First International Bank is a contradiction in terms. It is an international bank whose chairman makes house calls - visits clients, tours factories, gets a feel for the individual client. It is a power player in international finance and global economics, but its bread-and-butter business is the small businessman who needs a new lathe or an updated air-conditioning system. It is a successful, well respected participant in the global economy, but achieved its prominence by being, in the words of Senior Vice President Tim Jones, a "contrarian" in the world of finance.

It is contrarian in that, unlike other banks, First International doesn't evaluate a company by simply looking at the bottom line. First International looks at the product, at the potential, at the promise. Most importantly, says Tim, the bank looks at the people, the management, at their vision and involvement. A man's handshake and commitment are more important to First International than his business plan or prospectus. His history and work ethic carry more weight with the bank than his debt structure or accounts payable.

A visit to First International's Web site (www.upscapital.com) bears that out. One part of the site is devoted to solutions, tales of companies that faced serious problems, turned to First International, and found solutions. The veteran tool and die shop, for example, that had an excellent credit history but couldn't get money for expansion because of a global downturn; the small company with a proprietary product, who wanted to expand overseas, but couldn't find capital because no banker understood the product; the sound, family-owned business that was going through a rough period but was still putting out top-quality parts.

First International partners with businesses like these because the bank knows quality, it understands the business, and it is willing to wait for success. "We provide more flexible, longer term loans than our competitors," Tim says, "and that longer term financing - 10 or 15 years - can make a big difference in a company's monthly cash flow."

First International is a leader in loan programs through the Export-Import Bank, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Small Business Administration. It was in the SBA's Top 10 list for 7(a) lenders in 1999, was Number I in number of transactions for the Export-Import Bank and was Number I in dollar volume for loans through the USDA.

Its experience in government programs and the Export-Import Bank has served it well. A few years ago, for instance, when the Korean economy went bust, Asian manufacturers were left with huge inventories of unsold parts, and couldn't unload them. Most American banks hunkered down and slammed their doors on anything Asian, but First International leaped into the breach. It sent a team over to Korea, met with business and government leaders, and bought their inventories. Then the bank brought the product over here and sold it to American businesses at 180-day and sometimes 360-day terms. "We provided the Koreans with cash, which they desperately needed," says Tim, "and we provided American firms with product at very generous terms. It was a win-win situation."

It was also an example of the bank's innovative, opportunistic, hands-on approach to international finance. A situation that other banks saw as chaotic and disastrous, First International viewed as opportunity, and took advantage of it.

First International is headquartered in Hartford, Conn., and has I I offices spread through the Eastern United States. It also has representatives in 13 foreign countries, specializing in emerging economies in Central and South America, Asia and Africa "where there's a lot of growth but not a lot of capital," Tim says.

It's basic client is the small- to mid-sized manufacturing company, here and abroad, that requires creative, flexible financing and wants to compete in the global market. First International finances companies in America that want to expand overseas, and companies overseas that want to buy American. Tim tells of one Brazilian firm that wanted to expand, but couldn't find the capital. "They don't have mortgages in Brazil," Tim says, and long-term debt over there is practically unheard of. That, coupled with a crippling inflation rate, makes borrowing nearly impossible. So the bank arranged financing through the Ex-Im Bank for the expansion, as long as the company bought American products and paid in American dollars. The Brazilians received long-term financing at reasonable rates, and American companies sold parts and product to the Brazilian firm.

First International opened its Rochester office in 1997 and lured Tim Jones away from M&T Bank to run it. He brought in four loan officers and, after 21/2 years, has more than 50 clients and $60 million in loans outstanding.

Why such success in an area of the country that many people consider stagnant? "The real value that we bring to the table is that long-term financing," Tim says. "It's pretty unique in the marketplace. We feel we have a real differentiation from others in the way we approach banking, plus the fact that we just understand manufacturers a lot better than our competitors. "

Not only do they understand them, they like them. First International loan officers do not sit behind desks all day; they get out to the customers, tour the plants, see the process, meet the workers, get a feel for the product.

"Manufacturing is fascinating," says Tim.  "It's so multi-dimensional, there's so many facets to it. You put the piece of metal into a machine and this precision machined part comes out the other end. It's just amazing."

"Most of these are family-owned businesses, closely held businesses; these people have built their livelihoods around their business. And it's exciting for us to get involved with people like that because you know they're committed to it. It's fun to be involved with companies like that."

First International does not have a large, physical presence. No huge corporate buildings dominating cityscapes; no ATM machines; not even very many people. The bank, Tim estimates, employs perhaps 200 people, but it is growing because it fills a niche and serves a need. It caters to the small, independent entrepreneur, the two or three-man shop, or the 10-to-20-man business, with annual sales of 5, 10, maybe 20 million dollars.