Capitol Federal Savings Bank

Capitol Federal Savings Bank, commonly known as Capitol Federal or CapFed, is a federally chartered and federally insured savings bank headquartered in Topeka, Kansas. Founded during the Panic of 1893, it developed from a local savings and loan association into a regional institution serving communities in Kansas and Missouri, particularly both sides of the Kansas City metropolitan area. The bank is owned by Capitol Federal Financial Inc., a publicly traded holding company whose common stock trades on Nasdaq under the symbol CFFN. The institution traces its origins to September 16, 1893, when 15 local professionals established the Savings and Loan Association of Topeka. Its first office was located above a Rock Island Railroad ticket office. The organization adopted the name Capitol Building and Loan Association in 1899 and later became Capitol Federal Savings and Loan Association in 1938, when it received a federal charter and obtained federal deposit insurance through the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation. The association grew substantially during the twentieth century, becoming the largest federally insured association in Kansas by 1943 and reaching $100 million in assets in 1958 and $1 billion in 1977. Capitol Federal’s business is centered on traditional banking and savings-and-loan activities. Personal banking services include checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, individual retirement accounts, consumer loans, residential mortgages, and home-equity products. The bank also provides trust-management services and works with Sallie Mae to offer student-loan products. Business customers can access deposit accounts, commercial lending, and merchant payment-processing services. Insurance products are offered through Capitol Agency, a separate subsidiary that refers or provides home, vehicle, business, and life insurance services. Mortgage lending and retail deposits remain central to the brand’s positioning. Capitol Federal presents itself as a community-oriented financial institution combining local branch access with digital banking. Its True Blue Online portal, introduced in 2001, expanded customer access beyond physical branches. The bank later upgraded its debit cards to support EMV chip technology and Apple Pay. In 2018, Capitol Federal acquired Capital City Bank and completed the integration of that business into Capitol Federal in April 2019. As of July 2024, the bank operated 51 locations, comprising 46 traditional branches and five in-store locations, concentrated in the Kansas City metropolitan area and surrounding markets in Kansas and Missouri. Capitol Federal Financial Inc. is also included in the Nasdaq Financial-100 and S&P SmallCap 600 indexes. The institution’s long operating history, mutual-savings roots, mortgage expertise, and regional branch network distinguish it from national full-service banks, while its holding-company structure gives investors access to a publicly traded financial-services enterprise.

Capitol Federal Savings Bank began during the Panic of 1893, a period of severe financial disruption in the United States. On September 16, 1893, 15 Topeka residents formed the Savings and Loan Association of Topeka. The founding group included people from banking, insurance, law, railroading, retail, education, and medicine, reflecting the institution’s local and community-based origins. Its first office operated above a Rock Island Railroad ticket office. In July 1899, the organization changed its name to Capitol Building and Loan Association. A significant later figure was Henry Bubb, who joined as a clerk in 1926. In 1938, the association adopted the name Capitol Federal Savings and Loan Association, received a federal charter, and obtained deposit insurance through the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation. Bubb became president in 1941. By 1943, Capitol Federal was described as the largest federally insured association in Kansas. The institution expanded steadily through the postwar period. Its assets reached $100 million in 1958. John C. Dicus joined the organization in March 1959, beginning a long leadership association with Capitol Federal. On December 9, 1961, the bank opened a new Topeka headquarters that included a fallout shelter, reflecting Cold War civil-defense concerns. In 1975, Capitol Federal became the second savings and loan institution to provide customers with account access outside its own buildings. Its assets reached $1 billion in 1977. Bubb died in 1989, after which John C. Dicus became chairman. In October 1996, John B. Dicus was elected president while John C. Dicus continued as chairman and chief executive officer. On March 31, 1999, Capitol Federal completed a conversion from a mutual savings association to a stock savings bank. The conversion established the modern Capitol Federal Savings Bank structure and also created the Capitol Federal Foundation. The bank expanded its delivery channels in 2001 by introducing True Blue Online. A leadership transition occurred in 2009. John C. Dicus retired as chairman after 50 years with the organization and on reaching the board’s mandatory retirement age. John B. Dicus then became chairman, president, and chief executive officer. The bank continued to combine branch banking with technology-enabled services. In 2014, a $20 million contribution through the Capitol Federal Foundation led the University of Kansas to name its School of Business headquarters Capitol Federal Hall. The naming generated criticism from some people who objected to the increasing use of corporate names on university buildings. Capitol Federal modernized its payment products in 2015 by adding EMV chips and Apple Pay support to its debit cards. It expanded through acquisition in 2018 when it purchased Capital City Bank. The integration was completed in April 2019. In addition to its own banking operations, the institution provides personal and business financial services and works with related or separate entities for offerings such as insurance and student loans. The bank remains headquartered in Topeka and serves customers primarily in Kansas and Missouri, with a particularly strong presence in the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of July 2024, its network consisted of 46 traditional branches and five in-store locations. Its holding company, Capitol Federal Financial Inc., trades on Nasdaq under CFFN and is included in the Nasdaq Financial-100 and S&P SmallCap 600 indexes.

1. 2019Capital City Bank integration completed

   The integration of Capital City Bank into Capitol Federal was completed on April 12.

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2. 2018Capital City Bank acquisition

   Capitol Federal acquired Capital City Bank.

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3. 2001True Blue Online introduced

   The bank launched its online banking portal.

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4. 1999Conversion to a stock savings bank

   Capitol Federal completed its conversion from a mutual savings association to a stock savings bank and established the Capitol Federal Foundation.

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5. 1977Assets reach $1 billion

   The institution’s assets reached $1 billion.

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6. 1975Out-of-building account access introduced

   Capitol Federal became the second savings and loan institution to offer customers account access outside its branch buildings.

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7. 1961New Topeka headquarters opens

   A new headquarters opened on December 9 and included a fallout shelter designed as a Cold War civil-defense measure.

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8. 1958Assets reach $100 million

   The institution’s assets reached $100 million.

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9. 1943Largest federally insured association in Kansas

   Capitol Federal was identified as the largest federally insured association in Kansas.

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10. 1938Federal charter and federal deposit insurance

    The institution became Capitol Federal Savings and Loan Association, received a federal charter, and obtained insurance through the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation.

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11. 1899Name changes to Capitol Building and Loan Association

    The organization adopted a new name reflecting its building-and-loan structure.

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12. 1893Savings and Loan Association of Topeka is founded

    Fifteen local residents established the Savings and Loan Association of Topeka on September 16 during the Panic of 1893.

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A community-oriented regional savings bank emphasizing residential mortgages, retail deposits, local branch service, and accessible personal and business banking.

• Personal deposit accountsRetail banking

  Capitol Federal offers checking and savings accounts for individual customers, along with certificates of deposit and individual retirement accounts. These products form the deposit base of the institution and support its traditional community-bank model. Customers can manage accounts through branches and the bank’s True Blue Online digital platform.

• Residential mortgagesMortgage lending

  Residential mortgage lending is a central part of Capitol Federal’s business and historical savings-and-loan identity. The bank provides mortgage options for personal customers and also offers related home-equity borrowing. Mortgage services complement its deposit franchise and regional branch network in Kansas and Missouri.

• Consumer and home-equity loansConsumer lending

  The bank provides consumer-loan products and home-equity loans to personal customers. These offerings extend Capitol Federal’s relationship beyond deposits and residential purchase mortgages into household borrowing and home-related financing.

• True Blue OnlineDigital banking2001

  Introduced in 2001, True Blue Online is Capitol Federal’s online banking portal. It represents the bank’s digital access channel alongside traditional branches and in-store locations, allowing customers to access banking services beyond the institution’s physical offices.

• Business bankingCommercial banking

  Capitol Federal serves business customers with deposit accounts, lending options, and merchant payment-processing services. The offering extends the bank’s community focus from households to local and regional businesses.

• Trust managementWealth services

  The bank offers trust-management services for families, adding fiduciary and wealth-related support to its deposit, lending, and transaction-banking activities.

• Insurance servicesInsurance referral and agency services

  Insurance services are associated with Capitol Agency, a separate subsidiary. The agency provides or refers customers to home, vehicle, business, and life insurance products, broadening the financial-services relationship beyond banking.

• 2014Capitol Federal Hall university naming initiative

  Kansas

  Through the Capitol Federal Foundation, the organization donated $20 million to the University of Kansas School of Business. The university subsequently announced that the school’s headquarters would be named Capitol Federal Hall.

  Outcome. The building received the Capitol Federal Hall name, although the decision prompted criticism from some observers opposed to corporate naming of university facilities.

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• 2018Acquire Capital City BankM&A

  Capitol Federal pursued regional expansion through the acquisition of another banking institution.

  What changed. Capitol Federal acquired Capital City Bank on August 31, 2018.

  Aftermath. The acquired operations were integrated into Capitol Federal on April 12, 2019.

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• 2015Upgrade debit cards with EMV and Apple Pay supportProduct launch

  Payment networks and consumers were moving toward chip-enabled cards and mobile-wallet transactions.

  What changed. The bank upgraded its debit cards to include EMV chips and support for Apple Pay.

  Aftermath. Customers gained access to enhanced card-security and mobile-payment functionality.

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• 2001Launch True Blue OnlineProduct launch

  Customers increasingly expected access to banking services outside traditional branch locations.

  What changed. Capitol Federal introduced the True Blue Online portal.

  Aftermath. The bank added a digital delivery channel to its established branch-based banking model.

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• 1999Convert from mutual association to stock savings bankStrategy

  Capitol Federal operated for much of its history as a mutual savings association. In the late 1990s it pursued a corporate conversion that would establish a stock-based ownership structure.

  What changed. The conversion was completed on March 31, 1999, creating Capitol Federal Savings Bank and establishing the Capitol Federal Foundation.

  Aftermath. The bank became part of the publicly traded Capitol Federal Financial structure.

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• 2018Capitol Federal acquires Capital City Bank

  Capitol Federal acquired Capital City Bank on August 31, expanding its banking operations. The integration into Capitol Federal was completed on April 12, 2019.

  M&A
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• 2015Capitol Federal upgrades debit cards for EMV and Apple Pay

  The bank upgraded its debit cards with EMV chip capability and Apple Pay support.

  Product launch
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• 2014Capitol Federal Foundation supports naming of Capitol Federal Hall

  The University of Kansas announced that its School of Business headquarters would be named Capitol Federal Hall after a $20 million contribution from the Capitol Federal Foundation. The naming decision attracted criticism from opponents of corporate naming of educational buildings.

  Other
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• 2009Capitol Federal leadership transition follows John C. Dicus retirement

  After reaching 50 years of employment and the board’s mandatory retirement age, John C. Dicus retired as chairman. John B. Dicus became chairman, president, and chief executive officer.

  Leadership change
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• 2001Capitol Federal launches True Blue Online

  The bank introduced its online banking portal, extending account access beyond branches and other physical facilities.

  Product launch
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• 1999Capitol Federal completes conversion to a stock savings bank

  The institution completed its conversion from a mutual savings association to a stock savings bank and became known as Capitol Federal Savings Bank. The Capitol Federal Foundation was created as part of the conversion plan.

  Other
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1. Capitol Federal Savings Bank
2. Capitol Federal official website