John Ikard: FirstBank's CEO braved the banking storm and now sees opportunity for growth.

• Author: Bronikowski, Lynn
• Position: EXECUTIVE edge

THIRTY-TWO YEARS AGO-FRESH OUT of Colorado State University with a degree in psychology--John Ikard answered a newspaper ad for a job in banking.

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"I thought I'd do it for a year or so," said Ikard, who would never leave his first employer and in 1999 would be named president and CEO of Lakewood-based FirstBank Holding Co. "After awhile I decided I really liked banking--liked the math of it; liked dealing with customers, putting deals together and interacting with people."

A native of Las Cruces, N.M., Ikard was one of six children. His father owned a furniture stun, and had part ownership in a bank.

"My parents were very big on all six of us going to college," said Ikard, who earned an MBA in business management from St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas, and is a graduate of Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington. He went on to serve on the Federal Reserve Bank Board in Kansas City, and next year will become chairman of the American Bankers Association.

"It's always exciting to be voted in by your peers," said Ikard, current vice chairman of the ABA. "I enjoy talking to people around the country about what's going on. It's amazing how candid bankers are about what they're doing well and what's not doing so well."

Ikard said FirstBank weathered the 2008 financial meltdown well, is on track to open new locations in Phoenix and Denver, and has seen loan growth up 20 percent over the past three years.

"We staved away from bad loans and sub-prime mortgages. A lot of banks went away from Free checking hut we decided to double clown and stay with free checking," said Ikard. "Those checking accounts are the gateway to the mortgage loan and the banking relationship, so we had great account growth over the last three or lour years."

Ikard said loan officers worked closely with customers who were struggling.

"Our loan officers went out and talked to our customers to see what was going on," said...