For the third year in a row, Stearns Bank has received nationwide recognition for high performance. This month, American Banker magazine and Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) both ranked Stearns Bank in their top 10 lists of high performers for 2019.

ICBA listed Stearns Bank as fifth in the nation in its peer group. Rankings are based on three-year average Return on Assets (ROA). In addition to the ranking, ICBA called out Stearns Bank for its cutting-edge technology, strategic growth and superior personal service.

American Banker magazine ranked Stearns Bank ninth in its peer group for 2019. The ranking is based on a three-year average return on equity. In both 2017 and 2018, American Banker named Stearns Bank the top performing bank in the nation among banks with $2 billion to $10 billion in assets.

“These achievements reflect the hard work and dedication of our team,” said Stearns Bank President Kelly Skalicky. “We take great pride in working hard to get the job done for our customers and earning top performance rankings year after year, but we don’t rest on our laurels. We are constantly improving, looking for opportunities to grow and diversify our national construction specialty lending, our small business and equipment financing, and our customized cash management and deposit services. We are laser-focused on finding innovative ways to increase speed and convenience for customers who are on the move, growing their businesses. On behalf of the board and executive team, I’d like to thank our employees at Stearns Bank for their relentless dedication to our ongoing success. I’d also like to thank our ever-growing customer base, whom we are honored and privileged to work with and serve.”

Minnesota-based Stearns Bank National Association is a $2 billion, independently-owned financial institution with locations in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona, and over 33,000 small business customers nationwide, in every U.S. state. Stearns Bank specializes in small business lending and equipment financing.