Union National Bank of Elgin has operated as a family-owned institution for more than 100 years - the kind of longevity that makes a full rebrand high-stakes by default. UNB needed a modern, digital-first visual identity without spending the trust that a century of operating history had built. The practical challenge underneath the brand work: simplify day-to-day online account management for clients and businesses who'd learned to work around a dated system.
I helped develop an updated visual identity system aligned with UNB's modernized digital brand, then refreshed the core print and web materials - business cards, letterheads, email signatures - to match. The centerpiece of the technical work was a custom, JavaScript-built interactive PDF that let clients and businesses run complex calculations directly, so UNB could analyze account data faster instead of routing every calculation back through staff.
The rebrand and the tooling shipped on time and ahead of UNB's expectations. Working inside banking reinforced how much brand trust depends on the calculations behind it being right - polish alone doesn't earn confidence in a financial institution.