Bankers on the Move
Drake Bank welcomes Luke Lauer-Hunt as cash management specialist. In this new role, Lauer-Hunt will be responsible for the development, sales, and service for the Bank’s cash management products. This position will work throughout all departments in the Bank, as Drake grows the cash management relationships with current and new clients.
Ken Brooks, a highly regarded Twin Cities banking professional, has joined forces with entrepreneur Jim Senske and Commerce Bank. Ken Brooks will serve as President and a member of the board. Ken’s responsibilities also include management of daily bank operations and strategic guidance forward as Commerce Bank looks to double in size over the next few years.

   Announcements

Social Assurance announced Drake Bank as a winner of the 2020 Community Spark Award. The award recognizes banks and credit unions making an outstanding difference in their local communities through unique support, volunteerism, philanthropy, and development initiatives. 
Drake Bank received runner-up for the award for their Drake COVID-19 Relief Fund initiative. The relief fund helped individuals experiencing financial hardships resulting from the pandemic. The directors, staff, and community members of Drake Bank raised over $80,000 in donations for distribution to members of their community, providing 155 local individuals with $500 each in relief grants.
WNB Financial is pleased to announce Tom Wills, Mortgage Loan Officer in Wabasha, as the recipient of its 2020 third quarter Community PRIDE Award. Wills serves the board of directors for the Wabasha Kellogg Area Chamber of Commerce and volunteers his time for the Home Delivered Meals program through Three Rivers Community Action. He spent 21 years as a board member for the Wabasha-Kellogg Scholarship Foundation and many years coaching high school sports in the Wabasha area. As a Community PRIDE Award recipient, Wills received $100 to donate to the Wabasha-Kellogg Scholarship Foundation.
The Association of Military Banks of America (AMBA) has established a scholarship to the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to honor Raleigh A. “Andy” Trovillion. Trovillion, a long-time former GSB faculty member and Association of Military Banks of America (AMBA) board chairman, passed away in 2019 after a distinguished career in banking.   
Bankers eligible for this scholarship must be serving or have served honorably as an active duty, Reserve, or National Guard member of one of the Armed Services of the United States.  Bankers who are military spouses or spouses of veterans are also eligible to apply.  This scholarship is available in the amount of $1,500 for each year of the student’s attendance (approximately 1/3 of the annual tuition fees) for a total value of $4,500.
 Bridgewater Bank is pleased to announce that their long-anticipated HQ is officially open in St. Louis Park on Excelsior Boulevard. The 84,000-sf. mixed-use building provides ample social distancing space for employees and clients alike. Amenities include beer on tap, a game room, custom mothers’ rooms, a gym tenant, Hazelwood Food & Drink and more. The bank’s headquarters, including operations and administrative offices, are located on the second and third floors. The fourth-floor space is leased to local, entrepreneurial tenants.
 

 Retirements

North Shore Bank announced that Julie Reinemann, Mortgage Loan Originator at the bank for more than 26 years, has retired from her position. Reinemann joined North Shore Bank in 1994 and quickly became one of the Bank’s leading Mortgage Loan Originators. Her acute knowledge of the local real estate market, attention to detail and drive to close deals for her clients made her invaluable to North Shore Mortgage and earned her fierce client loyalty.

  Board Appointments

Katie Wahlquist has been elected to the Star Bank Board of Directors. Wahlquist is the senior vice president and chief administrative officer of Star Bank, a family-owned and independent community bank with 10 offices throughout Central and West Central Minnesota. Katie brings a wealth of experience in financial services, executive management, marketing, and human resources. She also serves on the local boards of Transforming Resources and the Minnesota Bankers Association’s for-profit sub. 
First State Bank and Trust is excited to announce the appointment of Monica Weekes and Ryan Cari to its Board of Directors. 

Monica Weekes is a graduate of the University of Minnesota where she earned her Bachelor of Science in French education. She currently serves on the Board of the William H. Phipps Foundation and is a foundation representative to the Board of the Phipps Center for the Arts. 


Ryan Cari is a partner at the law firm of Heywood, Cari and Anderson, S.C. where he has been practicing for 16 years. His practice focuses on real estate, business, banking and estate planning. Prior to joining the FSBT Board, Ryan had served for 13 years as a bank director with First American Bank, N.A., and served on the credit committee for 8 years.

In Memory

Kenneth Earl Wilcox, age 85, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 3rd. Ken started his career in banking at Union State Bank in Adams, ND in 1956. Ken was hired by Cliff Sommer at Owatonna’s Security Bank and Trust Company as a loan officer in 1963. He became President of the Bank in 1976 at age 40, and at that time he was youngest President in the Corporation. Ken remained President of the Bank till his retirement in 2000, and Chairman of the Board a few years after.  
Just as Ken was a perfect match for the bank, he was also a perfect match for the community of Owatonna. Ken made his mark on Owatonna through service in many roles and organizations. Ken also served as a Board Member of the MBA, where he served on many committees. 
 
We want to hear about your Bankers on the Move! If you have an announcement you would like to include, please send it to Carla Bush at carlab@minnbankers.com.