Alerus Named a Small Business Lender of the Year
SCOTTSDALE, A.Z. (Jan. 20, 2021) – Alerus is pleased to announce it has been named a Small Business Lender of the Year by AZ Business magazine. The publication selects financial institutions for the honor based on their leadership, customer experience, innovation, philanthropy, and culture. Alerus was one of five honorees included in the Small Business Lender category. The full list of recipients is available online.
Rob Schwister, Alerus’ president of the Phoenix metro market, points to the company’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic as a leading factor in earning recognition as a Small Business Lender of the Year. “When the pandemic hit, many businesses weren’t sure where to turn or how to obtain necessary funds to keep their employees on the payroll and their businesses solvent,” he said. “Our team worked around the clock to help them obtain the relief they needed, whether they did business with us previously or not.” Alerus’ Arizona team assisted 369 existing and new clients secure over $65 million in Paycheck Protection Program funding in 2020.
“We are so proud of our team for their hard work and dedication while dealing with impacts from the pandemic in their own lives,” Schwister said. “That commitment to helping businesses when they needed it most is illustrative of our approach to client service every day. Our priority is to provide personalized guidance that helps clients achieve lasting financial wellbeing. We are proud to support local businesses and it is an honor to receive this recognition.”
About Alerus
Alerus (Alerus Financial, N.A.) is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Grand Forks, N.D. Alerus offers business and consumer banking products and services, residential mortgage financing, employer-sponsored retirement plan and benefit administration, and wealth management including trust, brokerage, insurance, and asset management. These solutions are delivered through a relationship-oriented primary point of contact along with responsive and client-friendly technology. Alerus banking and wealth management offices are located in Grand Forks and Fargo, N.D., the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. metropolitan area, and Scottsdale and Mesa, Ariz. Alerus Retirement and Benefits plan administration offices are located in St. Paul and Albert Lea, Minn., East Lansing and Troy, Mich., and Bedford, N.H.