Emerging private bank gears up for strong growth in assets and locations. First Western Trust Bank has put Lou Clinton in charge of its banking operations in all Colorado. Before he got the promotion, Clinton was head of the private bank's flagship branch in Denver.

"Lou Clinton is a Denver native who knows what our western clientele demands," says Scott Wylie, founder and CEO of First Western. "His experience provides crucial expertise to help us deliver the highest level of private banking solutions and quality personal service to our clients."

Integrated

Before joining First Western, Clinton worked with several private banking groups, most notably those of Bank One Colorado (now part of JPMorgan Chase) and First Interstate Bank of Denver.

Clinton takes the position when First Western's client base in the state is growing rapidly, as more affluent people look for customized investment and wealth-management services. In addition to its Denver headquarters, the bank has offices in Cherry Creek and Fort Collins, Colo., and it plans to expand into Boulder and other towns.

"This is an important time of growth at First Western, as we have seen our assets under management top $1 billion and our clients embrace First Western's truly integrated delivery of banking, investment management and trust services," says Clinton. "With this momentum, I look forward to continuing to build the best private bank for the western wealth management client." -FWR

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