First National of Nebraska

Two immigrant brothers from Ohio, Herman Kountze and Augustus Kountze, founded the bank as Kountze Brothers Bank in 1857. It traded primarily in gold dust and bison hides. The bank received national charter #209{{Cite web | url=https://www.occ.gov/static/cra/craeval/dec03/209.pdf | title=Community Reinvestment Act Performance Evaluation | publisher=Office of the Comptroller of the Currency | date=April 29, 2003}} in 1863 and began doing business as First National Bank of Omaha. It brought in additional investors, including Edward Creighton, who served as president.

In 1953, under the leadership of John Lauritzen, First National Bank became the first bank in the region and the fifth in the nation to issue credit cards.{{Cite news | url=https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/06/10/first-national-bank-of-omaha.aspx | title=First National Bank of Omaha | first=Jordan | last=Wathen | work=The Motley Fool | date=June 10, 2015}}

In 1968, the bank was reorganized under the bank holding company, First National of Nebraska, Inc.

In 1971, employees started moving into the 22-story First National Center. Attached to a 420-room hotel and a 550-stall parking garage, it became one of the most modern buildings in the region, providing economic development in downtown Omaha.{{Cite web|url=http://www.laserone.net|title=Laser One - A First National Company|access-date=2008-06-17}}

In 1987, Bruce Lauritzen was named president of the bank.{{Cite news | url=https://omaha.com/news/local/business/bruce-lauritzen-who-took-first-national-to-new-heights-in-banking-and-on-omaha-skyline/article_1c54f300-d0e9-11ee-9184-cf35c7ad7380.html | title=Bruce Lauritzen, who led First National Bank of Omaha, dies | first=Henry J. | last=Cordes | work=Lincoln Journal Star | date=February 21, 2024 | url-access=subscription}}

In 2002, First National Bank completed construction on the First National Bank Tower, the tallest building between Chicago and Denver.

From 2006 to 2009, Rajive Johri was president of the bank.{{Cite news | url=https://journalstar.com/business/first-national-names-new-president-rajive-johri/article_6b41d26f-2f27-536c-9d5f-bf9f2a59f84c.html | title=First National names new president, Rajive Johri | work=Lincoln Journal Star | date=June 13, 2006 | url-access=subscription}}

From 2009 to 2017, Dan O'Neil was president of the bank.{{Cite news | url=https://omaha.com/business/article_79c9ad12-e345-11e6-ad46-93999d4760f7.html | title=First National President and Chairman Dan O'Neill to retire | first=Cole | last=Epley | work=Omaha World-Herald | date=January 23, 2017 | url-access=subscription}}

On September 30, 2010, the bank holding company, First National of Nebraska, consolidated its bank charters of First National Bank of Colorado, in Fort Collins, Colorado; First National Bank of Kansas, in Overland Park, Kansas; and Castle Bank, in DeKalb, Illinois, with its First National Bank of Omaha charter.{{Cite news | url=https://bizwest.com/2010/10/22/first-national-bank-now-first-national-of-omaha/ | title=First National Bank now First National of Omaha | work=BizWest | date=October 22, 2010}}

In 2010, the bank sold a 51% interest in its merchant acquiring business to TSYS for $150.5 million.{{Cite news | url=https://www.finextra.com/pressarticle/33094/tsys-completes-acquisition-of-stake-in-fnbo-merchant-acquiring-business | title=Tsys completes acquisition of stake in FNBO merchant acquiring business | work=Finextra | date=1 April 2010}} TSYS acquired the remaining 49% of the business the following year.{{Cite news | url=https://www.nsbanking.com/news/tsys-acquires-remaining-49-stake-in-first-national-merchant-solutions-050111/ | title=TSYS acquires remaining 49% stake in First National Merchant Solutions | work=NS Banking | date=January 5, 2011}}

In 2014, the bank holding company consolidated the charter of First National Bank South Dakota with the charter of First National Bank of Omaha.{{Cite news | url=https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/community/chadron/first-national-consolidating-charters/article_a257caa2-9357-11e3-bbc6-0019bb2963f4.html | title=First National consolidating charters | work=Rapid City Journal | date=February 11, 2014 | url-access=subscription}}

In 2017, Clark Lauritzen was named president of the bank.{{Cite news | url=https://omaha.com/news/nation-world/business/right-at-home-in-his-new-role-clark-lauritzen-is-6th-generation-at-helm-of/article_d8c68093-b62e-5170-b53c-fd7938dbef35.html | title=Clark Lauritzen is 6th generation at helm of First National | work=Omaha World-Herald | date=April 4, 2017 | url-access=subscription}}

In 2018, the bank ended its credit card affinity program with the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) due to customer complaints after the Parkland high school shooting.{{Cite news |url=https://www.americanbanker.com/news/first-national-of-omaha-to-drop-nra-card-partnership | title=First National of Omaha to drop NRA card partnership | first=Andy | last=Peters | work=American Banker | date=February 22, 2018}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://www.fnni.com/}}
• [https://www.fnbo.com/ FNBO]

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{{Portal|Banks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:First National Of Nebraska}}

Category:American companies established in 1968

Category:Banks based in Omaha, Nebraska

Category:Banks established in 1968

Category:Companies traded over-the-counter in the United States

Category:Kountze family