Wintrust Financial Corp. is pushing deeper into Michigan, hiring longtime Kalamazoo banker John Crandle to lead a commercial loan production office that’s set to open in the market this summer.
The move marks Wintrust Financial’s first push into Kalamazoo since acquiring Holland-based Macatawa Bank in 2024.
The expansion into Kalamazoo, about 50 miles south of Grand Rapids, signals Wintrust’s intent to grow beyond its initial West Michigan footprint and tap into a strong business banking market.
As the loan office builds a book of business in Kalamazoo, Wintrust Financial plans to add services such as wealth management and residential mortgages, and possibly establish a full-service banking office, said Chris Woelffer, the CEO at Macatawa Bank and Michigan market head for Wintrust Financial…