Providing extraordinary personal service is the founding principle behind the First Republic brand. The bank believes a human-centric approach is a key competitive advantage in an era when people all too often feel like "just a number" and service is often automated. Cultivating and maintaining a personal approach requires careful attention to both internal and external operations. With that in mind each new hire is provided a small leather bound, hand-stitched pamphlet delineating eight values for promoting esprit de corps among colleagues and between the bank and its customers.

Illustration: David Lesh