United Bankers’ Bank Announces Strategic Partnership with Blue Team Alpha

MINOT, N.D. – Bravera Bank is proud to announce that United Community Bank (UCB) is going to be merged into Bravera Bank. Pending regulatory approval and other customary conditions, this is expected to officially take effect November 2022. UCB has locations in Minot, Burlington, Drake and Leeds.

Bravera took over ownership of UCB in 2015 while leaving UCB to operate independently. While UCB has been a Bravera company for seven years, taking on the Bravera name and merging into the same systems means a greater depth of services for customers. For example, customers will have the convenience of using services at any of Bravera’s locations throughout North Dakota, Montana and soon Minnesota. In addition, Bravera Wealth is currently located in the same building as UCB in Minot and will remain.

“We’ve worked together for quite a while and are glad to take this next step forward. This collaboration improves the experience of those we serve as well as our employees,” said Greg Vetter, president of client services and interim president/CEO of UCB.

“This is an exciting shift for our customers and our team,” said Kelly Perrin, UCB Minot market president. “We are able to provide additional resources, products and services in banking, wealth and insurance areas as well as give customers access across a greater footprint.”

UCB’s same local, friendly staff is available to assist customers throughout the transition.

To learn more about Bravera, visit bravera.bank. 

  Starion Bank mortgage banker named to three prestigious Top Originator lists

Starion Bank Mortgage Banking Supervisor Kassy Landis has been named to three distinguished lists of America’s top mortgage bankers. The Scotsman Guide named Landis in their Top Originators of 2021 and Top Women Originators of 2021 lists. Mortgage Executive Magazine named Landis as one of the Top 1% of Mortgage Originators of 2021. 

   Picture: Kassy Landis 

Landis, who is based in Bismarck, has been a mortgage banking officer since 2012. She joined Starion in 2006 as a Universal Banker, advanced to Business Banking Representative in 2007, and became a mortgage underwriter in 2008.

Her area of expertise is residential mortgage lending, including conventional loans, NDHFA First Time Home Buyer programs, FHA, VA, Construction, Lot, Bridge, Home Equity and jumbo loans, allowing Landis to help home buyers determine the financing that best fits their needs.  

Landis earned an associate degree from Bismarck State College and a bachelor’s degree from Dickinson State University, both in business administration. She served as a member of 2021-2022 City of Bismarck Special Assessments Task Force volunteer and currently serves as a member of Bismarck-Mandan Professional Women in Building, and as an affiliate member of both the Bismarck-Mandan HBA and Bismarck-Mandan Board of Realtors.

Scotsman Guide previously recognized Landis as one of the Top Women Originators and Top Originators in 2020. She was also recognized by Mortgage Executive Magazine in their Top 1% of Mortgage Originators for 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2020.

The Scotsman Guide is a source of news and research to keep mortgage professionals informed about important trends and topics in the industry. They provide finance tools, industry news, market data and research to help mortgage originators grow their networks.

Mortgage Executive Magazine annually compiles a comprehensive list of the nation’s top one percent of mortgage originators in the United States in order to recognize and celebrate their service, dedication and hard work it takes to serve clients during the home loan process.

About Starion Bank

Starion Bank is a $1.7 billion family-owned community bank and financial services organization. Established in Oakes, N.D., in 1969, Starion has 16 locations in Bismarck-Mandan, Bottineau, Dunseith, Ellendale, Fargo, Oakes and Rolla, N.D.: and Middleton, Monona and Sun Prairie, Wis.

Online

• www.starionbank.com
• www.facebook.com/starionbank

Happy February, community bankers! I hope you are surviving this year’s North Dakota winter. You will see in this edition of our newsletter that ICBND is proudly promoting the launch of Bankers Helping Bankers (BHB), a collaboration with FedFis, a fintech providing data transformation for financial institutions, and the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT). The new program is supported by community banking associations nationwide. And best of all, it is available free to all ICBND member bankers!

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I hope this message finds you recovering from the Thanksgiving holiday. It’s truly my favorite holiday involving good food, family, friends, and football. My favorite part was spending time with my two grandsons as we enjoyed the mild temperatures and sunshine that still prevail in this early winter.

As I look back on 2021, I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to represent you all and the interests of community banking in North Dakota and nationally. And I’m proud of our accomplishments this past year with the 67^th Assembly of the North Dakota Legislature which convened on January 5 and adjourned on April 29. In addition to the Regular Session, Governor Burgum called a Special Session of the Legislature that was conducted the week of November 8 adjourning on Friday, November 12.

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