LAKEWOOD, Colo., Dec. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FirstBank, one of the nation’s largest privately held banks with a focus on “banking for good,” today announced President Ron Tilton will retire after serving the company for more than 35 years and Kevin Classen will step into the role effective Feb. 22, 2021.
Tilton started his career with FirstBank in 1985 and held several positions throughout his tenure, including Regional President for the Denver and Colorado Mountain markets, before he was appointed President of FirstBank in 2017. Most notably, he played a key role in financing Denver’s transformation, starting with Wynkoop Brewery in the late 1980s and spanning to the redevelopment of Union Station in 2014.
“Ron has set an extremely high bar,” said Jim Reuter, CEO, FirstBank. “He was not only instrumental in driving Denver’s evolution, but throughout his time as President, he was pivotal in FirstBank’s record growth, leading efforts to increase the company’s net loans a staggering 36% from $9.5 billion in 2017 to over $12.9 billion in 2020. We would not be the organization we are today without his dedication. We are grateful for his contributions these past three and a half decades, and know Kevin will continue to build on that success.”
“Ron’s endless energy, positivity, sense of humor, and exceptional relationship building will truly be missed,” added FirstBank COO Emily Robinson. “If you look at our most prominent and successful customers, Ron is the reason so many of them call FirstBank home.”
“I cannot thank FirstBank enough for the opportunity to work for a company that values and prioritizes our customers, our communities, and our employees as much as we do. I don’t say this lightly: working here has exceeded all my expectations,” said Tilton. “While it’s hard to make such a significant change, I am proud to give our next generation of leaders, like Kevin, their chance to guide the organization, and am excited to see the bank’s growth over these next several decades. Having worked alongside Kevin, I know he’ll make an excellent President and I’m confident the team at FirstBank is as strong, talented and energetic as ever.”
Classen started with FirstBank in 1998 as a banking officer and held multiple leadership positions before being named a Market President in 2013. He currently oversees FirstBank’s Boulder Market and previously served as the West Valley Market President in Phoenix, where he helped lead FirstBank’s expansion into Arizona.
As the newly appointed President, Classen will be responsible for growing the bank’s business services and commercial lending portfolio, and will oversee the organization’s retail markets in Colorado, Arizona and California.
FirstBank reported total assets of $23.5 billion as of Sept. 30, a more than 20 percent increase year-over-year. The company ranks as the third largest privately held bank in the nation and is recognized as one of the most philanthropic organizations in Colorado and Arizona. Recently, FirstBank helped raise an astounding $50 million for Colorado Gives Day and a record $6.1 million for Arizona Gives Day, both one-day online giving movements aimed at increasing philanthropy. In total, these programs have raised over $330 million for local charities ($307 million in Colorado and over $23 million in Arizona) since their respective inceptions.
About FirstBank
FirstBank began providing banking services in Colorado in 1963. Today, the bank maintains more than $23 billion in assets and operates more than 110 branch locations across Colorado, Arizona and California. FirstBank offers a variety of checking accounts, savings accounts, home equity loans, mortgages, and a full range of commercial banking services, including financing, treasury management and deposit accounts. Since 2000, FirstBank has been recognized as a leader in corporate philanthropy, contributing nearly $70 million and thousands of volunteer hours to charitable organizations. The company is also unique in that a large portion of its stock is owned by management and employees, giving employees a financial stake in the bank’s success through its Employee Stock Ownership Program.
For more information, visit www.efirstbank.com.
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