Category Archives: obit

Pat DuBois, Minnesota independent banking leader, dies at 97

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Pat DuBois, chairman of the First State Bank in Sauk Centre, Minn., died Jan. 7 at age 97. Formally, his name was Benjamin F. DuBois, but everyone called him Pat; he was one of the pillars of independent banking in Minnesota.

I remember August of 1992 when DuBois led the effort to retain the word “independent” in the new name for the “Independent Bankers of Minnesota.” It was the 30th anniversary of the organization and the proposal was to change the name to “Community Bankers of Minnesota.” DuBois argued that the association’s name should include “independent” because the word speaks to the ownership of the bank, rather than solely to the location of the bank as the word “community” does. With some 400 people attending that meeting at Breezy Point in central Minnesota, DuBois carried the day and the name Independent Community Bankers of Minnesota was formally adopted.

DuBois is the son of Ben DuBois, one of the founders of the Independent Community Bankers of America. Ben DuBois was executive director of the Independent Bankers Association, as it was called then, for 30 years until his retirement in 1963.

Pat DuBois began his banking career in 1933 as a bookkeeper and teller at the First State Bank, and two years later he worked as an assistant state bank examiner. In 1938, he became a field representative of the IBA, and in 1941-47 he was Sauk Centre Postmaster, with time out for World War II service in the Navy.

He was elected executive vice president of First State Bank in 1956, and president, succeeding his father, in 1964.

DuBois served as a legislator in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1963 to 1968.

DuBois was elected president of the Independent Bankers Association in 1966 at the association’s 32nd annual convention in Las Vegas. Pat DuBois made numerous appearances before Congressional committees and served as an envoy of the association with frequent visits to Washington. He was chairman of the IBA’s Agriculture-Rural America committee.

At the Independent Bankers Association convention in New Orleans in 1967, where DuBois presided as president, he gave a rousing speech, arguing against branch banking. Here is a portion of that speech:

The backers of bigness in banking, those who want to extend the operation of banking giants to every corner of every state, are fond of using an argument about which I wish to caution you. This argument is applied as a clincher when there is another move for more branching, merging or expanding holding company activity in banking. It goes like this: ‘Why fight it? It’s going to happen no matter what you do. It’s inevitable.” Expressed more candidly, the argument would be phrased thus: ‘Be comfortable—surrender now.’

By organization, diligence and hard work for what we believe in, you and I can demonstrate that ‘it’ is not ‘inevitable.’ It is just a matter of working hard for our convictions.

Click here to read obituary.

Dad gave me what I needed

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It was fall of 1991 when I had gone back to work for Paul Blackburn who owned NorthWestern Financial Review. I worked at the magazine earlier, but had left to take jobs at Honeywell and the Minnesota Bankers Association. I always loved the magazine and I made comment to Paul that if he ever wanted to sell the magazine, he should let me know. He said: “You want to buy the magazine? Make me an offer!”

That caught me by surprise. I was 30 years old, had no money, and no credit history. Working with Bob Cronin, my friend who also worked at the magazine at that time, we put together an offer. Blackburn agreed to handle most of the financing, but we still had to come up with a substantial down payment. I went to my Dad. I didn’t know what he would say, but I asked to borrow the money from him. He said yes, surprisingly quickly. I had no track record; he was taking a big chance. I am sure he understood the risk, as he made me sign a one-page document he drafted outlining the repayment terms.

We closed the deal in March of 1992, and within a few years all the loans were paid off. Everything worked out well, and today I have 20 years of experience owning a small business that I love. Dad took a chance on me, and I will be forever grateful.

But Dad did something even more important than lending me money — he gave me my entrepreneurial spirit. After a decade as a school teacher, Dad branched off into self-employment, owning and managing real estate. I watched him through my teen years and beyond as he managed business challenges and took on new opportunities. It is a tremendous education, better than anything I got at school. He taught me about hard work, risk and reward, opportunity and fulfillment, commitment and fair play. I am sure that if it hadn’t been for my Dad, I never would have even thought of asking Mr. Blackburn about buying the magazine.

Dad, who lived a full life, passed away Thursday night. Here is the obituary.

Father’s Day is Sunday, June 17. If your father is still alive, be sure to take a little time that day to acknowledge him.

Industry leader in Minnesota dies

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Pete Allen, long-time president of the First National Bank of Milaca, Minn., died April 4. Burton Prentice Allen, Jr., better known as Pete, was 83. He died of ideopathic pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer.

Allen was president of the Minnesota Bankers Association in 1973-74. He was a director for the American Bankers Association, was chairman of the American Institute of Banking, and was a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.

After serving in the Air Force, He returned to Milaca to join his father at the First National Bank, which has been in the Allen family since 1897. Pete became president and CEO in 1965.

Allen was also a founder of the Falcon National Bank in Foley, Minn., and for 12 years was a director at ECM Publishers in Anoka, Minn.

Pete is survived by his wife, Thora, and their four sons: Eric, Andrew, Kirby, and Matthew. A memorial service is set for April 20 with a funeral set for April 21. Read the obituary here.

Obit: Jim Dosen, leading industry accountant

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James Dosen, a long-time friend of the community banking industry, passed away suddenly on Saturday, Jan. 7. He was 61. Here is the obituary published in the Star Tribune newspaper.

Jim was a founding partner of the accounting/consulting firm of Baune Dosen & Co., LLP, and was a frequent speaker at banking industry seminars. He was active with the Independent Community Bankers of Minnesota, and his firm as an associate member of the Bank Holding Company Association. Jim was a speaker at the ICBM convention last August, where he talked about bank valuation, a subject on which he had considerable expertise.

Years ago, Jim was instrumental in bringing computerization to bank examinations, making it possible for regulatory agencies to conduct more of the exam by computer so examiners could reduce the amount of time they spent in the bank. More recently, Jim was working to promote a computer-based collateral monitoring system for community banks interest in asset-based lending.

Dennie was always upbeat

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The funeral for Dennie Emmans is Saturday. We wrote about his passing earlier this week. Here is the obit that appeared in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Dennie was a friend and I will miss him. He was the executive director of the Bank Holding Company Association from 1994 through 2010, and I met him at his office in Coon Rapids a number of times, typically visiting over lunch at the Olive Garden Restaurant just across the parking lot. My company produced his association’s newsletter and we would visit about upcoming editions. He also was kind enough to support NorthWestern Financial Review magazine with ads promoting the BHCA Spring and Fall seminars.

Most recently, Dennie was very helpful in the association’s transition to my management, which began Jan. 1 after Dennie retired.

I will always remember Dennie for his upbeat nature. Even after he was diagnosed with cancer some six years ago, he remained upbeat. “How ya doing, Dennie?” and he’d always say “Pretty good,” even though you knew he had just completed a difficult round of chemotherapy.

He was an athlete as a young man. He even played baseball at the professional level, pitching in the Detroit Tigers organization. He eventually went into business, but his athletic frame was never lost on me, particularly on the golf course. He loved golf and played it well, playing all the way through the summer of 2010.

He put on successful, consistent seminars for bankers, bank owners and managers. He put on more than 30 of them as a trade group exec, and I attended most of them. He did a lot of good for the industry, leveraging his experience as a banker for Crosstown State Bank in Ham Lake, Minn., where he worked for 14 years up until 1994.

Reflecting on the death of a friend always reminds me how precious life is. Time is short. You never know when your time is going to be up. So don’t put off the important things. If you have something in life you want to do, or perhaps need to do, do it now.

Dick Miller, we will miss you

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I am working today with some sadness in my heart as we mourn the passing of colleague and friend Dick Miller. He died yesterday after suffering a heart attack last Thursday. Many of you remember Dick as the advertising sales manager for NorthWestern Financial Review from November 2005 to May 2010. Dick was one of the kindest and gentlest people I have ever known.

Dick brought a great spirit to the office. He is the one who facilitated the company’s move to our current office. He was also the guy who organized a number of company outings, including a couple of bowling events, complete with trophies. He was also excellent with a camera and helped me at many industry meetings by taking pictures. Dick was loyal and dedicated. I know he enjoyed his work; even on his day off, he would come in just to visit. 

Dick did something very special for my father and me that I will always remember. Children at the grade school my kids attend host a Veteran’s Day breakfast every year. The kids serve the food and sing patriotic songs for the Vets. My father is a Korean War era Vet, but he is also very humble. So every year I would invite him to the Veteran’s Day breakfast and he would decline. When I told Dick about this, he said, “let me invite him and maybe we can go together.” So Dick called my Dad, whom he had never met, and invited him to the breakfast. Amazingly, Dad said yes. The two of them went and later Dad told me it was a wonderful event; he really enjoyed it. Dick was able to reach my Dad in a way I couldn’t. There must truly be a Veteran-to-Veteran fraternity that those of us who didn’t serve will never understand.

I’m going to miss you, Dick!

Peggy Haller, 1920-2011

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It saddens me to learn of the death of Peggy Haller, the wife of Ben Haller, who owned the NorthWestern Banker magazine for many years. Ben died in October 2007, and now, Peggy has joined him, passing away on Feb. 1. She was 90, living in Waukee, Iowa. The Des Moines Register published this obituary.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Ben and Peggy attended many of the banking industry meetings in Iowa and throughout the country. Ben knew everyone and Peggy did too. Each year, the Hallers would invite the new president of the Iowa Bankers Association over to their home in West Des Moines for dinner. Peggy would prepare them a great meal, which they would enjoy on their deck; Ben would interview the new president, and an article would appear in the next month’s edition.

Ben Haller used to published bank directories. I have heard stories of Peggy helping Ben sort through all of the information from the various banks, working from their kitchen table.

The last time I saw Peggy was at Ben’s funeral, but friends to saw her as recently as this fall say she was strong and in good form.

The Hallers have left an indelible mark on the industry and in my memory.

Norb McCrady, Minnesota independent banking advocate, dies

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Norb McCrady, the head of the Independent Bankers of Minnesota from 1967-88, died last Thursday at the age of 87.

Click here for the obit; I’m a bit surprised it does not mention the IBoM.

I had many opportunities to visit with Norb in the early part of my career. Commercial West magazine, the predecessor to NorthWestern Financial Review, featured him on its cover on Jan. 23, 1988. In that feature, writer Mike Finley described Norb as a person who was loved by some, hated by others. Clearly, Norb was convicted in his beliefs; he fought vigorously on behalf of community banks.

He grew up in humble surroundings in Owatonna, Minn., joining the National Guard at the age of 14. As a teenager, he served 630 combat days in Britain, North Africa, and in the Italian theater, as a soldier for the 34th “Red Bull” division of the Minnesota National Guard.

McCrady never attended college. He was interested in politics, serving as his county treasurer and running for Minnesota Secretary of State in 1962.

Michael Hatch, another man with an interest in Minnesota politics, was Commissioner of Commerce in the late 1980s. In the Commercial West feature, he is quoted as saying:

Norb McCrady was “a remarkable guy, I’d say he’s a prince except he wouldn’t go for being called any kind of aristocrat.

“Norb McCrady is part of the colorful history of banking in Minnesota, but beyond that he’s one of the most enjoyable, most down-to-earth people I have ever met. Everybody has some kind of airs, but not Norb. Seriously, the independent bankers could not have found a better person anywhere to represent them in the past 20 years than Norb McCrady.”

The article goes on, giving us this additional look at McCrady’s personality:

“Hatch reached into his desk drawer and drew out several strange objects. One was a little tinkertoy-type object featuring four carpet tacks enclosed in four wooden spools. It was labeled ‘Tacks Shelter — A copied Original by Norb.’ Another was a small drinking glass, hand-etched with ’Down the Hatch.’ Yet another Copied Original by Norb.”

I can’t believe it’s been 22 years since he left the association. Even after his passing now, anyone familiary with independent banking in Minnesota will likely remember him for a long time.