Why First Internet Bank Partners With Owners in Honor™ To Back Veteran Ownership

When Jared shows up with the First Internet Bank logo beside his name, he is not just filling a sponsor slot. He is stepping into the same story Owners in Honor™ is already telling.

On one side of that story are veterans who are ready for their next mission and are exploring Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition. On the other side are owners who have spent years building main street businesses and are beginning to think seriously about succession.

In the middle sits a simple but critical question.

Who will help finance this handoff in a way that respects the people and the legacy involved

That is where the partnership between First Internet Bank and Owners in Honor™ comes into focus.

A Bank That Understands Veteran Buyers And Real Main Street Deals

As Vice President at First Internet Bank, Jared lives in the world of lending, risk, and structure. Owners in Honor™ lives in the world of veterans, owners, and community impact.

The partnership works because each side brings what the other needs.

Owners in Honor™

• finds and prepares veterans who are serious about owning businesses

• connects with owners who care about who takes over, not just how much they are paid

• keeps the human side of the transaction front and center

First Internet Bank

• understands how ETA and small business acquisitions are structured

• knows what a bankable deal looks like in the real world

• can move from “good idea” to financing, underwriting, and execution

When these two pieces line up, a veteran is no longer just dreaming about ownership. They have a clear path, with a mission-focused nonprofit at their side and a capable lending partner ready to help make the numbers work.

Shared Values Around Stewardship, Not Just Transactions

A partnership like this only works if the values match.

Owners in Honor™ is committed to:

• treating veterans as high capacity operators

• honoring owners for what they have built

• protecting the communities that depend on main street businesses

For a bank like First Internet Bank, working alongside that mission means they are not just financing deals. They are backing leaders who have already proven they will show up for others. They are helping owners exit in ways that respect the people on payroll, not only the final sale price.

Everyone at the table wins when stewardship is the starting point, not an afterthought.

Why Partnerships Like This Matter Right Now

There is growing interest in ETA. There is a growing wave of owners thinking about retirement or transition. There is a large community of veterans who are wired to lead, ready to work, and looking for meaningful responsibility.

What is often missing is a cohesive support system that brings all of those pieces together.

That is what this partnership represents:

• a nonprofit that walks closely with veterans and owners

• a bank that understands acquisitions and is willing to lend into this space

• a shared belief that when veteran leadership and main street business come together, communities become stronger

An Invitation To Be Part Of The Story

Every time a veteran buyer and a seller find each other through Owners in Honor™, a financing partner must be ready. Every time a deal closes in a way that preserves jobs and stabilizes a town, there is a lender standing in the background who chose to say yes.

First Internet Bank is one of those partners.

If you care about veteran leadership, main street business, and responsible succession, this is the kind of collaboration to pay attention to—and to support.

Your donations and sponsorships help Owners in Honor™ keep finding and preparing the right people. Partners like First Internet Bank help ensure the capital is there when it counts.

Together, they are turning service into ownership, and legacy into a future that lasts.