Richard Green, chairman and CEO of Whitemarsh-based Firstrust Bank, is working hard to preserve the family legacy started by his immigrant father, writes Michael Bradley for the Main Line Today.

Samuel A. Green, originally Zoldag, arrived in Philadelphia from Hungary in 1905 with seven dollars in his pocket. He began his career as a salesman, before starting to provide loans to postal workers. He launched First Federal Savings and Loan in South Philadelphia and built it into a sturdy local banking concern.

Today, Firstrust is a regional banking powerhouse with 18 branches and $3.5 billion in assets.

The founder’s son and later grandson have continued to advance the family business. They have made Firstrust a rarity in the banking world: a thriving midsize institution that is privately owned and still maintains both a neighborhood touch and a gleaming bottom line.

This is achieved by building a culture around good business decisions that do not sacrifice service in the pursuit of profit, said Green.

“In many ways, our culture was defined for me by my grandfather and dad,” he said. “They believed very much in serving the customer.“

Read more about the successful family business at the Main Line Today by clicking here.