| 1921 |
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HomeStreet Bank, known at the time as Continental Mortgage and Loan Company, is founded in Seattle’s University District by a group of businessmen, including the company’s first president and CEO, Ralph W. Green. First employee is W. Walter Williams.
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| 1922 | | Continental finances construction of single family homes, apartment and commercial buildings.
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| 1923 | | Continental continues to grow through originating loans, as well as selling bonds and insurance.
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| 1927 | | W. Walter Williams becomes president of Continental.
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| 1933 | | Continental moves to downtown Seattle and changes its name to Continental, Inc.
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| 1934 | | W. Walter Williams is named president of the Mortgage Bankers Association of America. The company establishes correspondent relationships with a number of life insurance companies.
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| 1938 | | Continental is approved to originate FHA and Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) loans.
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| 1940-1944 | | Continental teams with builders to construct homes for war workers flooding the Seattle area. By 1944, Continental is the third largest mortgage lender in King County.
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| 1946 | | The federal government establishes the Veterans Administration loans. Continental is approved to originate VA loans.
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| 1948 | | Continental begins development of Northgate Shopping Center in Seattle, one of the nation’s first shopping malls.
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| 1953 | | W. Walter Williams appointed as Under Secretary of Commerce in the Eisenhower administration.
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| 1955 | | Continental provides financing for the development of University Village Shopping Center in Seattle.
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| 1958 | | W. Walter Williams retires as president of Continental. Executive Vice President Irving Smith is promoted to president.
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| 1959 | | After serving in the Eisenhower Administration, W. Walter Williams returns to Continental and is elected chairman of the board.
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| 1964 | | Walter B. Williams, son of W. Walter Williams, is named president after Irving Smith’s retirement.
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| 1972 | | Continental becomes the first lender in the nation to use the Government National Mortgage Association’s (Ginnie Mae) serial bonds and mortgage backed securities.
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| 1973 | | Walter B. Williams is elected president of the Mortgage Bankers Association of America. Continental introduces the concept of self-service storage in the Pacific Northwest.
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| 1979 | | Continental purchases Realty Mortgage in Hawaii.
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| 1983 | | Continental becomes the first lender in Washington to offer loans through the Washington State Housing Finance Commission. The company’s loan servicing portfolio reaches the $1 billion mark.
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| 1984 | | Continental enters the Oregon market with its first branch in Portland.
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| 1986 | | Continental enters the thrift and banking market with the start of Continental Savings Bank in downtown Seattle.
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| 1988 | | Continental’s Income Property Finance department is selected by Fannie Mae as one of only 13 lenders nationally to participate in its Designated Underwriting and Servicing (DUS) apartment financing program.
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| 1989 | | Continental receives award from the Mortgage Bankers Association of America for its long-term contribution and commitment to affordable housing.
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| 1990 | | Richard Swanson is named president and CEO; Walter B. Williams becomes chairman of the Board.
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| 1992 | | Continental originates more than $1 billion in single family loans in one year. Continental moves its corporate headquarters to its present location at Two Union Square in downtown Seattle.
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| 1994 | | The Affinity Lending Center is established, an employer-assisted housing program launched with the City of Seattle.
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| 1996 | | Continental enters Idaho with a Home Loan Center in Boise.
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| 1997 | | Stonemark Mortgage joins Continental and is subsequently renamed Windermere Mortgage Services.
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| 1998 | | Continental has a total of 22 branches, reaches $1 billion in assets and becomes the fourth largest thrift institution in the region. Continental establishes mortgage origination via the Internet.
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| 1999 | | Continental expands banking services to Hawaii through the purchase of Realty Finance.
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| 2000 | | Continental changes its name to HomeStreet Bank. Richard Swanson is named chairman and CEO; Bruce W. Williams, son of Walter B. Williams, is named president and COO. HomeStreet launches a complete line of business banking products and services.
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| 2002 | | HomeStreet launches the "Wild About Zoos" program to benefit regional zoos. Bruce W. Williams becomes CEO of HomeStreet Bank, and Joan Enticknap joins HomeStreet as president and COO.
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| 2003 | | Bruce Williams is elected chairman of the HomeStreet Bank Board of Directors.
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| 2004 | | HomeStreet launches the "HomeStreet Community Housing Awards," granting eight $10,000 awards to nonprofit housing organizations in Washington, Oregon and Hawaii.
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| 2005 | | HomeStreet provides financing for the LaSalle-Creamery Development, a mixed-use project that provides additional low-income housing units and recreational space for seniors in Seattle’s Pike Place Market.
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| 2006 | | HomeStreet celebrates its 85th year and reaches the $2 billion mark in assets. HomeStreet receives the "City of Destiny" Award from the City of Tacoma for its support of parks and open spaces and the "Helping to Achieve Homeownership" Award from America’s Community Bankers.
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| 2007 | | HomeStreet launches its HomeStreet Bank Tree Challenge program. The bank receives an "Outstanding" Community Reinvestment Act rating from the federal government and is selected as a "Washington’s Best Workplaces" winner. Assets grow to nearly $3 billion.
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| 2008 | | HomeStreet opens new bank branch in Pearl City, Hawaii. CEO Bruce Williams becomes Chairman of the Board of Washington Financial League and is appointed to Mortgage Bankers Association Council on Ensuring Mortgage Liquidity.
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