TCF Financial history

TCF Financial Corporation began business in 1923 as Twin City Building and Loan Association.

In 1936, it was given a federal charter and renamed as Twin City Federal Savings and Loan Association.

1943: Twin City Federal ranks as the seventh largest S&L in the nation, with $20 million in assets

In the fall of 1959, Twin City Federal had surpassed in terms of total size its biggest competitor in the Minneapolis/St Paul savings market.

In 1960 Twin City Federal had about 26 percent of total assets held by the state's savings institutions.

In 1964, the bank changed its name to Chemical Bank Trust.

1972: Twin City Federal reaches $1 billion in assets.

In 1974, the bank changed its name to Chemical Bank.

William Cooper, named CEO in the spring of 1985, was charged with keeping the operation alive.

Seeking capital, Twin City Federal went public in 1986, under the name TCF Banking and Savings, F.A. (TCF Bank). Meanwhile, Cooper continued to clean house.

During 1987, TCF acquired approximately $300 million of insured deposits from an S&L in Illinois.

1988: TCF opens first supermarket branch location.

1989: TCF switches to a federal savings bank and begins trading on the NYSE.

Despite Cooper's moves, TCF's future was still in the balance in 1990.

In 1993, TCF acquired $960 million-in-assets Republic Capital Group, Inc. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

In 1995, TCF increased its Michigan presence by acquiring the Great Lakes National Bank.

TCF also ranked as the 16th largest issuer of Visa debit cards in the United States with 1.1 million cards in circulation--TCF had introduced the card that worked like a check to its Minnesota customers back in 1996.

But in 1997, Cooper led TCF's conversion from a thrift to a bank.