Tri-County Financial Group is a bank holding company headquartered in Mendota, Illinois, operating through its subsidiary, First State Bank, a community bank serving individuals, small and medium-sized businesses, and agricultural customers across north central Illinois through 19 branch offices. The Bank's core business is taking in deposits and making loans across three main categories: commercial loans to owner-operated businesses, real estate loans (including commercial real estate, residential mortgages, and construction), and agricultural loans for farm equipment, livestock, and land. The Bank funds its lending primarily through retail, commercial, and public fund deposits. First State Bank earns money mainly through net interest income — the spread between what it earns on loans and investments and what it pays on deposits. Profitability is driven by loan volume and mix, deposit costs, and the interest rate environment. Beyond core banking, the Bank operates two smaller subsidiaries: First State Mortgage, a mortgage banking operation that originates and sells residential loans into the secondary market, and First State Insurance, an independent insurance agency offering home, auto, life, and agricultural insurance. The Bank's strategy centers on relationship banking — targeting owner-operated businesses and seeking to be the primary financial provider for each customer. First State Bank's performance is closely tied to economic conditions in north central Illinois, where agriculture, light manufacturing, retail, and local government are the dominant industries.