Banking and Finance
President and CEO
Bank First | Manitowoc
Michael Molepske was named chief executive officer of Manitowoc-based Bank First in 2008. Under his leadership, the bank has expanded into other Wisconsin markets, including Appleton, Oshkosh, Tomah, Ozaukee County and Waupaca County, and grown through a series of mergers. In 2017, the bank merged with Waupaca Bancorp., increasing its asset size by about $500 million and adding six offices to its footprint. In 2019, Bank First merged with Partnership Community Bancshares Inc., expanding its branch network into Cedarburg, Mequon, Watertown and Tomah. In 2020, the bank merged with Tomah Bancshares Inc., expanding its presence in Monroe County and becoming the third largest publicly traded bank headquartered in Wisconsin. In August of this year, it completed its merger with Denmark Bancshares Inc., parent company of Denmark State Bank. With the addition of Denmark, Bank First now has assets of about $3.6 billion, loans of $2.9 billion and deposits of $3.2 billion.
Earlier during Molepske’s tenure, the bank merged its insurance subsidiary, the Vincent Group, with A.N. Ansay & Associates to form Ansay & Associates – an entity now jointly owned by Bank First and Ansay.
Following the retirement of Bank First’s former president earlier this year, Molepske assumed that title in addition to CEO and was named chairman of the board.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of Wisconsin-Madison; MBA, UW-Milwaukee
