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United Prairie Bank of Spicer promotes Lisa Groff
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8/12/2010
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Lisa Groff was recently named Vice President of Consumer Lending of the Spicer United Prairie Bank (UPB), as announced by Todd Erickson, Spicer Market President.
“Lisa’s common sense approach to lending and her ability to establish relationships quickly have served the bank and customers well for over 18 years. Lisa has a strong sense of what community banking should be about and we congratulate Lisa on this well deserved promotion,” said Erickson.
Lisa started with the organization in 1992. She was employed in our insurance agency for 3 years as a customer service representative and insurance agent. The agency was sold in 1995 and Lisa was offered a Personal Banker position within the bank. Later, she was promoted to Assistant Vice President.
Now as Vice President of Consumer Lending, Lisa will oversee the consumer lending division in the Spicer market to include home equity loans, various home improvement loans, real estate in-house purchase, auto loans, recreational vehicle loans, and debt consolidation. In addition, Lisa will retain her duties as a marketing liaison for the corporate office.
Lisa and her husband Chuck live in rural Spicer and have three children Alex, Evan and April.
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Veteran St. Clound Financier takes the helm at United Prairie's Mankato locations
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8/12/2010
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Accomplished commercial banker and veteran administrator Michael J. Laskey has joined United Prairie Bank as Market President for the two UPB locations in Mankato.
Recently a leading commercial lender and bank administrator in St. Cloud for Minnwest Bank, Laskey joins David M. Wittenberg, Pamela Jagdfeld and Gordon Boos as United Prairie Bank’s commercial banking team.
“United Prairie Bank has a lot of talent and momentum in the Mankato market and enjoys a great reputation as a sound bank and a bank that wisely counsels its customers,” said Laskey. “It’s a bank with a future.”
“Michael brings another layer of demonstrated leadership ability and community involvement to our Mankato team,” commented Roy Schoon, United Prairie Bank Interim Chief Executive Officer.
Laskey’s experience includes management and commercial lending with Bremer Bank (100 branch offices throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota) and Minnwest Bank (29 offices in Minnesota and South Dakota).
Laskey is originally from western New York. His self-financed education culminated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Management from Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, New York. His wife is originally from Minnesota, and he relocated to the Midwest in 1998 to be closer to her family.
UPDATED 8/12/2010
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Erickson receives United Prairie Bank promotion
Todd Erickson was recently named market president of the Spicer United Prairie Bank (UPB), announced Gerald Reiter, UPB regional president and preceding Spicer UPB president.
“Todd has been an important player on our UPB Spicer team for many years, and we’re confident that he will continue to be a strong leader,” said Reiter.
“I consider it a privilege to work with and assist customers within a community bank setting. I believe the ability to become personally familiar with our customer base provides the basis for long-term growth and success,” commented Erickson.
Erickson is a 29 year veteran of the bank. Todd lives in Spicer with his wife Pam, who is employed by Kandiyohi County as a probation offer.
Todd has been actively involved with the local Lions Club for 28 years, having served as Treasurer for the past 22 years. He’s also involved with the Spicer Commercial Club, Spicer Design Committee, and his church. Todd has also volunteered his time over the years educating youth in the “National Teach Children to Save” program and adults in the “Minnesota First-Time Home Buyers” program.
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United Prairie Bank founder celebrates 50 years in banking
James G. Sneer, founder of the $500 million asset, 16-location United Prairie Bank, celebrates his 50th year in banking in 2009.
“It’s strange to think my entry into banking roughly coincides with the first Sputnik launch and the beginning of the Race for Space,” commented Sneer. “It seems like long ago, but the past 50 years has gone by in a flash.”
Sneer grew up in Mountain Lake, Minnesota, and graduated from the local high school there in 1955. His career in banking started shortly after his graduation from Minnesota State University – Mankato in 1959. His first job was at the First National Bank of Windom. After that, he settled for awhile in Waukon, Iowa, working at the Farmers and Merchants Savings Bank. In 1973, Sneer became a bank owner when he returned to Mountain Lake and bought the Farmers State Bank.
The Mountain Lake bank thrived under Sneer’s leadership. Some years later, he began to acquire other banks and export his successful blend of customer service and management practices to other towns in the region.
In some cases, failing banks were rescued and resuscitated to once again become strong promoters of their local economies. In 1992, the banks then under his ownership changed their names to “United Prairie Bank.” In 2006, seven separate charters were collapsed into the surviving Mountain Lake charter (dated from 1919) and a single United Prairie Bank entity emerged from a collection of bank locations. Along the way, Sneer also acquired 12 insurance agencies, for the most part in the same towns that feature a United Prairie Bank location.
While his business has grown and changed, Sneer is proud that the culture of the banks remains small-town, friendly and approachable.
“When it comes down to it, people don’t change,” said Sneer. “They still appreciate fair value and personal service. And people like to work where they are appreciated and treated with respect. That’s not difficult. But many businesses that built their success upon those principles forget them.”
Sneer made it a habit to share his winning ways with his hometown. In 2007, he was selected as “Person of the Year” for his many involvements in the town’s development and people.
Now the company’s “Chairman of the Board,” Sneer has left the day-to-day management of the business to his son, Stuart, and a professional staff. But he is still an oft-seen visitor in many of the locations. Completely approachable, he mixes with his people without hesitation as always. That is a legacy carried on by his son and all of the bank and agency management.
“Banking will continue to get more complex,” said Sneer. “But the mark of a great bank will remain its ability to inspire its people to do a better job for the customers.”
UPDATED 3/12/2009
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United Prairie granted Preferred Lender status with the FSA
ST. PAUL, Minn., March 27, 2007 – Perry Aasness, state executive director, today announced that United Prairie Bank of (Location) has been granted Preferred Lender status for the Farm Service Agency (FSA) guaranteed farm loan programs.
Aasness congratulated United Prairie Bank, for the lender’s performance in making and servicing farm ownership and operating loans. “As a Preferred Lender, United Prairie Bank will have less paperwork to deal with and more time for providing credit to Minnesota farmers,” said Aasness.
The Preferred Lender Program (PLP) is a program for elite agricultural lenders that have experience with FSA guaranteed loans. Under the 5-year PLP, lenders process loans and request guarantees with reduced paperwork and supervision requirements. FSA reviews and approves a lender’s Credit Management System and then the lender originates and services guaranteed loans based on those procedures.
FSA guaranteed loans allow lenders to serve, or continue serving, farmers who cannot be served on a conventional basis. FSA’s guarantee program reimburses a lender for up to 95% of a loan loss, should a farmer be unable to repay the loan. For some guaranteed loans FSA pays 4% of the interest for the farmer. PLP lenders submit only a two page application and a narrative describing the loan applicant’s credit factors. Loan approval with an 80% guarantee is automatic if FSA does not respond within 14 days getting a complete application.
To qualify for the PLP designation, a lender must have made at least 20 FSA guaranteed loans in the past 5 years and have a low historical loss rate. The lender must have a proven record of submitting sound loan proposals and a demonstrated ability to service guaranteed loans. Contact your local FSA office staff for more information.
UPDATED 3/12/2009
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United Prairie ranked in nation's Top 20 for ag lending
United Prairie Bank is ranked 20th in the United States and first in Minnesota for agricultural loan volume, according to American Banker weekly magazine.
The ranking included independently-owned community banks and was published in the January 3rd edition of American Banker. The ranking was titled, “Community Banks with Largest Farm Loan Portfolios.”
United Prairie Bank’s management team is proud about the new ranking because it’s a reflection of the hard work that’s gone into working successfully with many ag professionals.
“Any bank can just lend money,” said one United Prairie Bank official. “We help our farmers stay financially healthy.”
With its rural roots, United Prairie Bank “grew up” in lending to farmers and the agri-business community as a whole.
While ag finance continues to be a strong part of United Prairie’s financial support services, we also offer a full compliment of financial services for individuals and non-ag businesses.
Like the motto says – “We’ll help you get there.”
UPDATED 5/21/2007
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