First Bank & Trust to open Libertyville branch

LIBERTYVILLE — First Bank & Trust will open its new Libertyville branch at 111 W. Church St. on Sept. 18.

The new branch First Bank & Trust's tenth in the Chicago area and its first in Lake County.

Designed by architecture firm Behles+Behles, the branch has a 47-square-foot, foliage-filled living wall and a modern floor plan with universal bankers who are trained to handle a customer's unique needs. The design has a neighborhood “community-first” storefront feel, and emphasizes the high level of service for which FB & T is known.

The location will also function as FB & T's commercial banking hub in Lake County, providing the area's businesses with access to local decision-makers.

Five local Libertyville commercial bankers with over 100 years of combined banking experience will lead the branch.

Four of the bankers reside in Libertyville and all five live in Lake County. Those bankers include senior vice presidents Brian Mikaelian, William Westerman, Michael Buchert, Michael Deney, and Michael Murphy. They will be joined by Branch Manager Alva Yerushalmi and her staff of retail bankers.

“We are delighted to be back serving the community in Lake County,” said Buchert. “We understand that residents and businesses want an independent local bank where they can turn to fellow community members for help achieving their financial goals.”

Now a member of MainStreet Libertyville and the GLMV Chamber of Commerce, First Bank & Trust will continue looking for opportunities to connect with the community through events, sponsorships and employee volunteering.