American Commercial Bank & Trust

What American Commercial Bank & Trust does

American Commercial Bank & Trust, N.A. (ACB&T) is a privately held, FDIC-insured national bank chartered by the OCC and headquartered in Ottawa, Illinois, with operations concentrated in the Chicagoland and north-central Illinois markets. The institution traces its origins to The First National Bank of Ottawa, chartered in May 1865, and was officially rebranded to its current name on September 17, 2021, while continuing to operate The First National Bank of Ottawa as a division. The bank is a subsidiary of First Ottawa Bancshares, Inc. and operates 12+ branch locations across Ottawa (4), Streator (2), Chicago (Goose Island), Lisle, Morris, Schaumburg, Yorkville, and Joliet, supported by a headcount of 101–250 employees. ACB&T serves three primary customer segments: commercial/business clients, residential mortgage borrowers, and personal/consumer banking customers, with a supplementary wealth management and trust services practice.

The bank's product suite is organized around three core lines. Commercial Banking offers business lending (commercial lines of credit, term loans, construction and development loans, real estate loans, letters of credit), commercial deposit accounts (E-Business Checking, Commercial Checking, NOW variants, Commercial Savings, Commercial Money Market), and a Treasury Management stack that includes online banking with bill pay, ACH origination, wire transfer initiation, remote deposit capture, lockbox services, and fraud prevention tools such as Payee Positive Pay and ACH Positive Pay. Residential Lending provides fixed-rate, adjustable-rate, FHA, VA, USDA, and home equity loan products originated through the ACB Mortgage Group. Personal Banking delivers consumer checking (First Checking Premium at $6/month, interest-bearing First Checking, Traditional Personal Checking), savings, CDs, IRAs (Traditional, Roth, Education, SEP, Simple, Qualified), HSAs, consumer loans (auto, home improvement, personal), credit cards issued through Elan Financial Services, and a wealth management/trust department handling living trusts, testamentary trusts, special needs trusts, charitable trusts, and estate settlement. Distribution is multi-channel: 12+ branches, a 24/7 FirstPhone banking line, online banking, iOS and Android mobile apps with Zelle and Zelle for Business integration, and access to the MoneyPass surcharge-free ATM network.

Revenue is generated primarily through net interest income on the loan portfolio (commercial loans, residential mortgages, consumer loans, lines of credit), supplemented by transaction-based income streams including monthly deposit-account service fees, overdraft charges, wire-transfer fees, non-proprietary ATM surcharges, treasury management fees (ACH origination, lockbox, credit card processing through Elan), and recurring fees from fiduciary, trust, and investment management services. Go-to-market relies on relationship-based, branch-anchored sales with dedicated commercial banking officers conducting enterprise field sales for commercial clients and direct-to-consumer delivery of personal products through branches and digital channels; marketing leans on local print, radio (WCMY, WCSJ, WSPY), direct mail, lobby materials, and community outreach including school lectures and an Officers' Call program. Profit per share grew from $1.28 in 2014 to $5.68 in 2018, the bank was ranked 98th and then 96th nationally in American Banker's Top 200 Community Banks (under $2 billion in assets), and was recognized as an ICBA Top Lender in both 2020 and 2021.

Name

American Commercial Bank & Trust

Legal name

American Commercial Bank & Trust, N.A.

Website

https://acbandt.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1865

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

American Commercial Bank & Trust, N.A. is a privately held Illinois community bank founded in 1865, providing commercial lending, treasury management, residential mortgages, and personal banking through 12+ branches across Chicagoland, operating under parent First Ottawa Bancshares, Inc.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (52211), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)

SIC

National Commercial Banks (6021)

akta.pro primary industry

SME Business Lending (Term Loans, Lines of Credit, Overdrafts) (FSABABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

SME Deposits & Business Accounts (Operating, Savings, CDs) (FSABABAC), Mass-Market Consumer Deposit Banking (Checking/Savings) (FSABAAAA), Retail Lending (Personal Loans, Auto, Credit Lines) (FSABAAAB)

Keywords

• Community banking services
• Commercial lending products
• Residential mortgage lending
• Treasury management solutions
• Wealth management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Schaumburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Interest Income: Primary revenue from interest earned on loans including commercial loans, residential mortgages, consumer loans, and lines of credit. Interest income generated from various lending products.
2. Deposit Fees and Charges: Monthly service fees on checking accounts (e.g., First Checking Premium Account at $6/month), overdraft fees, and other account-related charges.
3. Non-Interest Income: Fee income from services such as wire transfers, ATM fees (non-proprietary waived with premium account), incoming domestic wire fees, and replacement card fees.
4. Treasury Management Fees: Fees for commercial banking services including ACH origination, wire transfers, lockbox services, and credit card processing.
5. Investment and Wealth Management: Revenue from trust and estate services, investment management accounts, and fiduciary services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

American Commercial Bank & Trust is a community bank providing commercial banking, residential lending, and personal banking services to businesses and consumers in the Chicagoland and central Illinois markets. It offers deposit accounts (checking, savings, CDs, IRAs, HSAs), lending products (commercial, residential mortgage, consumer), treasury management, and wealth management through a network of branches and digital channels.

Product overview

American Commercial Bank & Trust offers a comprehensive community banking platform organized into three core business lines: Commercial Banking, Residential Lending, and Personal Banking. The Commercial Banking division provides business lending (lines of credit, term loans, construction loans, real estate loans, letters of credit), commercial deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market), and Treasury Management solutions (online banking, ACH, wire transfers, remote deposit, lockbox, fraud prevention). Residential Lending offers mortgage products including fixed rate, conventional, adjustable rate, FHA, VA, and USDA loans. Personal Banking encompasses consumer checking/savings accounts, consumer loans (auto, home improvement, personal), credit cards (via Elan partnership), Wealth Management (trust and estate services, investment management), Health Savings Accounts, and certificates of deposit/IRAs. Digital banking is delivered through Online Banking and Mobile Banking App, with integrated peer-to-peer payment via Zelle and Zelle for Business. The bank operates primarily in the Chicagoland market under parent company First Ottawa Bancshares, Inc.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ACB Mortgage Group: Mortgage lending division offering residential mortgages including fixed rate mortgages, conventional loans, adjustable rate mortgages, FHA, VA and Rural Housing loans
• ACB&T Trust Department

Products and services

• Commercial Banking Comprehensive commercial banking services including commercial lending, commercial deposit accounts, and treasury management solutions for businesses in the Chicagoland market.
• Commercial Lending Business loans including lines of credit, term loans, commercial construction and development loans, real estate loans, and letters of credit for commercial borrowers.
• Commercial Accounts Business deposit products including E-Business Checking, Commercial Checking, Commercial Checking NOW, Non-Profit NOW, Commercial Savings, and Commercial Money Market accounts.
• Treasury Management Cash flow management solutions including online banking with bill pay, ACH origination, wire transfers, remote deposit capture, lockbox services, fraud prevention tools (Positive Pay), and credit card processing.
• Residential & Home Equity Loans Mortgage products including fixed rate mortgages, conventional loans, adjustable rate mortgages, FHA, VA, and USDA rural housing loans with down payments as low as 5%, plus home equity lines of credit.
• Consumer Accounts Personal checking and savings accounts including First Checking Premium Account, interest-bearing checking, traditional personal checking, savings accounts, and HSA options.
• Consumer Loans Personal financing for auto loans (new/used cars, trucks, SUVs), home improvement loans, home equity loans, and personal loans.
• Credit Cards Credit card products featuring EMV smart chip technology and mobile purchasing capability, offered through partnership with Elan Financial Services.
• Wealth Management Trust and estate services including personal and fiduciary services, investment management accounts, bill paying agency accounts, corporate fiduciary accounts, and farm management for high-net-worth clients.
• Health Savings Accounts (HSA) Tax-advantaged accounts for paying qualified medical expenses with features including free HSA debit card, free checks, free online banking, and free electronic bill payment.
• Online Banking Digital banking platform enabling balance checking, account activity viewing, fund transfers, bill payment, secure messaging with customer service, and account data export to Quicken and Microsoft Money.
• Mobile Banking App Mobile application for banking on the go with bill payment, fund transfers, alerts, transaction viewing, ATM/branch locator, and integrated Zelle peer-to-peer payments.
• Zelle Peer-to-peer payment service integrated into the bank's mobile app, enabling fast money transfers to friends, family, and trusted recipients using email or mobile number.
• Zelle for Business Small business payment service using Zelle for sending and receiving payments from customers and paying vendors, suppliers, and employees.
• CDs & IRAs Time deposit accounts including Certificates of Deposit with competitive rates and Individual Retirement Accounts (Traditional, Roth, Education, SEP, Simple, and Qualified plans).

Quantifiable outcome

• Profits grew from $1.28 per share to $5.68 per share from 2014 to 2018
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Early Warning Services, LLC (Zelle)coreTechnology or IntegrationAmerican Commercial Bank & Trust integrates Zelle for fast, safe peer-to-peer payment services. Zelle enables customers to send and receive money directly from their bank accounts using email or mobile number. Transactions typically occur within minutes. Zelle and related marks are owned by Early Warning Services, LLC.
• Elan Financial ServicescoreTechnology or IntegrationElan Financial Services provides credit card products to American Commercial Bank & Trust customers. The bank offers credit cards with EMV smart chip technology and mobile purchasing capability through this partnership.
• Benefits PlusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBenefits Plus provides additional perks for First Checking Premium Account holders including Cellular Care Coverage and Travel Benefits.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Byline Bank: Chicago-based community bank offering commercial lending, treasury management, and consumer banking across the Chicagoland market. Closely comparable to ACB&T in geography, product mix, and target SME / HNW customer base, with a similar community-bank ethos.
• First Busey Corporation: Illinois-headquartered community bank holding company providing commercial, retail, mortgage, and wealth management services across the Midwest. Directly comparable to ACB&T in Illinois footprint, business-line mix, and community-bank positioning.
• First Mid-Illinois Bancshares: Illinois-based community bank holding company with full-service commercial, retail, mortgage, and trust services. Comparable to ACB&T in state-level geographic focus, full-service business model, and SME commercial banking emphasis.
• Midland States Bancorp: Midwest community bank headquartered in Illinois offering commercial lending, treasury management, retail banking, and wealth services. Comparable to ACB&T in geographic footprint, full-service platform, and commercial-bank-led growth strategy.
• Heartland Financial (HTLF): Multi-state community bank holding company offering commercial, retail, mortgage, and wealth management across the Midwest and Southwest. Comparable to ACB&T in community-bank model and product mix, with similar relationship-driven commercial banking emphasis.
• Lakeland Bancorp: New Jersey-based community bank holding company with comparable sub-$10B asset size providing commercial, retail, and wealth banking services. Comparable to ACB&T in business model, scale tier, and emphasis on commercial banking officer-led growth, though operating in a different geography.
• NBT Bancorp: Northeast community bank with a similar mid-size asset base offering commercial lending, treasury management, retail banking, and wealth services. Comparable to ACB&T in full-service community bank platform, SME commercial focus, and asset-size tier, though with regional rather than Illinois-specific focus.
• Farmers & Merchants Bancorp: Mid-size community bank with commercial, agricultural, retail, and mortgage banking services. Comparable to ACB&T in sub-$5B asset scale, agricultural lending presence, and relationship-based commercial banking model in smaller Midwestern markets.

Broad incumbents

• Wintrust Financial Corporation: Large Chicago-area community-bank holding company with an extensive branch network across Illinois and Wisconsin. Overlaps significantly with ACB&T in target market and product mix, but operates at substantially greater scale with a broader portfolio of specialty community banks.
• Old National Bank (formerly First Midwest): Large Midwest commercial bank with deep Illinois and Indiana franchise following the First Midwest merger. Competes head-to-head with ACB&T in Chicagoland SME and middle-market banking but operates at substantially greater scale and product breadth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/acbandt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acbandt

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries5 records

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 American Commercial Bank & Trust