, a Credit Union, we headed to the West Pullman neighborhood of Chicago to work on a home build with Habitat for Humanity. Our members and FHLBank Chicago staff worked alongside one another to help a future homeowner’s dream come to fruition. In return, participants learned new skills, strengthened their partnerships, and enjoyed spending quality time together outdoors. View our video to hear more about this special day.
Change is good; it can mean new homes and businesses, revitalized neighborhoods, and fresh possibilities for the future. So we’re not just embracing change; we’re stepping forward to meet it, anticipating what’s to come, and positioning ourselves to support the evolving needs of our members and their communities—whatever the future holds.
Park Bank, which has served Madison, Wisconsin, and the surrounding Dane County area for over 50 years, is focused on helping its clients achieve “what’s next” for them — whether that’s retirement, a business expansion, or a new home. Jim Hegenbarth, President and CEO of Park Bank, and a member of the FHLBank Chicago's Board of Directors, views FHLBank Chicago as a collaborator in that effort.
“FHLBank Chicago and Park Bank both recognize that purchasing a home looks different for each of us,” Hegenbarth said. “The way we deliver banking continues to evolve, and having FHLBank Chicago as a partner allows us to offer programs that provide the experience our clients expect.”
Jim Hegenbarth, President and CEO, Park Bank and Member of FHLBank Chicago’s Board of Directors
By participating in the MPF Program, Park Bank is able to gain access to the secondary market and offer its customers greater flexibility to make that new home a reality. “The MPF Program allows us to expand the number of options our mortgage clients have when applying for a home loan,” added Hegenbarth. “This gives us the ability to pair better products with clients to fit their unique needs, and to serve a broader range of clients.”
In 2019, an MPF Program Excellence initiative was launched to discover “what’s next” for the program. By consulting with FHLBanks and gathering information from their Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs), the MPF Program is finding new ways to improve products and processes so it can continue to increase value to PFIs and their customers. For Park Bank, this project has also been an opportunity to learn how other financial institutions have used the program to meet their goals, Hegenbarth noted: “The MPF Program has provided us a network of other banks to collaborate and share ideas with, which has become a valuable resource for us as we continue to grow our mortgage program.”
The MPF Program offers eligible FHLBank System members a range of competitive secondary market products with multiple execution options for conventional, government, and high-balance mortgage loans. MPF loans outstanding on FHLBank Chicago’s balance sheet at year-end 2019 were $10.0 billion, up 41% from year-end 2018.
In late 2018 through early 2019, we evaluated our workplace to determine whether it met our current and future organizational needs. Ensuring that our office space enables our employees to do their best work every day in support of our members is paramount to our sustained, future success. Through a workplace effectiveness survey, we gathered data and insight from our employees on how they currently work, as well as their preferences for how our organization should work in the future.
In April 2019, we announced our decision to move to The Old Post Office, a historic redevelopment in the South Loop of Chicago. The collaborative workspace, The Old Post Office allows us to create, will enable our Bank to strengthen our capabilities, continue to build a diverse and dynamic workforce, improve our technology, and better serve our members and community partners. We are excited to see our new workspace come to life later this year, and to begin this new chapter as an organization.
Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer, Group Head, Information Technology
Access to affordable credit can make all the difference to a small business, and the First Bank of Baldwin sees support for local entrepreneurs as part of its commitment to strengthening the communities it serves in St. Croix County, Wisconsin. Through FHLBank Chicago’s Community Small Business Advance, First Bank of Baldwin is able to give its small business customers—such as a local hotel, a grocery store, and a farm—access to the credit they need, at competitive rates.
“Our bank has used the Community Small Business Advance to reach out to area businesses and offer them credit at a reduced market rate,” said Shane Bauer, CEO, First Bank of Baldwin. “This has allowed these businesses to become more established in a challenging environment, to grow with less financial burden, and to become stronger community contributors and partners.”
Shane Bauer, CEO, First Bank of Baldwin
Introduced in July 2018, FHLBank Chicago’s Community Small Business Advance allows our members to support their local economies by offering initial 0% financing to small-business customers in income-eligible communities in Illinois and Wisconsin. At year-end 2019, FHLBank Chicago members had $18 million in community small business advances outstanding.
The Community Small Business Advance is just one of many advance product solutions available to meet our members’ funding and liquidity needs, and to help local lenders like First Bank of Baldwin pass along competitive funding advantages to their communities. “FHLBank Chicago has developed and deployed innovative products that enable community banks to be stronger financial partners to meet the credit needs of customers,” Bauer added. “What is most rewarding is the satisfaction of calling a customer to advise them that we can refinance their loan, reduce their current rate, or offer them below-market pricing or extended maturity dates—it is this feeling that underscores the value of community banking.”
As home prices continue to rise across the U.S., first-time homebuyers face an uphill climb to save for a down payment. The complexities of homeownership can be overwhelming, and many potential homebuyers find themselves not knowing where to turn. That’s when organizations like Summit Credit Union—headquartered in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin—step in to help community members' financial dreams become a reality.
“Before, during, and after the home-buying process, we provide guidance, education, and one-on-one coaching to empower our members to own their financial life,” said Don Lickel, Chief Lending Officer, Summit Credit Union. “And what bigger financial dream is there, than purchasing a home?”
Don Lickel, Chief Lending Officer, Summit Credit Union
Through its partnership with FHLBank Chicago, Summit Credit Union offers the DPP and Downpayment Plus Advantage® (DPP Advantage®) Programs to help prospective buyers get into their first home sooner. DPP and DPP Advantage provide FHLBank Chicago members easy-to-access down payment and closing cost assistance to help their income-eligible customers achieve homeownership.
“Our goal is for our homebuyers to become more than just successful homeowners,” said Lickel. “And FHLBank Chicago plays a big part in these homeowners’ long-term financial success.” In 2019, Summit Credit Union and FHLBank Chicago provided 34 DPP and 16 DPP Advantage grants to first-time homebuyers.
Last February, staff from across FHLBank Chicago took time out of their schedules to attend BankCon—an employee-led conference—both to catch a glimpse of the Bank’s future and to deepen their understanding of how our employees’ diversity and teamwork benefit our members and communities.
The theme of the 2019 conference was “Bank to the Future”— a nod to the beloved time-travel movie (BankCon representatives wore red puffer vests à la Marty McFly) and a reference to FHLBank Chicago’s past, present, and future progress. The event featured fun, interactive staff presentations on the Bank’s history, new technologies on the horizon, and the inner workings of the MPF Program, as well as an overview of the Bank’s current strategic goals and plans. Connie Lindsey, Northern Trust’s Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Global Diversity and Inclusion, gave a keynote address on how inclusion affects performance, the importance of a purposeful commitment to diversity and inclusion, and how we can live that commitment daily. CommuniTeam, the Bank’s philanthropic volunteer group, also invited attendees to pack bagged lunches for Chicago’s Pacific Garden Mission homeless shelter.
What makes this conference special is that it’s created for Bank employees, by Bank employees, with involvement from staff at all levels of the organization. Sponsored by the Bank’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, BankCon 2019 was planned and executed by more than 30 staff members who volunteered their time to make the event possible. FHLBank Chicago Vice President David Vidler, who led the planning committee, said he gives his time because he believes in BankCon’s mission of fostering inclusion, building connections, and broadening employees’ awareness of how the Bank functions:
“We see this as an opportunity to bring people together and help them understand more holistically why we are here; how our different departments, products, and processes connect; and how we serve our members and the financial markets as a whole.”
David Vidler, Vice President, Manager, Member Product Support, FHLBank Chicago
The below financials are selected year-end 2019 highlights. For complete year-end 2019 financials select view performance summary or view community investment performance summary below
| Assets | Liabilities | Capital | Net Income | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $99,827 | $94,373 | $5,454 | $300 |
| 2018 | $92,857 | $87,568 | $5,289 | $303 |
| 2017 | $84,355 | $79,503 | $4,852 | $317 |
Dollars in millions | For the years ended December 31
Dollars in billions | For the years ended December 31 | Advances and MPF Loans are outstanding on balance sheet; Letters of Credit are outstanding off balance sheet
| 2019 Beneficiaries | 2019 Dollars (originated) | |
|---|---|---|
| Community Development Advance | 4 (t) | $105,473,278 |
| Community Housing Advance | 4,844 (u) | $507,336,281 |
| Community Small Business Advance | 25 (t) | $13,679,604 |
(t) transactions | (u) housing units
| 2019 Beneficiaries | 2019 Dollars (committed) | |
|---|---|---|
| Community First Awards i | 4 | $40,000 |
| Community First Capacity-Building i | 7 | $258,660 |
| Community First Disaster Relief i | 53 | $265,000 |
| *Community First Fund ii | 0 | $0 |
(i) beneficiaries are grants | (ii) beneficiaries are partners
*While there were no new Community First Fund partners named or commitments made during 2019, the Community First Fund is a revolving loan fund with eight current partners and $45.75 million funded as of year-end 2019.
The financial highlights should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and related notes and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” all of which is included in our 2019 Form 10‑K that was filed with the SEC on March 11, 2020.
Making Moves Together
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