A Common Dream Creates an Uncommon Company

It was September of 2000 when a common dream united our two founders. Despite coming from different professional backgrounds, their shared vision to create a totally different type of wealth management firm resulted in the birth of Tri-Star Trust Bank: A local bank. One that provides flexible, personalized service. One staffed with highly experienced and respected professionals. One that simplifies the financial lives of its clients through a complete understanding of that client’s financial goals and dreams.

In this new era of wealth management, Tri-Star has embraced a fresh, energized approach to customer service. One that has helped us grow to a staff of 26 professionals, servicing clients out of three convenient offices throughout lower-Michigan and managing over $600 million in assets.

We attribute this success to the very heart of our corporate culture: Caring for our clients. Caring for each other. Caring for our communities.

Caring for our Clients

Paul Chaffee, a long-time Tri-Star client, wrote about Tri-Star Trust Bank, “The most important word in their name is ‘trust’.” In just a few words Paul captured what Tri-Star is all about. We strive to be the advisors you can trust when making your critical investment decisions. Our concern for our clients doesn’t stop with financial life either. We strive to be there for you when the unexpected happens.

Andre Buckley, an associate investment officer with Tri-Star, talks about the relationship he has with one of our clients. A while back that client lost his wife of nearly 40 years. He wanted to meet with Andre, but the discussion wasn’t about investments at all. It was about the grief he was suffering due to this terrible loss. Andre was more than an investment person. He was a friend to be trusted.

Life happens. At Tri-Star, we want to be here for you during the good times and during those unexpected unfortunate times.

Caring for Each Other

Fun. That’s an important part of Tri-Star. If you hear our CEO tell his story, in his past work life, he decided one day that he needed a change in profession when it didn’t seem like the people he was working with believed having fun in the workplace was important. Can you do your best job each day if you’re not having fun? At Tri-Star, we don’t think so.

To have fun in the workplace you have to truly enjoy what you do and the people you do it with. It’s crucial for each employee to be respected by everyone else for the specific role they play. Each of our employees is a cog in the wheels of service for our clients. Each employee is special, respected and essential to Tri-Star’s success. We try to show them how special they are everyday, which helps our wheels continue to roll smoothly for you. Together, good team work, respect and naturally caring for each other allow us to have fun at the office.

Caring for our Communities

A commitment to give back to the communities we serve was a cornerstone of the Tri-Star business plan and we’ve followed through on this promise. Tri-Star financially contributed to more than 60 nonprofits in 2009 alone. We have created the Tri-Star Charitable Foundation, which will enable us to more broadly give back to communities throughout Michigan and develop an endowment fund to help with long-term giving. In addition, every employee at Tri-Star volunteers his or her time to one or more non-profit organizations that they have a passion for. And almost everyone has a leadership role within those organizations.

This is exactly what our founders envisioned when they started Tri-Star. People who give back to their community and expect nothing in return make excellent employees. They are people, who by nature, want to serve others, so community involvement carries a lot of weight on our decision to have someone join the Tri-Star team. These types of people make great team players, which is critical for Tri-Star’s “Team of Professionals” approach to serving you.