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Welcome, Chloe Sabinash!

Please join us in welcoming Chloe Sabinash to the Verndale team as Star Bank’s newest Customer Service Representative!

Chloe recently moved to the Verndale area after getting married in January. Since joining Star Bank, she has been busy training and shadowing team members while getting to know our customers and community. She shared that the Verndale team and community have been incredibly welcoming. She's enjoyed getting to know the ropes and is hitting the ground running in her new role.

Star Bank is proud to support Bonfire Sessions: a Mental Health film series

Star Bank proudly supports new film series around mental health

At Star Bank, “The Bank That Cares™” is more than a tagline, it reflects how we show up for the people, families, businesses, and communities we serve across Minnesota. That commitment includes supporting conversations that matter, even when they’re difficult to have. One of those conversations is mental health.

Investing in Wheaton’s Future

We believe strong communities are built through partnership, investment, and a long-term commitment to the places we serve. That belief recently came to life through a unique collaboration with the city of Wheaton.

Star Bank has officially donated its former downtown building, located at 1019 and 1021 Broadway, to the City of Wheaton. We are proud to see the unused property into a new opportunity for growth.

Welcome, Stacy Dukowitz to the Verndale Team!

We’re excited to welcome Stacy Dukowitz to our Verndale team!

Stacy brings a little bit of everything with her to her new role as Loan Operations Processor. Having over 12 years of experience in the banking industry, Stacy has served as a teller, loan assistant, personal banker, and in loan operations. In her new role at Star Bank, Stacy is the one behind the scenes making sure all the detailed information from our lenders gets processed accurately and efficiently. She describes it as a bit like solving a puzzle, which is exactly what she enjoys most about the job.

Welcome to the Team, Tim Olson!

We're excited to welcome Tim Olson to the Star Bank team! Tim brings with him a strong background in agricultural lending and a lifelong connection to farming. Growing up on a family farm, he understands the realities of today's ag businesses and is passionate about supporting local producers across west-central Minnesota.

With experience in ag, commercial, and mortgage lending, Tim take a relationship-first approach to working with his customers. He enjoys understanding their goals and provides practical, trusted solutions in an ever-changing environment. 

Press Release: Katie Wahlquist, Star Bank President & CEO Honored By TCB

Eden Prairie, MN — Star Bank is proud to announce that Katie Wahlquist, President & CEO of Star Bank, has been recognized as a 2026 Notable Woman in Banking & Finance by Twin Cities Business. This prestigious honor highlights outstanding women leaders across Minnesota who are driving meaningful impact in the banking and financial services industry.

Star Bank Named Among America’s Top Extraordinary Banks

Maple Lake, MN — October 28, 2025 — Star Bank has been named one of the nation’s most extraordinary banks by The Institute for Extraordinary Banking™.

The bank was honored with the prestigious Banky™ Award, a national recognition reserved for the strongest community banks that consistently deliver extraordinary impact. This award helps individuals and businesses identify the very best banks committed to serving and strengthening their local communities.

Star Bank has been honored with this national award twice, most recently in October 2024.

Star Bank Welcomes Leah Eggert!

We are pleased to welcome Leah Eggert as the newest Customer Service Representative at our Bertha location.

Leah is a lifelong member of the Bertha community and a graduate of Bertha-Hewitt High School. She grew up on her family’s multi-generational beef farm, where she continues to play an active role today. Her agricultural background and involvement in FFA have instilled in her a strong work ethic, sense of responsibility, and deep appreciation for rural community values.

Welcome Barb Hawkins to our Maple Lake office!

We're excited to welcome Barb Hawkins to our team as a Loan Operations Processor in our Maple Lake office. Barb brings a background in both banking and event planning to her new role. She’s previously worked as a teller and an Administrative Assistant, as well as event planning at Holiday Inn. With her diverse background, Barb is a wonderful addition and will be a strong resource for our team and our customers.

Meet James Lindstrom: Star Bank’s New IT Support

We’re excited to introduce James Lindstrom, our newest team member at Star Bank! James joins us as IT Support, serving all 11 of our office locations.

James has been passionate about computers and technology from a young age. He even built his first computer at just 13 years old. That early curiosity led him to study computer technician work at Ridgewater College and build his career in IT support.