Wintrust Financial Corporation and its foundational banking operations trace their origins back to December 1991, when a group of local banking professionals led by Ed Wehmer opened a storefront community bank named Lake Forest Bank & Trust in Lake Forest, Illinois. Spanning more than three decades of continuous growth, the organization has evolved from a single community bank into a multi-faceted financial services enterprise. By combining organic branch openings, strategic acquisitions of smaller community banks in adjacent neighborhoods, and opportunistic expansions, Wintrust has matured into a major regional financial institution while preserving its original commitment to localized, relationship-driven customer service.