At Kensington Bank, we have a clear understanding of our purpose. We are guided by our mission and our values. These aren’t just words to us. To be ‘a trusted partner in the financial success of our customers’ requires us to constantly evaluate our performance. Do we have what our customers need? Do we make it easy to do business with us?

We want to be proactive in adapting our service delivery to meet the changing needs of our customers. As a result, we have invested heavily in our digital platform. Our completely redesigned website launched this summer with a new look, greater functionality and a new web address www.kensington.bank. Our core processing system (the transaction infrastructure of our Bank) has been upgraded also;

We’re always investing in our communities. Our St. Cloud office is expanding rapidly and has become a full-service office. Check out our Facebook page to see some examples of our dedicated bankers participating in important community initiatives in Kensington, Herman, Cokato and St. Cloud.

The staff at Kensington Bank is excited about the future. We know that our success depends on our ability to build strong relationships with our customers, and that is our top priority. It is our privilege to serve you and a responsibility that we will not take lightly. Thank you for choosing to bank with us.  Also, if you know any friends or family that could benefit from our products or services, please let us know.

I am certain that 2018 will prove to be one of the most transformational years in our Bank’s history. Thank you for being an integral part of our success.

Our St. Cloud Office Is Growing!

Our St. Cloud office is buzzing with new employees, new customers and LOTS of community involvement! Later this year, this Loan Production Office will become a full-service office. We’ll keep you posted so we can celebrate this exciting milestone together.

Perfect Harmony – Tonic Sol-fa and Kensington Bank

Twenty years ago, a group of young men at St. John’s University, with a shared a love of music and an abundance of talent, formed a vocal group – Tonic Sol-fa. Fast forward to 2018 and they are one of the most sought-after independent acts in the Midwest. They have performed around the world and sold over 2 million copies of their music. Their schedule is packed with sold out tours, festivals and private shows.

But it wasn’t a quick-and-easy climb to success. Michelle Massman, Vice President, shared more of their story, “The road to success was a bit bumpy – an cappella act with an unusual name, selling CDs independently, located in Minnesota, not New York or LA – it took relentless hard work, commitment and perseverance to gain the fans and reputation the group enjoy’s today.”

Lead vocalist – Shaun Johnson, tenor and vocal percussionist – Greg Bannwarth, bass – Jared Dove, and baritone, vocal percussionist, percussionist – Theo Brown work with their small team to operate their million-dollar business. The group found themselves in a very challenging situation a couple of years ago, and their former bank was no longer able to support their needs. “After meeting with several banks who couldn’t offer any assistance, we were referred to Kensington Bank by a trusted friend,” according to Massman. “From the first meeting, I knew we had found the perfect match. They have been fabulous! Kensington Bank has the technology we need, a genuine interest in our business and personal service like we’ve never experienced before.”

Shaun Johnson added, “Over the years, I’ve worked with large and small banks. In my experience, “business as usual” meant being relegated to the bottom of the proverbial list. My impressions centered on the fact that no matter my track record, my industry was simply too unique.  But then I met the people of Kensington. Oh… and I met their ENTIRE staff from the front desk to the top office (How often has this ever happened to me?  Hmmm…right, never). My business goals were discussed.  I was listened to. A partnership was formed based on needs, numbers AND passion. Few organizations operate with such refinement. Fewer still would ever elicit my personal testimonial. Kensington is it for me.”

Kensington Bank is proud to be the Bank for Tonic Sol-fa, providing loans, checking, credit cards, online services and more. It’s a true partnership and we look forward to a long and successful relationship … and GREAT concerts!

Jon Hall Joins Minnesota Bankers Board of Directors

Jon Hall, Chief Credit Officer, has been elected to the Board of Minnesota Bankers Association (MBA). He will serve as the 4th District Director for a 3 year term, beginning June 2018. According to the MBA, “Since 1889, we have been serving Minnesota’s banking community.  We are proud of our long history and our close working relationship with our members. Our Directors represent our governing body.” They are pleased to welcome Jon to the Board. Jon brings 33 years of banking experience, working with small and larger banks, in metro and rural areas across Minnesota. When asked about this new role, Jon commented, “This is an opportunity to give back to the industry that has served me well for my entire career. I believe in the importance of community banks and I look forward to supporting Minnesota bankers as a Director.” Congratulations, Jon!

How to Keep your Information

Never share your PIN  Your PIN is confidential. Memorize it. Don’t share it, write your PIN on your card or store it with your card. Most importantly, no one should ask for your PIN, not even the Bank.

Watch out for requests in unsolicited emails  Never provide your debit card number or other personal information in response to an unsolicited email. If you think the request may be genuine, contact the business directly to confirm.

Shopping Online  Look for secure transaction symbols and web addresses that start with “https”. Log off from a site after you complete a purchase. If you can’t log off, close your browser to protect your personal information.

Lost or Stolen Cards  If your card is lost or stolen, contact us immediately. This will reduce the chance that your card will be re-used fraudulently and can limit the losses to you and the Bank for unauthorized transactions by scammers or hackers.

Travel Notifications  If you’re going out of townbeyond your normal travel patterns, let us know. We will notify Shazam of the dates and location(s) so your transactions won’t be declined or flagged as suspicious.

Be Observant at ATMs  Never insert your card or enter your PIN into any ATM or purchase terminal that looks tampered with, feels loose to the touch, or has a suspicious device attached.

Making a Difference in the Community

Living our values everyday

Ag Bash

Kensington Bank was a proud sponsor of Ag Bash, a major fundraiser for the Grant County Fair. Our Kensington and Herman Bankers did a great job and the ‘Can Cooler Raffle’ co-sponsored with Midwest Machinery was a BIG hit!

United Way of Central MN – Imagination Library Progressive Dinner

Our St. Cloud Office hosted this unique dining experience to benefit Imagination Library. We partnered with Douglas Boser of Inventure Properties. Our guests enjoyed “downtown fusion” cuisine from Jule’s bistro. Inventure Properties staff, located in the old grocery store off 5th Avenue, dressed up as early 20th century grocers and we dressed up as early 20th century bankers.

Taste

We partnered with the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce to support this important cause – providing funds for the paid internship program to benefit underserved high school students. The goal is to help elevate the graduation rate and bring students back into the area as the future work force!

Relay for Life Fundraisers

Our Bankers are working hard to raise money for this summer’s Douglas County Relay for Life to support the American Cancer Society. The Kensington staff hosted bake sales and volunteered at the county-wide fish fry. Watch for additional fundraisers.

Downtown St. Cloud Art Crawl

Our featured artist was Blue Eyed Artist Creations (by Rachel Goble). Douglas Boser of Inventure Properties sponsored Lisa D. Music. The art crawl allows the community to celebrate the work of talented Central Minnesota artists while enjoying the charm of historic, downtown St. Cloud.

Polar Plunge for Special Olympics

We took the plunge! The Kensington Bank team braved the cold and jumped into Pleasant Lake to support more than 8200 Special Olympics athletes in Minnesota. We raised money with our bake sales in Kensington, Herman and Cokato, in addition to many private donations for our team.

Dassel-Cokato Performing Arts Center

Our Cokato Office sponsored a special fundraising event featuring Todd Oliver and Irving, the “real live talking Boston Terrier”. The Dassel-Cokato Arts Association focuses on making the community better through the arts and providing affordable access for everyone.

Hockey Day Minnesota

We were a proud sponsor of Hockey Day MN in St. Cloud. Over 25,000 people braved the cold to enjoy a weekend of hockey, family and festivities. Nine cords of wood were burned in three days in the Village!

Let’s Be Social!

Kensington Bank is sprouting up everywhere! We tweet, post, link, like, share and connect via social media. We hope you will follow us on your favorite social media platforms to see posts and updates that may be of interest to you.

@Sprout_KBBank

@KensingtonBank

linkedin.com/company/
kensington-bank/

Thank you for sharing us with your friends and family, too.