Community Banking in the News

December 29, 2025 – MPR News

‘We are going to see some loss’: Minnesota Ag lenders brace for a volatile 2026

A recent credit survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis showed that lenders expect farmers to apply for even more loans as next year rolls around. And the vast majority of those loans come from smaller, local community banks. 
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December 4, 2025 – BankNews

New leader in place at BankIn Minnesota

New BankIn Minnesota President and CEO Rich Jones sees opportunities to support community bankers through industry challenges. 
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November 3, 2025 – BankNews

2025 Outstanding Women in Banking: McKinzie Hopkins

Growing up the oldest of three in a family where Dad, Grandpa and Great-grandpa had all been bankers, [McKinzie Hopkins] equated the bank with all that was fun in life: the candy stash and the parades. Read more

 
November 3, 2025 – BankNews

2025 Outstanding Women in Banking: Loretta Carlson

Onboarding treasury management services for a de novo bankis a challenging process, requiring someone with the experience and expertise. Case in point: Loretta Carlson, who joined Bloomington, Minn.-based EntreBank in September 2021, six months before it opened in March 2022. Read more

 
November 3, 2025 – BankNews

2025 Outstanding Women in Banking: Deb Kneisl

Experience matters in [mergers and acquisitions], and Kneisl brought it in spades. She started at the bank as a teller in 1999, after shuttering a home daycare business. She worked through the ranks to operations supervisor, and since the acquisition has transitioned to BSA officer. Read more

 
October 15, 2025 – Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal

BankIn Minnesota taps Randall State Bank CEO Rich Jones as new leader

Rich Jones has been named the new president and CEO of bank advocacy group BankIn Minnesota, effective Tuesday, after more than a decade of leading Randall State Bank. Read more (subscriber content)

 
October 14, 2025 – BankNews

BankIn Minnesota names Rich Jones president, CEO

Bloomington, Minn.-based BankIn Minnesota appointed Rich Jones as President and CEO, effective Oct. 14. Read more

 
October 13, 2025 – BankNews

Doing double duty, Raymo focuses on leadership transitions

Raymo was named chair of the board for BankIn Minnesota at its annual convention on Aug. 7, accepting the gavel from outgoing chair Tiffany Baer Paine, president and co-CEO of Security Bank USA in Bemidji, Minn. … Raymo also is serving as president of BankIn Minnesota on an interim basis, until the group names a permanent president following the departure of Jim Amundson. Read more

 
October 2, 2025 – BankNews

Co-branding with local bakery lifts new accounts for First State Bank of Rosemount

The new-as-of-June second office for First State Bank of Rosemount, where Sweet Kneads Bakery operates a retail store for its Farmington, Minn.-based bakery, is the latest example of co-branding designed to draw customers into a space where the language of “dough” is well-understood. Read more

 
September 25, 2025 – Finance & Commerce

Empowering Women 2025: Star Bank

BankIn Minnesota member, Star Bank, has been recognized by the Finance & Commerce Empowering Women awards program, which “recognizes companies and organizations that have shown a strong commitment to supporting and elevating women in Minnesota.” Read more

 
September 25, 2025 – Star News

Stewart Wilson of Elk River honored for 50 years in community banking

Stewart Wilson, longtime board director of The Bank of Elk River, has received the Legacy of Community Banking Award from BankIn Minnesota. Read more

 
August 27, 2025 – The Globe

Raymo named chairman of BankIn Minnesota Board

After more than four decades of leadership in community banking, Greg Raymo was named chairman of the board for BankIn Minnesota, the association for community banks across the state. Read more

 
May 15, 2025 – BankNews

Tech, social and AI are table stakes for marketers

BankNews reached out to 15 marketing professionals to ask how they manage today’s marketing challenges and learn how they make the most of today’s opportunities. This is the final in a three-part series capturing their responses. Read more

 
May 8, 2025 – BankNews

Respect tradition or shoot for viral?

BankNews reached out to 15 marketing professionals to ask how they manage today’s marketing challenges and learn how they make the most of today’s opportunities. This is the second in a three-part series capturing their responses. Read more

 
May 1, 2025 – BankNews

Bank marketers share insights into their challenges, successes

BankNews reached out to 15 marketing professionals to ask how they manage today’s marketing challenges and learn how they make the most of today’s opportunities. This is the first in a three-part series capturing their responses. Read more

 
February 5, 2025 – BankNews

Community bankers play key role in rural immigration

Community banks play an essential role in the settling of immigrants within rural communities, from helping them set up bank accounts to eventually assisting them in getting loans for businesses or homes. Read more

 
January 13, 2025 – BankNews

Farm, commercial real estate concerns abound in ’25

BankNews spoke with approximately two-dozen local bankers and industry experts about what they expect for this year. This is the second in a two-part series chronicling their thoughts. Read more

 
January 2, 2025 – BankNews

Bankers, industry players bullish on 2025 potential

BankNews spoke with approximately two-dozen local bankers and industry experts about what they expect for this year. This is the first in a two-part series chronicling their thoughts. Read more

 
November 1, 2024 – BankNews

Outstanding Women 2024: Terri Barrett

Terri Barrett, BankIn board member and Market President of Bravera Bank in Kerkhoven, Minn., was named one of BankNews‘s Outstanding Women in Banking for 2024.  Read more

 
September 5, 2024 – BankNews

BankIn Minnesota’s new chair looks to educate

Tiffany Baer Paine, president and co-CEO of Security Bank USA in Bemidji, Minn., was recently named chair of BankIn Minnesota. Here, she weighs in on the importance of a level playing field with credit unions, the importance of independent community banking and serving as an ambassador for the industry. Read more

 
May 9, 2024 – Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal

CRE’s Power Lenders: Why worry about downtown office drama? These banks play a different game

Community bank leaders in the Twin Cities recognize the high-profile troubles of downtown office markets, but that’s not where they lend.  Read more

 
April 30, 2024 – American Banker

‘Like wildfire’: Rising check fraud pits small banks against big banks

Check fraud is wreaking havoc on community banks, which are urging the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to crack down on their large bank competitors for failing to comply with rules meant to stop criminals from opening accounts.  Read more

 
March 8, 2024 – Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal

EntreBank, Minnesota’s newest bank, off to a hot start

EntreBank has the second-highest level of assets of the 14 banks to open across the country in 2022, and it was able to turn a profit more than a year ahead of initial projections.EntreBank has the second-highest level of assets of the 14 banks to open across the country in 2022, and it was able to turn a profit more than a year ahead of initial projections. Read more

 
November 3, 2023 – MINNPOST

Underrepresented companies find financing options based on character

Stressed out by her corporate job and looking for a release, Sabrina Jones started dabbling in homemade, chemical-free skin care products in 2015. Read more

 
November 30, 2023 – Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal

Community banks see more CRE lending as big banks take a back seat

Rising interest rates, coupled with more scrutiny from federal regulators after high-profile bank failures this year, have forced developers to turn to smaller banks for lending needs. Read more