Financial Services >> CEO Interviews >> September 12, 2002

Edward Wehmer – Wintrust Financial Corporation (wtfc)

EDWARD WEHMER is a long time Lake Forest resident where he lives with his wife, Dorothy, and their six children. Since May 1998, he has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Wintrust Financial Corporation, a $3.2 billion dollar financial holding company. Prior to May 1998, he served as President & Chief Operating Officer of the Company since its formation in 1996. He served as President of Lake Forest Bank, a subsidiary of Wintrust from 1991 to 1998 and was one of the principal organizers of each of the company's banking subsidiaries. He has served as Chairman or Vice Chairman and a Director of each Wintrust's subsidiaries. Prior to joining the Company, he was Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Director of River Forest Bancorp, Inc. (now known as Corus Bankshares, Inc.), Chicago, Illinois and president of its largest bank subsidiary, Lincoln National Bank. Earlier in his career Mr. Wehmer spent seven years with the accounting firm of Ernst & Young LLP specializing in the banking field and particularly in the area of bank mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Wehmer is a 1976 graduate of Georgetown University and is a Certified Public Accountant. He serves on the Finance Committee for St. Mary's Parish in Lake Forest and is a board member of the Lake Forest Caucus. Mr. Wehmer is a member of The Economic Club of Chicago, The Chicago Club, the Knollwood Club in Lake Forest and Dairymen's Country Club in Boulder Junction, Wisconsin. Profile
DAVID A. DYKSTRA has held the position of Chief Financial Officer since 1995 and Chief Operating officer since 2002. He also currently serves as the Company's Secretary and Treasurer. He oversees all of the financial affairs of Wintrust Financial Corporation, including internal and external financial reporting, capital planning, merger and acquisition planning, and other corporate financial matters. Mr. Dykstra is a Director of a number of the Company's subsidiaries. Prior to this position, from 1990 to 1995, Mr. Dykstra was employed by River Forest Bancorp, Inc. in Chicago. He served as that company's Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 1992 to 1995 and as the Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer from 1990 to 1992. Before joining River Forest Bancorp, Inc., Mr. Dykstra served seven years with KPMG LLP, most recently holding the position of Audit Manager in the Financial Institutions practice of the firm. Mr. Dykstra, a graduate of Drake University, is also a Certified Public Accountant. He and his family are residents of Lake Villa, Illinois. He is active in community affairs. Profile
TWST: Could we begin with a sketch of some of the highlights in

the history of Wintrust Financial Corp. and then bring us up to

date with a picture of things as they are now?

Mr. Wehmer: It's