Corey Chambas currently serves as Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of First Business Financial Services, Inc., a $3.8 billion in asset Nasdaq listed bank holding company (ticker FBIZ) which also has an additional $3.4 billion in off-balance sheet assets under management and administration, and has been in that role since 2006. During his tenure, the company went public and has evolved from a local business bank to a financial institution with banks in four geographic markets, an additional six nationwide specialty finance business lines, a bank consulting business, as well as robust private wealth and retirement plan businesses. Chambas has a track record of successful leadership of a growth-oriented niche bank whose focus is on serving as the trusted advisor to privately held and family-owned businesses.
As CEO, Chambas is responsible for overall company strategy development and execution internally, and investor and community relations externally. During his 19-year tenure as CEO, the company has experienced exceptional organic growth, with compound annual growth rates in balance sheet assets of 9.6% and 14.8% in AUMA, while market cap increased sevenfold. Consequently, over that time the company’s stock has returned over 559% versus 102% for the KBW Regional Banking Index, all while maintaining the company’s entrepreneurial spirit and unique culture.
Prior to his position as President and CEO, Chambas served in a series of progressive roles first at the bank and then at the holding company level, including seven years as President and CEO of the bank, and four years as EVP or President and COO of the holding company. During this time, he was involved with the establishment of two De Novo banks, an acquisition, and the formation of multiple specialty lending business lines.
Initially joining to lead business development and sales at First Business Bank, every operational area of the company at one time reported to Chambas including marketing, legal and compliance, information technology, etc.
In addition to the public company board of First Business, Chambas has served on private company fiduciary and advisory boards and many non-profit boards. Most recent board service includes serving as Chair of a regional insurance broker for nine years, as an advisory board member of a private capital firm, and the board of United Way of Dane County. Chambas is a “financial expert” from an Audit Committee perspective and having been very involved in the construction of the company’s compensation programs throughout the last three decades, as well as having been part of a public company’s compensation committee for the last 19 years, has extensive compensation committee experience. In addition, he has broad and deep business experience having underwritten commercial loans for decades, as well as having worked directly with hundreds of business owners and executives across a variety of industries on a wide array of business management issues.
Chambas has been married 40 years; he and his wife have two children and two grandchildren. In his free time, he enjoys road cycling, musky fishing, golf, and coaching youth soccer.
Chambas is passionate about helping businesses succeed and is consequently interested in utilizing his deep and broad business experience in additional board service with either with another public company or a dynamic private company.
