Celebrating Women's History Month
Women’s History Month provides an opportunity for us to recognize and celebrate the inspiring contributions of some of the female leaders in our midst here at Star Bank. Did you know that 57 women are a part of the Star Bank family? This means that roughly three-quarters of the bank’s entire team are women. Of those 57 women, 22 serve in a leadership capacity! The bank also has two women who serve on our Board of Directors. Meet five women leaders (randomly selected) below: Deanna Lauer, Joni Ludwig, Jean Lupkes, Amy Murphy and Sandy Perish.
 | Deanna Lauer is the bank’s deposit operations manager and cashier and she works at the Maple Lake office. When your transactions occur without a hiccup, your deposits are posted properly and your products work as they’re designed, Deanna and her team deserve much of the credit. Deanna has been in banking for 44 years and has been with Star Bank since the Maple Lake office opened. “I was mentored many years ago by a now-retired female banker,” Deanna said. “She took me under her wing and taught me how to be a mentor.” Deanna is paying it forward by ensuring the people in her department get hands-on learning. Becoming a leader, she said, is about learning how to think critically, how to multi-task, and how to partner well with peers and customers alike by being a good listener. |
| Joni Ludwig leads our human resources department and her work is based in Maple Lake and remotely, on occasion. Joni is 15 years into her current tenure, but her history with the bank stretches back further, encompassing part-time and temporary roles that allowed her greater work-life balance while raising her family. “Star Bank has always been flexible when I needed it,” she said. Joni was hands-on in navigating the rapidly-changing CDC Covid-19 guidelines beginning in March 2020 with the goal of always ensuring staff and customer safety. The long hours didn’t faze Joni one bit. “I love people and really care about them, so it’s very important for me to work hard,” she said. |  |
Joni’s career success has been achieved through education, support and a mindset shift to get outside of her comfort zone. “I love learning and am the product of all the good people I’ve worked for during the years,” she said.
 | Like many female bankers who’ve risen into leadership, Jean Lupkes, vice president and branch manager of the Graceville office, has performed just about every job at Star Bank. She started as a part-time secretary, was a teller, a bookkeeper, cashier, lender, and now manager. “I’ve learned to roll with changes because they’re always coming,” said Jean, who has spent 38 years at the bank. "Because I’ve been here forever, I hope that my customers find me approachable, “ she said. "In a small community, approachability is critical. I have a really good team that I work with every day that have become more like family than just co-workers." |
Jean is an avid reader and history buff, consuming biographies of luminaries such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Sandra Day O’Connor. “I’ve always thought that women need to be where decisions are being made.”
| Amy Murphy, Star Bank’s compliance officer, has 30-plus years of experience in financial services and she is 10 months into her role at Star Bank. Compliance is a critical function in banking and Murphy, by reading, researching, and engaging in peer groups, stays abreast of the ever-changing rules and regulations to ensure Star Bank remains compliant. She also coordinates the bank’s compliance reviews/audits and is the point person for regulatory compliance exams. It’s work Amy is passionate about. Amy encourages her peers to live up to their potential. “Confidence is an important thing for women who want to advance in their career,” she said. “As a leader, I strive to make it easier for women to attain higher level roles through empowerment, mentorship and support.” |  |
 | Sandy Perish, assistant vice president and branch operations manager in Eagle Bend, has been with Star Bank for 22 years. She has been involved in many positions including, teller, operations, IT helpdesk and more. Sandy’s banking philosophy is simple: “I’m here for customers. For anything they need. If I can’t help, I’ll point them in the right direction.” Sandy’s approach perfectly embodies the Star Bank motto: The Bank That Cares (TM). Sandy isn’t just “there” for customers; she also inspires her peers to make the most of their “inner spark” and to see the possibilities that exist for them. “Women are eq |
Star Bank has long supported its dedicated female bankers, whether they’ve worked at the bank for six months or three decades or longer. To all of our great female bankers, Happy Women’s History Month. You inspire us each and every day!