First Women's Bank

We’re excited to share that First Women’s Bank won a 23rd Annual Chicago Innovation Award last night! This recognition reflects our ongoing efforts to strengthen the women’s economy and close the gender lending gap. We are deeply grateful to the team at Chicago Innovation—moments like these are crucial to advancing our mission. We also want to extend a special thank you to our Mission Partners— Aon, William Blair, and TransUnion—for joining us in celebration. Your partnership and support are integral to our progress, and we couldn’t do this important work without you. The power of community and collaboration is at the heart of everything we do! #ChicagoInnovationAwards #FirstWomensBank #WomensEconomy #BanklikeaFinancialFeminist FirstWomens.Bank - Member FDIC

The First Women’s Bank team had an eventful fall attending, sponsoring, and speaking at events promoting the women’s economy and working to close the gender lending gap! Our team was in action at: SACC-USA (Swedish-American Chambers of Commerce) Panel Clinton Global Initiative IFF (CDFI) & First Women's Bank Nonprofit Women Leadership Event Impact Engine Midwest House Impact Investing Panel Sponsored Let's Talk Womxn & Harvard Business School Women's Business Association Dinner First Women's Bank Anniverisary Dinner & Team Retreat Margaretsvillage _ Gala YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago Recognition Dinner Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Expo Chicago Latino Network (CLN) Awards UnGala We’re grateful for the opportunity to connect and collaborate with partners who share our mission. #WomensEconomy #WomenInBusiness #ClosingTheGap #FWBCommunity FirstWomens.Bank Member - FDIC

In celebration of Women’s Small Business Month, we’re highlighting our client, Alford Group, and the impact they’ve made since 1979 by supporting nonprofits across the U.S., with a strong focus on promoting DEI within the sector. Led by President & CEO Brenda Asare, Alford Group continues to drive meaningful change in the nonprofit world with a mission-first mindset. When Brenda sought a banking partner, she found inspiration in First Women’s Bank’s commitment to empowering women-owned and women-led organizations. We’re proud to support Alford Group’s journey and to stand behind their vision of transformative change. FirstWomens.bank - Member FDIC #WomensSmallBusinessMonth #CommunityImpact #FirstWomensBank

Debit Card Safety Reminders from First Women’s Bank: 1. Keep Your Card Secure: Always know where your card is and never share your PIN. 2. Monitor Your Accounts: Regularly check your transactions for any unauthorized charges. 3. Be Cautious Online: Use trusted websites and avoid public Wi-Fi when making purchases. 4. Report Lost or Stolen Cards Immediately: Contact us right away if your card goes missing. Stay vigilant and bank confidently with First Women’s Bank. ?? FirstWomens.Bank - Member FDIC #BankingSafety #FirstWomensBank #StaySecure #ConsumerAwareness #DebitCardSafety

Last month the FWB team attended the 2024 Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting and launched our (CGI) Commitment to Action. The FWB Collective, targeted to go live in 2025, will be an online resource hub that aggregates best-in-class resources to help women create, build, and scale their businesses. The FWB Collective will be a pivotal piece to help move forward First Women’s Bank’s mission of closing the gender lending gap and supporting women on their entrepreneurship journey. Along with our Commitment to Action, Marianne Markowitz, CEO of FWB, spoke on a panel: Closing the Financial Access Gap for Women, alongside Olivia Sterns Walton, Founder and CEO, Ingeborg Investments and Chrystel Cornelius, President & CEO, Oweesta Corporation. The informative session was moderated by Stephanie Ruhle of MSNBC.

Our FWB team from across the country just wrapped up an incredible annual meeting in Chicago, filled with excitement and inspiration! We aligned on our strategic priorities for 2025 and celebrated three years of making a real difference for women-owned businesses. We're incredibly proud of our dedicated team and the work they do every day to help close the gender lending gap in America. Let's keep the momentum going! Follow us for updates and join the movement! Open an account today at FirstWomens.bank (Member FDIC). #FirstWomensBank #BreakingBarriers #EmpoweringWomen

Last week, the FWB team partnered with IFF to host an engaging event featuring Karen Freeman-Wilson, President & CEO of the Chicago Urban League, and Monique B. Jones, LCSW, President & CEO of Forefront. Held in the beautifully curated Good Chaos space, the session brought together some of the top minds from Chicago's non-profit community to discuss navigating the evolving financial and political landscape. A heartfelt thank you to Melissa Widen of FWB and O. Victoria("Vickie") Lakes-Battle of IFF for moderating the discussions, and to Christy Overgard MacLear, and the Good Chaos team for being exceptional hosts and FWB Mission Partners.

This Hispanic Heritage Month, First Women’s Bank celebrated the Hispanic business community by attending the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Expo and the Chicago Latino Network (CLN) Awards UnGala. At the Expo, our team, SVP, Controller/Cashier Patricia Rosa, MBA, SVP, Business Development Officer Claudio Montoya VP, CustomerCare Manager Araceli Patlan and SBA Documentation Manager & Team Lead Amanda Navarro, connected with diverse entrepreneurs and reaffirmed our commitment to their success. At the UnGala, Marianne Markowitz, CEO of FWB served as a judge, and Patricia Rosa joined in celebrating the achievements of Latinx professionals and entrepreneurs. We’re proud to support diverse businesses, learn more about FWB at FirstWomens.bank.

Thank you, MANNY FLORES. Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

We’re honored to be nominated for the 2024 Chicago Innovation Awards! Chicago Innovation operates year-round to celebrate the region’s innovators, and the Chicago Innovation Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit, works to advance these efforts. We’d be grateful for your support – please vote for First Women’s Bank for the People’s Choice Award by visiting: https://lnkd.in/gQeVYdtv. First Women’s Bank is proud to announce we made it to the top 100 out of 350 nominees. Voting ends October 18th Thank you for helping us continue to champion innovation and progress in closing the gender lending gap! #ChicagoInnovation #2024Awards #VoteNow #FirstWomensBank #PeoplesChoiceAward