In September of 1981, Western Capital Investments from Denver, Colorado purchased Unity Mortgage, a subsidiary of a dynamic Chicago-based thrift, Unity Savings. Unity Mortgage was merged with Western Capital’s mortgage subsidiary, First Capital Mortgage. Combined, the new entity became WestAmerica Mortgage Company. This was the foundation for the company’s national lending structure of today.

As a result of the unstable interest rate market of the ‘80’s, Western Capital and it’s banking subsidiaries (Western Savings, et. al.) chose to pursue retail banking, rather than mortgage production or servicing, for their future growth plans. In turn, the parent organization presented the three principal officers of WestAmerica Mortgage with an opportunity to purchase the mortgage company. These gentlemen accepted the challenge and the mortgage-banking group became a privately held stand-alone company in 1989.

With the vision of it’s owners, WestAmerica Mortgage (dba WestAm Mortgage in the state of California), has grown to become a full service lender, with offices located throughout the country. The company offers a wide range of loan programs, including FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo, niche / expanded criteria, commercial, reverse mortgages, sub prime, seconds, home-equities, and construction lending alternatives. In short, we offer a product menu that illustrates our philosophy of employing a Broker-type mentality, with a Mortgage Banker’s resources.

WestAmerica / WestAm is affiliated with, and belongs to, many industry-related trade associations, including:

• HUD direct-endorsed lender
• FNMA D.U. Lender, Seller / Servicer and D.O. point-of-sale originator
• FHLMC L.P. Lender, Seller / Servicer and L.P.I. point-of-sale originator
• Equal Housing Lender
• VA automatic lender with LAPP approved staff underwriting authority
• Mortgage Bankers Association of America (MBA)
• National Association of Realtors (NAR)
• National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB)
• Delegated Private Mortgage Insurer with every major Mortgage Insurance Company
• Rural Economic and Community Development Lender
• National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRML)
• Member of every major State Mortgage Brokers / Bankers Association where we maintain a physical presence

In May of 2004, WestAmerica Mortgage Company joined forces with the Wintrust Financial Corporation, a multi-billion dollar holding company, headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois. Today, WestAmerica is listed as a subsidiary of Barrington Bank and Trust, a member company, and enjoys the financial backing of this financial conglomerate, the inherent value of shared affinity services and lending opportunities among it’s subsidiaries; and, the benefits that come with federally-supervised licensing and lending authority.

For more information on Wintrust Financial Corporation, or any of its subsidiaries, please reference the following website: Wintrust Financial Corporation (www.wintrust.com)