36th Annual Toys for Kids Drive
November 15th is the kickoff for our annual Toys for Kids Drive in association with United Community Partnership (UCAP) Holiday Drive. Gifts should be for children ages infant to 16 years of age and should be new and unwrapped. Monetary gifts are also welcome and should be marked Holiday Project. No donation is too small. Center Bank will match up to $1,000 of the value of toys and money received. The drive will conclude on Monday, December 15th. All donations stay in Meeker County.
Meeker County families are referred to UCAP by churches, schools and various government agencies or they may sign up themselves. Toys are distributed through United Community Partnership.
Over the past 35 years, due to the overwhelming generosity of the people in this area, 18,107 Meeker County children have had a merrier Christmas. Thank you to all that have helped make this project so successful!!
Community Banking Champion
Center Bank was part of the 2025 MN Bankers Association Community Impact Month in September. The Litchfield location project was to raise funds for the Lake Ripley school teachers to build up their classrooms with materials they typically would have to purchase themselves. Due to the overwhelming generosity of many, $6,000 was raise and given to the school.
Our Chaska location project was donating funds to the Justin Kukowski Foundation which supports Carver, Hennepin and Scott counties and surrounding area cancer patients whose livelihoods have been adversely affected by cancer. A donation was also made to the Chaska Care Golf Classic whose benefactor is the Miracle League Baseball Field project. The city is building a Miracle League field which will help make it possible for children with both physical and cognitive disabilities to be able to get out and participate on a team by playing baseball.
Our Plymouth location made a donation to Every Third Saturday. Every Third Saturday, or ETS, is a non-profit organization that assists veterans in the Twin Cities community, both homeless and recently back on their feet. ETS provides clothing, job training, support, and a community for the veteran men and women to gather, learn and heal.
Burgers for a Cause - Huge Success!
Burgers for a Cause was once again a huge success thanks to the many businesses and individuals that stopped by for a burger. $6,000 was raised to assist the Lake Ripley Elementary classrooms.
Thanks again for the huge outpouring of support!! It was much appreciated!
Tom Zens - Market President Litchfield
Center Bank is proud to announce the promotion of Tom Zens to Market President-Litchfield effective April 1, 2025. A dedicated banking professional with more than 25 years of experience, Tom has been an integral part of Center Bank. He has been providing expert financial guidance to Center Bank customers for over 11 years. A graduate of the School of Banking in Madison, WI, Tom brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to his new role.
"Tom's extensive experience, dedication to his customers, and deep understanding of community banking make him a perfect fit for this role," said Al Liestman, President and CEO at Center Bank. "His leadership will help us continue our mission of delivering personalized service and strengthening the financial well-being of the individuals, families, and businesses we serve."
Scams are on the Rise!
Scammers are out there trying to get you to give them your money in any way they can. Some current scams are: Social Security Scams, Phone Scams, Romance Scams, Phishing Scams and Unemployment Scams, just to name a few. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has several videos that you can watch for free showing how fraudsters try to manipulate you to hand over your money. You can clink on the link below to view them.
