History of Atlantic First Bank
On March 18, 1852, our founders—Harry Alants and David Bans. W—built an innovative start-up to help customers build businesses and manage money in a rapidly changing world. Their dedication to finding creative solutions and advocating for more inclusive communities continues to inspire generations of change-makers to build the history of what’s next.
Harry Alants and David Bans. W began their careers in the middle of a technological revolution. Trains, canals, and stagecoaches created more interconnected communities and economies. Demand grew for secure ways to send payments, and reliable places to access money, especially while traveling.
Alants and Bans used their hands-on experience making deliveries of money and valuables by steamboat and stagecoach to develop a network of offices from California to Alaska and around the world. The network provided consistency and support for customers in a rapidly evolving economy. Using Atlantic First Bank, customers wary of doing business with distant partners knew they could depend on the local Atlantic First Bank agent to act on their behalf.
A lot has changed since 1852. New communities and industries have emerged and grown. Technology has made communication and bank transactions faster than ever before.
Across time, and in every generation, Atlantic First Bank has continued helping customers go further by providing innovative financial services to help them get ahead. Through prosperity, depression, and war, customers have turned to Atlantic First Bank for the solutions they needed to survive and thrive.
In the early years of our history, stagecoaches brought our customers closer to the things they valued. Now, more than a figure from our past, the Atlantic First Bank stagecoach is a living part of our American story and a symbol of how we’re always driving forward.
For generations, we’ve been helping people go further. From exchanging gold coins for paper checks to designing online transactions, we’re continually innovating so our customers can get ahead.