First Security Bank Opens Downtown Location, Brings Opportunity For Growth In Evansville

The ribbon cutting, attended by mayor Lloyd Winnecke and other Evansville notables, is only a small part of this story.

Just over a year ago, the scene at this building looked much different as members of the FDIC acquired Integra Bank, shutting them down and handing over control to Old National Bank.

After a year of laying dormant, new signs of life are appearing here. Bank president Steve Witting says, "We like doing the loans for the smaller investors and not so small investors as well. They own rental properties in the Evansville area and they're providing a very valuable service to the folks they lease the homes to."

Tim Moll is a client of First Security Bank. He also owns Heritage Investments in Evansville. He tells Eyewitness News, in this economy, "There's not many banks that we can go to to buy properties but First Security has stepped out of the box and has loaned money to us so we can further our businesses as there were some banks in town who shut us off."

Moll added, "A lot of people are not able to buy a property in Evansville so their only choice is to rent to these people then they have no place to live."

Witting agrees saying, "To get their first home, to get their first business started, we think we're in an excellent position to provide those services to those customers and, let's face it, when people are buying houses and starting businesses, that's good for downtown."