Case Study: First Citizens Bank Boosts CRA Loan Production by 3.5%

Founded over 125 years ago, First Citizens Bank is a national financial institution headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. With over 15,000 associates and 550 branches across 35 states, the bank has grown significantly through strategic acquisitions, including CIT Bank and Silicon Valley Bank. Its mortgage division includes 125 loan originators supported by centralized operations both in Columbia, South Carolina, and on the West Coast.

As First Citizens expanded into new markets beyond its Carolinas stronghold, the bank faced the challenge of understanding lending opportunities in unfamiliar regions. Historically, the bank relied on deep local knowledge to identify lending prospects, but rapid growth required a more data-driven approach to ensure CRA compliance and maintain competitive positioning.

From the beginning, Mortgage MarketSmart proved instrumental in helping the bank align its growth strategies with actionable insights. The platform’s advanced mapping and data visualization capabilities enabled First Citizens to pinpoint low- to moderate-income (LMI) and majority-minority census tracts (MMCTs) across its expanded footprint. This allowed the bank to focus CRA efforts on areas where they would have the most substantial impact.

“The partnership with iEmergent has been invaluable,” said First Citizens Bank Group Vice President Ken Cox. “Their platform provides the insights we need to meet our goals and stay ahead in an ever-evolving market.”