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Overview

First Foundation has assembled an extraordinary team of financial professionals united around a single cause: to enable growth-minded individuals and businesses to boldly live the life they imagined and preserve the legacy they’ve worked so hard to build—knowing we have their backs at every moment, especially the ones that matter.

From relationship banking to real estate financing and wealth management to trust services, First Foundation is committed to helping clients at any and every step along their financial journey.

Connect With Us

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@firstfoundinc

First Foundation Inc.

Founded in 2007, with headquarters in Dallas, TX, First Foundation Inc. is the parent company for First Foundation Advisors and First Foundation Bank. Under the First Foundation brand we serve our clients through two entities: First Foundation Bank and

First Foundation Advisors.

First Foundation Advisors

With a legacy that dates back to 1990, Rick Keller started one of the nation’s first wealth advisors to provide wealth management solutions that were in the best interest of his clients. His original business has grown into First Foundation Advisors which

offers comprehensive investment management and wealth planning strategies.

First Foundation Bank

Formed in 2007, First Foundation Bank is an FDIC-insured bank that was originally started to serve the clients of our wealth advisory business.

We have since expanded our offering into serving a broader client set and we have become known as one of the leading banks in the markets we serve.

We’re for the builders, investors, and legacy-makers in our communities

Bank Assets

$13.3 billion of total bank assets (as of 12/31/24)

Private Wealth Management AUM

$5.5 billion of assets under management (as of 12/31/24)

Locations

31 locations across California, Florida, Hawaii, Nevada, and Texas

At First Foundation, we’ve never taken the easy path, but we’ve always chosen the right one – for our clients, our families, our communities, and each other.

Thomas C. Shafer , Chief Executive Officer

Featured In

Our Efforts

Our efforts in the communities we serve and with our clients make us what we are today, and we are proud to recognize these accomplishments.

Model Bank Employee Enablement

First Foundation Bank was recognized as a Model Bank for Employee Enablement by Celent as we developed an integrated back-end and front-end data warehouse and employee intranet designed to keep everything connected and in sync.

Civic 50

First Foundation was included in the Orange County Business Journal's Civic 50 list, which is compiled annually to spotlight those companies who are civic-minded within the communities they serve.

Best-in-Class for HR Management

Gallagher, a global human resources consulting firm, has awarded our team with an award for Best-in-Class for HR Management from their 2019 Benefits Strategy and Benchmarking Survey.

Bank & Thrift Sm-All Stars: FFWM

The Sm-All Stars represent the top performing small-cap banks and thrifts in the country. According to Sandler O’Neill + Partners, banks selected have superior performance metrics in growth, profitability, credit quality and capital strength.

Spokespeople with relevant perspectives

Scott F. Kavanaugh

Chief Executive Officer

Christopher Naghibi, Esq.

Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer

John Hakopian

President, First Foundation Advisors

Rick Keller, CFP®

Senior Managing Director, First Foundation Advisors

Andrew Chan, CAIA

Co-Chief Investment Officer, First Foundation Advisors

Our Expertise

Balanced insights and content you can leverage

All Insights

A valued resource you can rely on

Strength and stability in banking and wealth management

We can provide a unique perspective about trends in the industry.

Knowledge of the various stages of one’s financial life

We can help your audience better appreciate the many facets of financial services.

Locations in California, Florida, Nevada, Hawaii, and Texas

We understand the importance of having local insights.

Experienced and engaging speakers

Our team is available for speaking engagements. Various members of our team are experienced in educating audiences across a multitude of topics including:

Financial Services

Fintech, Customer Experience, Branding, Social Media, Cyber Security, Behavioral Economics, Regulation

Banking and Lending

Personal Finance, Small Business Lending, Multifamily and Apartment Lending, Commercial Real Estate, Residential Lending, Digital Payments

Wealth Management

Retirement Planning , Financial Markets, Economic Outlook, Trust and Estate Planning, Philanthropy and Charitable Giving, ESG Investing

Focused on Doing Good

We value our employees' service on non-profit boards, recognizing the benefits for both the organization and individual. We want to acknowledge our employees' efforts and show our gratitude by selecting a Volunteer of the Month and donating to the organization of their choosing. We believe in empowering our employees to make a difference, and we are grateful for everything they do to support our communities.

Imperial Valley Chamber Board

Participating with the Imperial Valley Chamber Board to support Women Owned businesses in El Centro, CA.

Habitat for Humanity of Orange County

Habitat for Humanity of Orange County’s 100 Keys, 100 Homes event in Orange County, CA.

The Joslyn Center

Educating Joslyn Center clients on financial scams, financial elder abuse, and how to use financial tools and resources in Riverside, CA.

Blessings in a Backpack

Supporting the Blessings in a Backpack program at Jesse D. Scott Elementary in Las Vegas, NV.

Media Inquiries & Investor Relations

(949) 476-0300
marketing@ff-inc.com