First Foundation
First Foundation was a publicly traded, Irvine, California-based financial services holding company offering integrated personal banking, business banking, multifamily and commercial lending, and SEC-registered private wealth management to high-net-worth individuals, small to medium businesses, and commercial clients across the Western US; it was acquired by FirstSun Capital Bancorp in April 2026.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersIrvine, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What First Foundation does
First Foundation Inc. was a publicly traded (Nasdaq: FFWM, formerly NYSE), Texas-incorporated financial services holding company headquartered in Irvine, California, that operated two core subsidiaries: First Foundation Bank, an FDIC-insured depository institution, and First Foundation Advisors, an SEC registered investment adviser. The company offered an integrated suite of personal banking (checking, savings, money market, CDs, consumer credit cards, online and mobile banking), business banking (business checking and savings, treasury management, SBA lending, business credit cards, lines of credit, term loans, owner-occupied real estate financing), and income property lending (multifamily and commercial real estate), alongside a private wealth management platform encompassing investment management, wealth planning, trust services (including Nevada-domiciled trust structures), and philanthropy services such as donor advised funds and foundation administration.
The underlying technology stack was primarily a digital banking platform with online and mobile banking capabilities, complemented by separate login surfaces for personal banking, business banking, commercial banking, credit cards, wealth management (Orion Advisor login), and trust services; no proprietary AI, API, or SDK surface is documented in the available material. The business model combined net interest income from lending and deposit gathering with recurring fee income from investment management and wealth advisory, distributed through a sales-led, relationship-driven model across a physical branch network spanning California, Nevada, Florida, Hawaii, and Texas, supplemented by community engagement, professional referral networks, and content marketing. Customer segments were diversified across high-net-worth individuals and families (primary), small to medium businesses (primary), commercial and real estate clients, and foundations/nonprofits, with $7 billion in assets under management and approximately $13.6 billion in total assets as of March 31, 2024.
First Foundation pursued a multi-year inorganic and capital-raising strategy, completing the $295 million acquisition of TGR Financial in 2021 (entering Florida), pricing $150 million of subordinated debt in January 2022, and closing a $228 million equity investment led by Fortress Investment Group and Canyon Partners in July 2024 to strengthen its balance sheet. The company's independent trajectory ended on April 1, 2026, when it completed an all-stock merger with FirstSun Capital Bancorp valued at approximately $785 million, with First Foundation Bank merging into Sunflower Bank, N.A. and First Foundation Inc. delisting from public markets; the combined organization operates approximately $20.4 billion in assets across ten states under the Sunflower Bank, N.A. brand.
First Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- First Foundation
- Legal name
- First Foundation Inc.
- Website
- https://firstfoundationinc.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- First Foundation was a publicly traded, Irvine, California-based financial services holding company offering integrated personal banking, business banking, multifamily and commercial lending, and SEC-registered private wealth management to high-net-worth individuals, small to medium businesses, and commercial clients across the Western US; it was acquired by FirstSun Capital Bancorp in April 2026.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where First Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Irvine
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
First Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Banking Services: Traditional banking services including deposits, lending (commercial, multifamily, SBA, personal), and treasury management
- Wealth Management and Advisory: Investment management, wealth planning, and trust services through First Foundation Advisors, an SEC registered investment adviser
- Philanthropy Services: Charitable giving advisory, donor advised funds, and foundation administration services
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
First Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
First Foundation delivers personal and business banking through its FDIC-insured subsidiary First Foundation Bank, offering deposit accounts, consumer and commercial credit cards, treasury management, and specialized lending including SBA, multifamily, commercial real estate, and small business loans. Through its SEC-registered investment adviser First Foundation Advisors, the company provides investment management, wealth planning, trust services, and philanthropy advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, families, and foundations.
Product overview
First Foundation offers a unified platform of financial services through two primary channels: First Foundation Bank (deposit-taking, FDIC-insured banking subsidiary) and First Foundation Advisors (SEC registered investment adviser). The banking platform encompasses personal and business deposit accounts, consumer and commercial credit products, SBA and multifamily lending, and treasury management services. The wealth management platform includes investment management, wealth planning, trust services, and philanthropy services. These products are designed to work together as an integrated financial ecosystem serving individuals, families, business owners, and commercial clients across California, Nevada, Florida, Hawaii, and Texas. The company operates as a relationship-focused community bank combined with sophisticated wealth advisory capabilities typically found at larger institutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Personal Banking
Quantifiable outcome
- 133 years of combined serving customers (FirstSun merger)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use First Foundation
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
First Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
First Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered major.
- FirstSun Capital BancorpmajorFirstSun Capital Bancorp and First Foundation Inc. combined in an all-stock merger valued at approximately $785 million. The merger created a combined entity with approximately $20.4 billion in assets, expanding FirstSun's presence across Southern California, the Southwest, and Florida. The transaction closed on April 1, 2026.
- TGR Financial, Inc.majorFirst Foundation acquired TGR Financial, Inc. in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $295 million. The merger expanded First Foundation's banking and trust services in Florida and increased total bank assets to approximately $9.4 billion. TGR's subsidiary, First Florida Integrity Bank, was merged into First Foundation Bank.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
First Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CVB Financial Corp: Ontario, California-based bank holding company for Citizens Business Bank, a comparable asset-size California regional bank with community/commercial banking and treasury management focus; highly comparable deposit-gathering and CRE lending model.
- FirstSun Capital Bancorp: Parent and merger partner of First Foundation Inc.; a Denver-based bank holding company operating Sunflower Bank, N.A., with similar community/commercial banking focus in the Western and Southwestern US. Now the surviving parent entity post-April 2026 merger.
- East West Bank: Pasadena-based regional bank with comparable asset size, West Coast branch network, and a focus on commercial lending, treasury management, and wealth services to business owners and professionals—a closely aligned model.
- Focus Financial Partners: National partnership platform for wealth management firms serving HNW clients—comparable in serving the same HNW advisory customer segment that First Foundation Advisors targets, though structured as a multi-firm roll-up rather than bank-owned RIA.
- Bank of Hawaii Corporation: Honolulu-based regional bank with a significant Hawaii branch presence that overlaps directly with First Foundation's Honolulu private wealth office; offers similar commercial banking, wealth, and trust services in the same island market.
- Pacific Premier Bancorp: California-headquartered regional bank holding company of similar asset size with a comparable commercial banking, CRE, and small-business lending franchise; closely overlapping Western US footprint and target customer profile.
- Cathay General Bancorp: Los Angeles-based bank holding company operating Cathay Bank, with a similar California-anchored commercial banking franchise and CRE/commercial lending focus; comparable asset range and customer base to First Foundation.
- Banner Corporation: Walla Walla, Washington-based bank holding company with a Pacific Northwest and Western US community banking franchise plus wealth management via Banner Bank Wealth Management—closely mirrors First Foundation's integrated bank + wealth model.
Broad incumbents
- UMB Financial Corporation: Kansas City-based diversified bank holding company with institutional asset management, family wealth, and traditional banking businesses; comparable integrated wealth + commercial banking model at larger scale.
- Western Alliance Bancorporation: Larger Phoenix-based regional bank operating several banking divisions across the Western US with a wealth management arm; broader portfolio but overlaps significantly with First Foundation's target segments and geographies.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
First Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceFirst Foundation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
First Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
First Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
First Foundation subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
First Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
First Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A3 records
Investments3 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about First Foundation
What does First Foundation do?
First Foundation delivers personal and business banking through its FDIC-insured subsidiary First Foundation Bank, offering deposit accounts, consumer and commercial credit cards, treasury management, and specialized lending including SBA, multifamily, commercial real estate, and small business loans. Through its SEC-registered investment adviser First Foundation Advisors, the company provides investment management, wealth planning, trust services, and philanthropy advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, families, and foundations.
Is First Foundation a public or private company?
First Foundation is a public company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was First Foundation founded?
First Foundation was founded in 1990. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is First Foundation based?
First Foundation is headquartered in Irvine, United States, in the North America region.
How does First Foundation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Banking Services are the primary driver. The others are wealth Management and Advisory and philanthropy Services.
Who are First Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CVB Financial Corp, FirstSun Capital Bancorp, East West Bank, Focus Financial Partners, Bank of Hawaii Corporation, Pacific Premier Bancorp, Cathay General Bancorp and Banner Corporation. Broad incumbents are UMB Financial Corporation and Western Alliance Bancorporation.
Does First Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for First Foundation.