Relocating Your Finances Finding a new home for your money By Dan Waller Introduction by Irene Steffens

Relocating your finances in St. Louis is convenient and easy. St. Louis offers a variety of locally owned and national bank branches that provide knowledge of the local business market, outstanding customer service, cutting-edge technology and excellent banking products. Top quality, locally owned mortgage companies, accounting and investment firms abound in the area, as well as the nationally owned and recognized banking institutions and brokerage houses.

AG Edwards is a full-service brokerage institution that makes its headquarters in St. Louis. JD Power and Associates ranks AG Edwards third-highest in customer satisfaction. AG Edwards has achieved its success by putting its customers first. Each client has his or her own financial consultant and customized plan. Representatives at AG Edwards make that plan their primary goal as they serve the investor. In May, Wachovia acquired AG Edwards for $6.8 billion, making it the second-largest retail brokerage firm in the nation.

Alliance Credit Union has grown to become the 13th largest credit union in Missouri serving over 18,000 members from their four area offices – O’Fallon, Fenton, Hazelwood and Jennings. Their members also enjoy the convenience of surcharge free access to over 25,000 CO-OP ATMs nationwide. For 59 years, their experienced staff has been helping members reach their financial goals by providing financial solutions that deliver value and enrich their lives. As a not-for-profit financial institution, they are dedicated to keeping our fees low, providing low loan rates and higher rates of return on investment accounts. Alliance Credit Union offers a full line of services ranging from Free Checking to Money Market Investments and Certificates of Deposit. They also provide automobile, recreational vehicle, home and commercial loans.

Asset Strategies was founded in 1972 offering independent, objective, conflict free advice. We specialize in offering separately managed accounts (SMAs) in addition to traditional investment solutions. SMAs are gaining popularity, and unlike mutual funds, investors have direct ownership of the securities in an SMA with no inherited, embedded capital gains. It also means that holdings can be bought and sold based on strategies that minimize tax liabilities on capital gains. SMAs provide customization options that enable investors to structure a portfolio that works in tandem with existing holdings, and SMAs can be funded with existing securities as well as cash. With SMAs offering socially responsible investing, if an investor dislikes a certain company or industry, the money manager can be instructed to avoid those holdings.

Securities are offered through a non-affilated company, Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a registered Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory Services are offered through Cambridge Investment Advisors, Inc., a registered Investment Advisor.

Bank Midwest has been growing in the St. Louis area, most recently adding branches in Chesterfield and Clayton.

Bank Star, Inc. is a locally owned and managed Missouri-based financial holding company consisting of four banks: Bank Star, Bank Star of the LeadBelt, Bank Star of the Boot-Heel, and Bank Star One, with 13 locations throughout the state. Bank Star of the LeadBelt just celebrated its 100th Anniversary. It is the mission of Bank Star to provide friendly, courteous and top-quality financial services and to provide service that spoils their customers.

Bank of America. If you’re looking for a bank with offices nationwide, Bank of America offers 16,000 ATMs and 5,700 banking centers coast-to-coast. Further, banking from your home or office is easy with Bank of America.

Commerce Bank. Looking for a locally head-quartered bank? Commerce Bank has been in business more than 135 years. Commerce Bank is a regional operation with approximately 330 offices in three states. Commerce provides a diversified line of financial services, including business and personal banking, wealth management and estate planning and investments through its affiliated companies. Subsidiaries of Commerce Bank are involved in mortgage banking, credit related insurance, venture capital and real estate activities. The Commerce Bank philosophy: ask, listen, solve.

Eagle Bank and Trust Company is a locally owned community bank. They offer innovative checking, savings plans, competitive mortgage and home equity loans, a vibrant home refinancing program, as well as a full line of personal insurance. For almost 100 years, they have opened their doors understanding the importance of personal service.

Edward Jones makes its headquarters right here in St. Louis. According to JD Power and Associates, Edward Jones has the highest customer satisfaction rating of 20 full-service stock brokerages in the United States. A recognized leader in the financial services industry; representatives at Edward Jones make a point to meet face-to-face with every client they serve, offering personalized attention and sound financial advice. Further, the company attracts and retains the top-notch employees, as Edward Jones is recognized annually as one of the best places to work.

First National Bank of St. Louis is part of the Central Bancompany holding company, a statewide organization with 13 affiliated banks, more than 80 branch locations and more than 140 ATMs from Kansas City to St. Louis and beyond. The holding company structure allows them to provide leading technology and all the products and services found at any large banking organization, combined with local decision making. With secure online banking, you can conduct all your banking needs without having to leave your home.

Gershman Mortgage. Over 55 years ago, Gershman Mortgage was founded on the principles of service and knowledge with the goal of helping St. Louisans own the home of their dreams. Today, Gershman is one of the area’s leaders in conventional and jumbo single-family home loans. Gershman is consistently the highest ranked independent mortgage company on the St. Louis Business Journal’s list of largest mortgage lenders. Learn more about Gershman Mortgage at www.gershman.com.

Heartland Bank is a full-service regional bank celebrating its 120th anniversary. This is a locally-owned, independent bank with 11 locations, including Heartland Mortgage, a division of Heartland Bank, two retirement community-exclusive locations and their corporate offices located in Clayton, Missouri. With some of the best rates in town, Heartland Bank offers products and services for personal banking, business banking, home mortgage loans and commercial lending services. Heartland Bank’s customers love banking with us because of its individualized customer approach.

MetLife Bank. Open for a little more than four years, MetLife Bank has established itself as an important new component of the MetLife vision to provide “financial freedom for everyone.” MetLife Bank is an integral component of making that happen, offering savings, investment, and mortgage solutions.
Even as a relatively new competitor, MetLife Bank has already begun to make its mark in retail banking. Having more than doubled its customer deposits since 2004 to more than $4.6 billion today, the Bank is poised for significant future growth.
MetLife Bank is looking to make Americans wealthier by taking a new approach to savings, offering interest rates that consistently outpace the national average, and also provides consumers with greater convenience and accessibility to their savings in the way that best suits their busy lives.

National City Bank of the Midwest is committed to the community in which their employees work and live. They work to improve the quality of life in the St. Louis community where they do business. National City shares their success with the community by keeping your money in the St. Louis area where it can do the most for you.

NASB. Serving their local communities for more than 75 years, NASB combines the products and stability you’d expect from a big financial institution with the personal services of a small community bank. From online banking and bill payment to direct deposit and access to thousands of ATMs nationwide, NASB makes banking simple, easy and convenient.

Pulaski Bank has made taking care of its customers and providing personal attention the cornerstone of its business in St. Louis since 1922. The Bank has broadened its product offerings since then, and most aggressively over the past five years. They became a public company on December 2, 1998, traded on NASDAQ National Markets under the ticker symbol PULB.
Pulaski Bank has also become one of the top residential mortgage lenders with more than 30 experienced mortgage bankers who have excelled in simplifying the otherwise overwhelming process for their customers. Their customers will receive personal, one-on-one attention that is vital to making the transaction—be it a relocation, an investment, or a refinance, a positive experience.

The PrivateBank can provide all services involved with relocating in one location and with the most expertise in the industry. This is what sets them apart from the typical bank, mortgage company, trust company or stockbroker. The PrivateBank can accommodate all the needs of high-level executives with more convenience and better client service than any other banking company in the St. Louis area. Let them show you why you need to be affiliated with the best!

Regions Bank is one of the newer banks in the St. Louis area. In September of 1998, Union Planters bought out Magna Bank headquartered in Belleville, Ill., and recently, Union Planters merged with Regions Financial Corporation of Alabama, becoming one of the top 15 financial institutions in the country.

Scottrade. If you are looking for a discount broker, Scottrade offers branch offices in St. Louis. JD Power and Associates has ranked Scottrade “highest in investor satisfaction with online trading services” for five years running. Further, the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association and Deloitte recognized Scottrade as an active participant in the community reflecting the positive aspects of doing business in Greater St. Louis with its Top 50 Award.

St. Louis Bank is a state-chartered financial institution conveniently located in West County, Missouri. It opened its doors just a little over two years ago on June 6, 2005. As of its second anniversary, its total assets were approximately $400 million. St. Louis Bank is recognized as the quickest bank in Missouri history to reach profitability. They accomplished that goal in the first eight months of business.

St. Louis Bank’s staff is comprised of experienced bankers who recognize the importance of customer service, local decision making authority, and cutting edge technology. Being the first community bank in St. Louis to offer Remote Deposit has proven that it is not necessary to have a branch on every corner to serve your customers effectively. With nearly 100 remote deposit machines installed in 8 states, the majority of their business customers conduct their own banking without ever leaving their offices. St. Louis Bank also offers a courier service and has more than a dozen drop boxes located conveniently in and around the St. Louis Metropolitan area to serve their commercial customers.
St. Louis Bank also offers a complete array of traditional banking products such as highly competitive Certificate of Deposits, Treasury Management services, home equity lines of credit and loan products ranging from commercial real estate financing to residential mortgage lending. All lending decisions are made locally.

UMB Bank, whose name is famous for its event pavilion, has been a trusted name in Missouri financial circles for many years.

U. S. Bank has 79 banking locations and more than 2000 ATM’s within the St. Louis area. U.S. Bank, as part of U.S. Bancorp, offers a wide variety of products and services to meet your financial needs and goals, including checking, investing, and mortgage services. Visit us at www.usbank.com

WestBridge Bank and Trust strives to become the best commercial bank for small to middle market businesses in the St. Louis market. In a banking era dominated by big bank mergers and the creation of large national banks looking for increasingly larger clients, WestBridge Bank and Trust serves the needs of local small business entrepreneurs who are the backbone of our St. Louis community, and their employees.

Every day they help their clients achieve their goals, and they try to do this in ways that extend beyond providing excellent bank products. One of the ways WestBridge Bank and Trust does this is by actively promoting the businesses of its customers to its contacts throughout the St. Louis community.