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                       FIRST AMENDMENT TO LOAN AGREEMENT


     THIS FIRST AMENDMENT TO LOAN AGREEMENT (this "Amendment") is entered into
as of the 27th day of February, 1997, by and among LASALLE NATIONAL BANK, a
national banking association (the "Bank"), and TAYLOR CAPITAL GROUP, INC., a
Delaware corporation ("Borrower").

                              W I T N E S S E T H:

     WHEREAS, Bank and Borrower entered into that certain Loan Agreement dated
as of February 12, 1997 (the "Loan Agreement") and now desire to amend such
Loan Agreement, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, to increase
Borrower's Revolving Credit Commitment from $5,000,000 to $7,000,000; and

     WHEREAS, the parties hereto now desire to amend such Loan Agreement
pursuant to this Amendment.

     NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and mutual
agreements herein contained and for the purposes of setting forth the terms and
conditions of this Amendment, the parties, intending to be bound, hereby agree
as follows:

1.   INCORPORATION OF THE LOAN AGREEMENT.  All capitalized terms which are not
defined herein shall have the same meanings as set forth in the Loan Agreement,
and the Loan Agreement, to the extent not inconsistent with this Amendment, is
incorporated herein by this reference as though the same were set forth in its
entirety.  To the extent any terms and provisions of the Loan Agreement are
inconsistent with the amendments set forth in Paragraph 2 below, such terms and
provisions shall be deemed superseded hereby.  Except as specifically set forth
herein, the Loan Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and its
provisions shall be binding on the parties hereto.

   2.      AMENDMENT OF THE LOAN AGREEMENT.  The Loan Agreement is hereby
amended as follows:

           (a)   The definition of the term "Revolving Note" appearing in 
                 Section 1.1 of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and 
                 restated in its entirety to read as follows:

                 "Revolving Note" means that certain Substitute
            Revolving Note dated as of February 27, 1997 in the
            original aggregate maximum principal amount of Seven
            Million Dollars ($7,000,000), as the same may be
            amended, modified or supplemented from time to time,
            and together with any renewals thereof or exchanges or
            substitutes therefor.
           
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            (b)  Section 2.1 of the Loan Agreement is hereby
      amended and restated in its entirety to read as
      follows:

                 2.1  Revolving Credit Commitment.  On the terms
            and subject to the conditions set forth in this
            Agreement, Bank agrees to make revolving credit
            available to Borrower from time to time prior to the
            Revolving Credit Termination Date in such aggregate
            amounts as Borrower may from time to time request but
            in no event exceeding Seven Million Dollars
            ($7,000,000) (the "Revolving Credit Commitment").  The
            Revolving Credit Commitment shall be available to
            Borrower by means of Revolving Loans, it being
            understood that Revolving Loans may be repaid and used
            again during the period from the date hereof to and
            including the Revolving Credit Termination Date, at
            which time the Revolving Credit Commitment shall
            expire.

           (c)   Section 3.1 of the Loan Agreement is hereby amended and 
      restated in its entirety to read as follows:

                 3.1  Revolving Note.  The Revolving Loans made by
            Bank under the Revolving Credit Commitment shall be
            evidenced by that certain Revolving Note dated as of
            February 27, 1997, payable to the order of Bank in the
            maximum aggregate principal amount of Seven Million
            Dollars ($7,000,000).  The unpaid principal amount of
            the Revolving Loan shall bear interest and be due and
            payable as provided in this Agreement and the
            Revolving Note.  Payments to be made by Borrower under
            the Revolving Note shall be made at the time, in the
            amounts and upon the terms set forth herein and
            therein.

            (d)  Any and all references to the Revolving Note (as defined in
      Section 1.1 of the Loan Agreement) shall be deemed to and include,
      without limitation, that certain Substitute Revolving Note dated of even
      date herewith made by Borrower in favor of Bank in the maximum aggregate
      principal amount available of $7,000,000.

      3.    Representations, Warranties and Covenants; No Default.  The
representations, warranties and covenants set forth in Section 7 of the Loan
Agreement shall be deemed remade and affirmed as of the date hereof by
Borrower, except that any and all references to the Loan Agreement in such
representations, warranties and covenants shall be deemed to include this
Amendment.  Borrower represents and warrants as of the date of this Amendment
that no Event of Default has occurred or is continuing, and no event has
occurred and is continuing, which, with the lapse of time, the giving of
notice, or both, would constitute such an Event of Default under the Loan
Agreement.

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     4.  Closing Conditions.  Prior to entering into this Amendment, Bank shall
have received the Substitute Revolving Note in form and substance satisfactory
to it.
     
     5.  Effectuation.  The amendments to the Loan Agreement contemplated by 
this Amendment shall be deemed effective immediately upon the full execution of
this Amendment and without any further action required by the parties hereto.
Except as specifically set forth herein, there are no conditions precedent or
subsequent to the effectiveness of this Amendment.

     6.  Counterparts.  This Amendment may be executed in two or more 
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which 
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Amendment
as of the date first above written.

                                             LASALLE NATIONAL BANK


                                             By:
                                                -------------------------------
                                                 Jay C. Goldner, Vice President


                                             TAYLOR CAPITAL GROUP, INC.
                                             a Delaware Corporation



                                             


                                             By:     
                                                -----------------------------
                                             Name: 
                                                     J.C. Alstrin
                                                   --------------------------
                                             Title: Chief Financial Officer
                                                    -------------------------   



                                             


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