CEO and chairman
Bank First | Manitowoc
Mike Molepske is chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Bank First and its holding company, Bank First Corp. In July, Bank First, which reports total assets of approximately $4.4 billion, announced plans to merge with Beloit-based First National Bank and Trust at the beginning of 2026. Molepske also serves on the boards of the RCS Foundation and the Rahr-West Art Museum Charitable Foundation and holds leadership roles within the American Barefoot Club and World Barefoot Council barefoot water skiing organizations.
Education: Bachelor’s, UW-Madison; MBA, UW-Milwaukee
Company success in past 12 months: “Our most significant success this year has been negotiating the merger with First National Bank and Trust, the largest acquisition in our history. This strategic move expands our footprint with 27 new offices across Wisconsin and marks our first entry into Illinois, opening doors to strong markets including Janesville, Beloit and Rockton (Illinois).”
Key lesson from your mentor: “My greatest mentor has been my wife, Amy. As I’ve grown in my career, she has been the one to keep me grounded, always reminding me of who I am and where I came from. She helps me keep perspective and not lose sight of what truly matters – friends, family and relationships. Amy reminds me to prioritize balance and that has made me not only a better leader, but also a better person.”
Book recommendation: “‘Factfulness’ by Hans Rosling. It’s a great reminder that headlines can be sensational, and to truly understand what’s happening, you need to look beyond the news and stay open to different perspectives.”
What’s quintessentially Wisconsin: “Being on the water. Wisconsin is the Water Ski Show Capital of the World, after all. Whether it’s waterskiing, competing, or just pontooning with family and friends, some of my best memories have started on the water.”
2022 Wisconsin 275 Profile
Banking and Finance
President and CEO
Bank First | Manitowoc
Michael Molepske was named chief executive officer of Manitowoc-based Bank First in 2008. Under his leadership, the bank has expanded into other Wisconsin markets, including Appleton, Oshkosh, Tomah, Ozaukee County and Waupaca County, and grown through a series of mergers. In 2017, the bank merged with Waupaca Bancorp., increasing its asset size by about $500 million and adding six offices to its footprint. In 2019, Bank First merged with Partnership Community Bancshares Inc., expanding its branch network into Cedarburg, Mequon, Watertown and Tomah. In 2020, the bank merged with Tomah Bancshares Inc., expanding its presence in Monroe County and becoming the third largest publicly traded bank headquartered in Wisconsin. In August of this year, it completed its merger with Denmark Bancshares Inc., parent company of Denmark State Bank. With the addition of Denmark, Bank First now has assets of about $3.6 billion, loans of $2.9 billion and deposits of $3.2 billion.
Earlier during Molepske’s tenure, the bank merged its insurance subsidiary, the Vincent Group, with A.N. Ansay & Associates to form Ansay & Associates – an entity now jointly owned by Bank First and Ansay.
Following the retirement of Bank First’s former president earlier this year, Molepske assumed that title in addition to CEO and was named chairman of the board.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of Wisconsin-Madison; MBA, UW-Milwaukee
