Minnwest Bank

Yesterday, our Ag Banking team got together for their annual Agricultural Summit. The day opened with networking and team building activities, followed by discussions on impacts of current market conditions on the agricultural industry, new developments in farm technology, and presentations on how bankers can best serve and support their ag customers. Opportunities like this motivate us as we continue working with our customers to build strong, vibrant communities.

A new social media scam seeks to trick young people into depositing fake checks in exchange for paintings of the victims, according to a new Federal Trade Commission alert. The scam begins with a direct message on social media from an “artist” saying they like the victim’s photo and want to pay the person thousands of dollars to use his or her likeness in a painting. The victims are then sent a check, told to deposit it and to take out money to send to the artist for the art supplies. By the time the bank realizes the check was fake, “you’ll be out the money you sent the scammer and owe the bank any money you withdrew,” according to the agency. If someone you don’t know sends you a check and asks you to send money back to them or to someone else, it's a scam - It’s best to only deposit checks from people you know and trust.

Join us on Thursday, September 12 in Sioux Falls for an insightful lunch-and-learn seminar designed to teach you how to protect your business against the ever-changing landscape of fraud. Guest speaker Matt Quammen from Optimize Cyber, alongside Andrea Carstensen from Minnwest Bank, will explore strategies and best practices to safeguard your organization's assets, reputation and bottom line. We hope to see you there. Register now to reserve your space.

Last week, Minnwest Bank, in partnership with Northstar Commodity, hosted a seminar for Minnesota Farmfest attendees and local farmers. Our own Andrea Carstensen shared valuable insights and strategies with farmers on how they can mitigate risk to their business among the ever-changing landscape of fraud, and speakers from NorthStar shared updates on world crop and livestock markets. Employees had the chance to attend both Farmfest earlier in the day and this valuable seminar, a great networking and learning opportunity. Thank you to all who joined us for this event.

Last night, Minnwest Bank was proud to sponsor Family Night on the Farm in Lewiston, Minnesota. It was a great night full of fun activities, live entertainment, and the chance to tour the beautiful Miller's Clear Crest Farm. Thank you to everyone who came out, and to everyone who helped make this event possible, including all the volunteers with Winona Area Chamber of Commerce.

Last month, our Luverne branches hosted a food drive benefiting the Luverne Food Shelf, a local food pantry. Thank you to everyone who donated to this great cause.

Attending Farmfest? Join us for the Summer 2024 Agriculture Seminar. Learn about the current market outlooks from industry thought leaders, global agricultural and economic trends, the state of the U.S. economy, and a presentation from risk management firm Northstar Commodity. These events will help you think critically about national and world events and how they impact your operation’s bottom line — and the future of our industry. We hope to see you there! Jackpot Junction - 39375 County Rd 24 Morton, MN, 56270 Registration begins at 2:30 p.m, with the seminar starting at 3:00 p.m.

Last weekend, our employees had the chance to get involved at the Rock County Fair in Luverne, Minnesota. Staff had a great time participating in the Ag Olympics, serving at the ice cream booth, and attending a 4H auction. Thanks to everyone who came out!

Employee retention and engagement are two important aspects of maintaining a productive and motivated workforce. In the current workforce climate, it is more important than ever for a business to take steps to keep their employees engaged and motivated. Learn more about the importance of payroll management in ensuring employees are retained and engaged: https://bit.ly/3ymVupp

With the rise of cryptocurrency usage has come a wave of crypto scams, making it important to remain vigilant to prevent yourself from falling victim to any of these scams, including the quickly growing "Pig Butchering" scam. Learn more about the red flags to watch for, and steps you can take to keep yourself safe from this growing investment scam: https://bit.ly/3Wanp5D