First Defiance Financial: Banking Since 1935

The First Federal Bank of the Midwest is the wholly owned banking company of First Defiance Financial. The latter is registered as a holding company that holds its corporate office in Defiance, Ohio. Its banking subsidiary has been around since 1935, while the holding company was incorporated in June 1995. First Defiance is a component of the Wilshire 5000 Index.

Categorized as a unitary thrift holding company, First Defiance Financial continues to conduct traditional banking and offers other insurance coverages. The company continues to operate 33 full service banking offices in communities in northeast Indiana, southeastern Michigan and in northwest Ohio. The bank continues to offer customary depository products and services and various commercial and consumer loans. As of December 2014, the company has reported its assets to be around $2.18 billion in value with an additional $1.76 billion in deposits.

Together with the bank, the company operates two other subsidiaries: The First Insurance Group of the Midwest, Inc. and First Defiance Risk Management, Inc. The former continues to offer a wide range of insurance coverages, including property and casualty, group health and life insurance products. The latter oversees the coverage of the company and its subsidiaries against risk of the operations. The company continues to invest in some government backed securities, mortgage-backed securities, corporate bonds and obligations of state and political subdivisions. Reportedly, the company has $71.0 million in overnight investments at the Federal Reserve.

For years, First Defiance Financial Corporation has worked with the residents in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana. The company has closely monitored the financial success of each of their customers and has been there to provide them the guidance and advice to pave their way to financial freedom and stability. The company remains traded publicly on the NASDAQ, using the ticker symbol FDEF. Currently, the business is headed by their CEO, Donald Hileman.