What Blackhawk Bank & Trust does

Blackhawk Bank & Trust is a family-owned community bank founded in 1961 in Milan, Illinois, operating 18 branches and approximately 14 Interactive Teller Machines across Rock Island, Henry, and Mercer counties in Illinois and Scott County in Iowa. The bank serves individual consumers, families, local small and medium businesses, agricultural operations, and wealth management clients with a full suite of deposit, lending, and treasury products including personal and business checking and savings, consumer and mortgage loans, HELOCs, credit and debit cards, merchant services, agricultural lending, and trust and investment services.

The technology stack is partner-built rather than proprietary. Mobile and online banking is delivered through a Fiserv-powered application with mobile deposit, bill pay, card controls, alerts, and a 12-month spending insights categorization tool. Interactive Teller Machines combine ATM functionality with live video teller support, extending service hours to 8AM-7PM weekdays. Credit cards are issued through FIS, merchant services through Deluxe, investment and retirement products through Cetera Investment Services, prepaid cards through Pathward, and student loans through College Ave Student Loans. FDIC insurance status and FHLBank Chicago membership round out the institutional infrastructure.

The business model is a traditional community bank revenue stack: primary income is net interest income from consumer, mortgage, home equity, agricultural, and commercial lending funded by deposits, supplemented by transaction fees on deposit accounts, merchant services revenue share, interchange and prepaid card fees from Pathward, and professional services fees from the Blackhawk Investment & Retirement Services subsidiary and the in-house Trust Department. Pricing is publicly disclosed on rates pages with promotional deposit specials (4.00% APY on a 9-month CD) and tiered relationship benefits such as the Silver Hawk Club (minimum $5,000 balance) and Little Hawk Club youth savings. The go-to-market is community-led, emphasizing local decision-making, personal relationships, and the bank's explicit 'Not For Sale' independence; marketing relies on content (The Stroll blog), community events, club memberships, and word-of-mouth rather than paid digital acquisition.

Name

Blackhawk Bank & Trust

Legal name

Blackhawk Bank & Trust

Website

https://choosethechief.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Blackhawk Bank & Trust is a family-owned community bank founded in 1961, operating 18 branches across the Quad Cities region of Illinois and Iowa to serve consumers, local businesses, agricultural borrowers, and wealth management clients with deposits, lending, and treasury products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Interest Income from Lending: Primary revenue from interest on consumer loans, mortgage loans, home equity lines of credit, agricultural lending, and business loans
2. Deposit Account Fees and Services: Fees from checking accounts, savings accounts, wire transfers, safe deposit boxes, and other deposit services
3. Merchant Services: Credit and debit card processing, point of sale systems, and payment solutions for business customers through partnership with Deluxe
4. Investment and Wealth Management: Trust services, investment management, and retirement planning through Blackhawk Investment & Retirement Services partnership with Cetera Investment Services
5. Prepaid Card Services: Revenue from gift cards, travel cards, and reloadable Visa cards through partnership with Pathward

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Blackhawk Bank & Trust is a family-owned community bank providing a full range of personal and business banking products, including checking, savings, mortgages, consumer and commercial loans, credit cards, business merchant services, agricultural lending, and trust/investment services. It serves individuals, families, businesses, and agricultural operations across 18 branches in the Quad Cities region of Illinois and Iowa, distributing products via in-branch service, a Fiserv-powered mobile app, online banking, and Interactive Teller Machines.

Product overview

Blackhawk Bank & Trust is a community bank offering a comprehensive suite of personal and business banking products. The core offerings include multiple checking and savings account types, consumer and mortgage lending products, credit cards, and business banking services including merchant services. Digital banking is delivered through a Fiserv-powered mobile app and online banking platform with features like spending insights, card controls, and real-time alerts. The bank operates Interactive Teller Machines (ITMs) for extended service hours with live teller support. Specialty programs include the Little Hawk Club (youth savings for ages 0-17 with 2.25% APY), Silver Hawk Club (50+ customers with premium benefits), and Trust/Investment Services through Cetera Investment Services. Additional services include Visa gift cards, travel EMV cards, reloadable prepaid cards, wire transfers, and license plate renewals. The bank serves the Quad Cities area across 18 locations in Illinois and Iowa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Little Hawk Club: Youth savings program for children ages 0-17 with special benefits including 2.25% APY on balances up to $1,000, birthday gifts, newsletters, and exclusive events.
• Silver Hawk Club
• Blackhawk Investment & Retirement Services

Products and services

• Personal Checking Accounts A suite of personal checking products (Interest Checking, Relationship Checking, Cash Rewards Checking, Essential Checking, Relationship Money Market) for individuals and families seeking locally serviced transactional accounts with interest-earning and rewards features.
• Personal Savings Accounts Personal savings products including standard savings accounts and youth savings options for individuals and families building reserves with competitive APYs.
• Little Hawk Club Youth Savings Program Youth savings program for children ages 0-17 offering 2.25% APY on balances up to $1,000, piggy bank welcome gifts, birthday cards and gifts, quarterly newsletters, special events, and exclusive contests, with the ability to upgrade to checking at age 14.
• Silver Hawk Club Membership club for customers age 50 and better offering higher CD rates, 10% discount on safe deposit box rental, no-fee cashier's checks and notary services, social events, group travel, and educational workshops.
• Consumer Loans Personal loans for various consumer financing needs including auto loans and other consumer credit, originated and processed locally by Blackhawk Bank & Trust lenders.
• Mortgage Loans Mortgage solutions including Conventional, FHA, VA, In-House, Construction, Renovation, Home Improvement, Jumbo, and Refinance loans, with free pre-qualification and support from local lending officers.
• Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) Home equity line of credit allowing homeowners to draw funds during a draw period with flexible borrowing, reuse as repaid, typically variable interest rates, and interest-only payment options.
• Credit Cards Personal and business Visa credit cards offering local service, local payment options, contactless payments, scorecard rewards programs, travel accident insurance, and competitive rates.
• Student Loans Student loan products including undergraduate, graduate, parent, and refinance options offered through a partnership with College Ave Student Loans for college-bound customers and their families.
• Business Checking Business checking accounts with customizable access for ACH payments and domestic or international wire transfers, accompanied by security features and fraud prevention tools for local business customers.
• Business Lending Business loan programs with flexible terms and competitive interest rates including lines of credit, term loans, and SBA loans for startups and small businesses.
• Business Merchant Services Merchant services including credit and debit card processing, point of sale systems, and online and mobile payment solutions offered on a no-contract monthly basis through partnership with Deluxe.
• Business Credit Cards Business Visa credit cards with merchant services integration and business-focused rewards and features for local businesses.
• Business Savings Business savings accounts and deposit products for business customers seeking to manage reserves and earn interest.
• Agricultural Lending Specialized lending services for agricultural customers including farm loans and agricultural financing for farms and related businesses in the Quad Cities region.
• Trust Services Trust and estate planning services including Living Trusts, Irrevocable Trusts, Trusts Under Will, Estate Administration, Guardianship, Investment Management Agency, Custody, Escrow, Special Needs Trusts, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts, Land Trusts, and 1031 Exchange Trusts.
• Investment & Retirement Services Investment and retirement services offered through partnership with Cetera Investment Services, including financial planning, investment management, and retirement accounts managed by Vice President & Financial Advisors.
• Mobile Banking App Mobile banking application powered by Fiserv allowing customers to access real-time balances, manage money, view transactions and statements, make transfers, pay bills, deposit checks remotely, receive alerts, and manage debit cards from iOS or Android devices.
• Interactive Teller Machines (ITMs) ITMs combine ATM convenience with live teller video chat for extended service hours (Monday-Friday 8 AM - 7 PM, Saturday 8 AM - 12 PM), offering deposits, withdrawals, transfers, loan payments, and other transactions with personalized service from local tellers.
• Online Banking Personal and business online banking platforms with features including account management, transfers, bill payment, spending insights, card controls, and security features.
• Gift Cards Visa gift cards available for purchase at any branch location, loadable with predetermined amounts from $10 to $1,000, usable everywhere Visa is accepted within the US, with $3 purchase fee and inactivity fee after 13 months.
• Travel EMV Cards Reloadable prepaid travel cards with EMV chip technology for secure international use, loadable with $100 to $5,000, accepted worldwide and at millions of ATMs, with $9.95 purchase fee.
• Reloadable Visa Cards Reloadable prepaid Visa cards for purchases at millions of merchants, reloadable at branches, via direct deposit, or online at YCNCard.com, with free text alerts and online balance monitoring, $5 purchase fee and monthly fee waived with monthly reload.
• Wire Transfers Domestic and international wire transfer services available through business online banking for both personal and business customers.
• Debit Cards Personal and business debit cards with ATM access, contactless payment capability, and card management features including turn on/off functionality and spending controls.
• License Plate Renewals License plate renewal services available at branch locations for community convenience.

Quantifiable outcome

• 65 years of continuous operation as independent community bank with nearly $2 billion in assets
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Through membership, Blackhawk Bank & Trust facilitates the Community First Accelerate Grant program for small businesses in their communities. Prairie Crossroads Mercantile received a grant through this partnership.
• DeluxecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeluxe serves as Blackhawk Bank & Trust's merchant services provider, offering credit and debit card processing, point of sale systems, and online/mobile payment solutions for business customers. The partnership includes a rate-beat guarantee offering $500 to businesses if Deluxe cannot meet or beat their current effective rates.
• Cetera Investment ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlackhawk Investment & Retirement Services operates through Cetera Investment Services LLC, offering securities, insurance products, and advisory services. Team ranked Top 10 nationwide with over $374 billion in assets under administration.
• FiservcoreTechnology or IntegrationFiserv powers the Blackhawk Bank & Trust Mobile app, providing core mobile banking infrastructure including account access, mobile deposits, transfers, bill pay, and card management features.
• College Ave Student LoansminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlackhawk Bank & Trust partners with College Ave Student Loans to offer private student loans including undergraduate, graduate, parent, and refinance options for college-bound customers.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/choosethechief

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Blackhawk Bank & Trust