1824

Joseph Ireland Irwin was born outside Columbus in rural Bartholomew County, Indiana.

1846

Irwin saved the 30 cents his mother gave him for railway fare to Columbus and walked the entire distance to seek his fortune in town. He went to work at a dry goods store making $3.00 a week.

1850

Irwin opened his own mercantile store in Columbus.

1863

Other merchants began leaving their money in Irwin’s safe, which became known as “the safest safe in town.” It wasn’t until Irwin was presented with a piece of Sycamore bark – on which was written, “Mr. Irwin, please pay Jim Brown $5.00 from my poke in your safe” – that Irwin realized he was in the banking business.

1871

Irwin formally established Irwin’s Bank as a separate legal entity.

1877

The November 17 Evening Republican carried the following advertisement:

"Banking House - Joseph I. Irwin is now doing a regular banking business at his store, 94 Washington Street. Exchange of principal cities bought and sold at reasonable rates. Business solicited."

1910

Joseph I. Irwin died at the age of 86. His son, William G. Irwin, succeeded him as president.

1919

William G. Irwin (W.G.) backed inventor Clessie Cummins to found the Cummins Engine Company. A few years later, he arranged the financing to move Noblitt-Sparks Industries (now ArvinMeritor Industries) to Columbus from Indianapolis. Today, Cummins Engine Company remains headquartered in Columbus and ranks among the Fortune 500 industrial companies.

1928

Realizing the seriousness of the upcoming economic situation, W.G. arranged a merger between Irwin’s Bank, and Union Trust, also of Columbus. The name of the combined institution changed to Irwin Union Trust Company.

1943

Hugh Th. Miller became president of Irwin Union Trust upon the death of his uncle, William G. Irwin.

1947

J. Irwin Miller became president of the bank upon the death of his father, Hugh Th. Miller. Irwin Miller continued to serve as President of Cummins Engine Company.

1953

Irwin Miller was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors. The bank introduced a credit card, one of the first in the nation, to its customers. Total assets reached nearly $31 million.

1954

The bank’s name was changed to Irwin Union Bank and Trust Company to reflect the increased importance of commercial banking.

1955

The new downtown office, designed by Eero Saarinen, was completed in March. More than 5,000 people toured the new facility during a two-day open house.

1964

The first mainframe computer is installed in Bartholomew County at Irwin Union Bank.

1972

The bank holding company, named Irwin Union Corporation, was formed.

1981

Inland Mortgage Corporation, a mortgage bank in Indianapolis, was acquired by Irwin Union Corporation and originated about $65 million in mortgages in its first year as an Irwin company.

1990

Irwin Union Corporation’s name was changed to Irwin Financial Corporation with Will Miller elected Chairman and John A. Nash named President. Revenues reached $51.2 million.

1995

Irwin Home Equity Corporation was started in San Ramon, California, becoming Irwin Financial Corporation’s fifth principal line of business at that time. Inland Mortgage acquired the All Pacific Mortgage Company of Walnut Creek, California, increasing Inland’s geographic scope to over 100 offices in 24 states. Three years later, Inland changed its name to Irwin Mortgage Corporation.

1999

Record results in 1999 marked the tenth straight year of consecutive increases in net income, totaling $33.2 million. J. Irwin Miller retired from the Irwin Financial Corporation Board of Directors.

2000

This year marked the ninth straight year that Irwin Financial’s return on equity was at or above 20%, placing the company in the top 10% of all publicly traded bank holding companies on this measure in each of those nine years.

2001

Irwin Capital Holdings (ICH) was established as the Corporation’s commercial finance line of business. ICH subsidiaries included a domestic small ticket leasing company (Irwin Business Finance), a Canadian small ticket leasing company (Onset Capital Corporation), and a financing company for branded franchise financing (Irwin Franchise Capital Corporation). One year later, ICH changed its name to Irwin Commercial Finance and Joe LaLeggia was named President.

Irwin Union Bank formed a Federal Savings Bank (Irwin Union Bank, FSB) and had 29 locations in eight Midwest and Western states.

In September, Irwin Financial moved to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the new ticker symbol IFC.

2003

On a consolidated basis, Irwin Financial achieved record earnings for the 14th year in a row.

Brad Kime became President of the commercial banking segment of Irwin Union Bank and Trust.

2004

Irwin Financial’s Honorary Chairman, J. Irwin Miller, passed away in August. Irwin Miller was the great-grandson of Joseph Ireland Irwin, the founder of Irwin’s Bank in 1871.

2006

Jocelyn Martin-Leano was named President of Irwin Home Equity.

Irwin Financial completed the sale of its conforming, conventional mortgage banking business after 25 years of ownership.

Irwin Commercial Finance reached $1 billion in total assets.