Customer
Connection
c
November 2017
NMLS ID #411232
Greetings from the
land of Liberty!
These are exciting times for everyone at
Liberty, especially our Customers.
We have added many new technologies to serve
you even better. We have continued to support
the communities we serve in meaningful ways.
We continue to grow as a bank and remain one
of the strongest banks anywhere.
Obviously one of the most exciting things
that has ever happened at Liberty is the
construction of our new headquarters. The
new facility will accommodate future growth
needs. But most importantly it will be more
convenient for our Customers.
The new location on 2nd St. S. and 29th Ave.
S. in St. Cloud (across from Tenvoorde Ford)
will make us more centrally located for the
majority of our customers. The easy access to
I-94, Highway 15, Division Street and other
corridors will make us easier to find.
The bank will be located on its own stoplight
intersection eliminating lots of driving
challenges when visiting us. Also, we have 50+
parking spots—we currently have 7!
This could not have happened were it not
for our loyal Customers. You have allowed us
to grow and prosper and make it possible to
improve our service. We are grateful.
We have had a fun year in 2017: lots of new
customers, hundreds of home loans and lots
of activities. This past year we hosted long
standing events like the 29th Annual Block
Party and newer events like the 5th Annual
Libertyville. Where does the time go? In
the future look for us to create Customer
experiences as our way of saying thanks for
being part of the Liberty nation.
Thanks for being such a good friend to our
bank. All of us truly enjoy serving you. Every
day we look for ways to improve service. But
one thing we will never lose sight of is no
matter how sophisticated our technology
becomes you can still count on a familiar face at
the other end of a transaction. That is what has
made Liberty stand out from our competition
whether that competitor is a bank, credit union,
or some faceless online company.
We look forward to
serving you in the land
of Liberty!
Sincerely,
Mark Bragelman
President/CEO
LIBERTY BANK MINNESOTA
ANNOUNCES NEW
HEADQUARTERS!
Liberty Bank is
announcing the
construction of a new
headquarters building
on 2nd St. S. in St.
Cloud. The structure
will be a total of 12,000
sq. ft. It will provide
space for retail banking,
mortgage lending and
corporate functions. The
bank is also purchasing
an adjacent strip mall for
servicing, production and other functions.
The new facility will provide significant
parking and is located on a lighted
intersection at the corner of 2nd St. S.
and 29th Ave. S. (across from Tenvoorde
Ford). It is much more centralized than
our current facility and has easy access
from I-94, Hwy. 15 and Division St.
Construction is expected to be complete
by Labor Day 2018. We are excited
to provide a better experience for our
customers. This facility will allow us to
enhance our service capabilities and the
new location offers significant room for
any needed expansion in the future.
We look forward to greeting all of our
Customers at our new headquarters
next fall!
1-888-850-Bank • libertybankmn.com
2 | Customer Connection c November 2017
GREAT BENEFITS under
one roof—yours!
Is it time to update your kitchen, add a room, or build a shed?
At Liberty Bank, you can take advantage of one of the smartest
ways to finance those improvements...home equity.
With a Home Equity Line or Loan, you can tap into the equity
in your home to borrow and take advantage of unique benefits
not typically available with other loans, including:
• Fixed and variable rates
• Low rates
• Quick and easy access to your funds
Plus there's FLEXIBILITY too.
One of the greatest benefits of having a home equity line or
loan is that you can use it at any time for any borrowing
purpose. So if you want to borrow to purchase a new car, pay
college tuition, finance wedding costs, or even consolidate
credit card and other debt, you can. How you do it is up to you!
Apply today by calling or stopping by any of our
branch locations.
HOME EQUITY
LOANS AND LINES
OF CREDIT
Liberty Bank recently made an unusual contribution to the St. Cloud Park Department. For many years Liberty has held
all kinds of events: Block Party, Winter Holidays, Public Celebrations and more. One of our more frequent activities were
Halloween Celebrations.
In the process of supporting or hosting these events we
accumulated a great deal of "stuff". We've collected a
variety of lighting equipment, decorations and props
(including skeletons, scary creatures, etc.). Much of this
material is professional quality. We have donated all of it
to the St. Cloud Park and Rec Department.
The folks at the St. Cloud Park Department hold a large
annual event called "Pumpkinfest" at Lake George that
attracts thousands of people. Liberty has supported this
event since it's inception so it logically made sense to
donate these items where we know they would be put
to good use. Have fun!
"Scary Donation"
Pictured: Scott Zlotnik and Marci Sussenguth from the St. Cloud Park & Rec and Megan Vadnais, Liberty Retail Banker
to the Saint Cloud
Park Department
November 2017 c Customer Connection| 3
The 60's were alive and well at the 29th annual Liberty
Block Party. The event featured 60's and 70's music icon
Tommy James who had monster hits like: "Hanky Panky",
"I think We're Alone Now", "Mony-Mony", "Crystal Blue
Persuasions" and many more.
Judging by the size of the crowd, a large portion of area
residents really enjoy this genre of music. It was a very cool
night, especially for the end of June, but that didn't stop
folks from enjoying the lively music and great food.
Tommy James has sold over 100 million records worldwide
and the songs are very familiar. They sounded great and
food vendors reported the only problem was running out
of food! We're glad so many of you were able to join us.
We look forward to planning the 30th Anniversary Event.
Each year Liberty plans and executes the Block Party
and fully funds the event. There is no other group or
organization involved. We book bands, get the stage
and equipment needed, provide electricians, arrange
transportation from MSP airport and find hotel rooms. It
makes it all worthwhile when one of our Customers stops
by to say they had a great time!
Not this Couple! LOL!
➧
4 | Customer Connection c November 2017
Liberty Block Party
Supports LEAF District 742
One benefit of our annual Block Party was the opportunity to raise
some money for a very worthwhile cause: our local children. The
2017 version of the Block Party included a food stand staffed by
the LeSauk Lions Club. A separate booth sold special Block Party
T-shirts.
The proceeds of both these activities allowed us to donate $15,000
to LEAF, the Local Education
& Activities Foundation. This
money will be used in
District 742 schools to
support a variety of
opportunities for kids'
involvement. Thanks
LEAF for letting us get
involved and special thanks
to the LeSauk Lions for their
volunteer efforts!
AUTO LOANS:
It May Be Time to Shop Around
You can make a big difference in your monthly budget with a little
legwork. One of the bills you can change is your car payment.
Refinancing your vehicle loan can lead to a lower monthly payment,
a shorter term, or both! It depends on a wide range of factors,
including the value of your vehicle, how much you owe on your
current loan, and your credit rating. If any of these factors have
changed since you bought your car, you owe it to yourself to check
out your refinancing options.
YOUR CREDIT IMPROVES
One of the biggest factors in determining your auto loan status is
your credit score. When you apply for an auto loan a credit report
is pulled as part of that process. That number may help define your
interest rate, along with other factors that vary by institution.
It can take as little as nine months of steady repayment to boost
your credit score, and that could result in a cheaper
loan if you refinance. If you didn’t have
much experience with credit when
you purchased your vehicle,
refinancing can do you a
world of good. Having
even a few months of
solid payments on your
side can make you
eligible for a lower rate.
YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR MONTHLY PAYMENT
You may be in a much better financial situation now than when you
bought your car. You may have a better job or more security. You
may have paid off credit card or other debt. All of these things free
up how much you can pay per month. Most people don’t go into
the refinancing process looking to increase their monthly payment,
but you can save yourself money in the long term by committing to
a faster repayment plan. If you can afford to pay more per month
now, you can pay off the balance on your car faster. Shorter term
loans can also mean lower interest rates. Once the car is paid off,
you’ll have all that money to devote to other saving or spending
priorities.
YOU’RE NOT SURE YOU GOT THE BEST DEAL
In some cases, borrowers may be quick to make a decision about
a car purchase and in the midst of it all, the financing took a back
seat. Sometimes that doesn’t result in the best deal for you. You may
love your car, but not your loan. If any of these factors apply to you,
let us know! We have loan options to fit a variety of needs, whether
you’re looking to refinance or purchase.
YOU WANT ALL OF YOUR BANKING IN ONE PLACE
It may be as simple as having all of your banking in one spot.
When you financed your vehicle maybe it was not with
Liberty. It may be easier to have all of your accounts and
loans in one place. You can easily view all of your accounts
through mobile and online banking and make transfers
from your deposit accounts to your loans.
Call any of our branches for further information.
Robin Gohman and Brad Becker, Liberty Bank; Bruce Hentges, LEAF Director
November 2017 c Customer Connection| 5
Liberty held the 5th version of the
Libertyville event at Pine Meadow
Elementary in Sartell. Libertyville is
just one more event that is brought
to you solely by Liberty. The event
is fully funded and executed by
Liberty Bank and its employees
and includes a large variety of giant
inatables and entertainment.
It also included a kids fun run and
the Sartell Police dunk tank which
raises money for their programs. In
addition, the LeSauk Lions create
and staff a food court which year
after year generates money for
Sartell School Programs.
LIBERTYVILLE IN SARTELL, A SPECIAL NIGHT FOR KIDS!
This year we gave a donation of $5000 to Sartell Schools from the
proceeds of this event. It is our understanding that this money is used to
support the One Book, One District program.
We have enjoyed bringing this event to Sartell the last ve years. We
hope everyone had as much fun as we did providing it. We look forward
to nding other ways to show our appreciation to our Sartell Customers
who have been so loyal.
6 | Customer Connection c November 2017
Helpful
Hints
To Protect
Your Financial Information
If you are concerned by reports of a widespread data breach or believe
your personal financial information has been compromised, consider
taking the following actions:
Request a credit freeze on your credit report
A freeze restricts access to your credit report, which makes it nearly
impossible for someone to open a new account or line of credit in your
name. If you have been a victim of identity theft, Minnesota law allows
you to place a freeze on your credit report for free. Minnesotans can
request a credit freeze for any reason as a
proactive measure for a $5 fee. Credit
reporting agencies must place the
freeze within three days of receiving
a request and provide a unique PIN
within 10 days of the request.
If you want someone (such as a
lender) to have access to your
credit report, you will need to
temporarily lift or remove
the freeze.
To request a credit
freeze, visit each credit
reporting agencies websites
for additional information to
complete this process:
transunion.com
equifax.com
experian.com
Place a fraud alert on your credit report
If you have been a victim of identity theft, you can request a fraud alert
at no charge by contacting one of the three credit reporting companies.
You must prove your identity and the alert is active for 90 days and can
be renewed. With a fraud alert in place, you can request a free copy of
your credit report from each of the three credit reporting companies.
Check for suspicious or unauthorized
activities
Review your credit report and if you find accounts fraudulently opened
in your name, close them and contact your credit card companies to
reissue new cards if any legitimate accounts have been compromised.
Closely monitor your accounts with creditors including credit cards
companies, banks, credit union, and other lenders during the months
following any breach.
Consider filing your tax returns early
To prevent someone from fraudulently filing a tax return with your
information, file as soon as you have all the needed information.
Beware of “asset recovery” scams
These scams pack a “double whammy” by targeting individuals who
have already been victims of fraud. They will lure victims with the
promise of getting your money back for an upfront fee and its unlikely
they will deliver on their promise.
Don’t fall for phishing emails
If you receive a request for bank account information, passwords or
credit card numbers via email, be suspicious. Check to see who it says
the sender is. Hover your mouse over the link to see if the sender is
masking their email address with a title that appears more legitimate.
Contact the actual business that supposedly sent the email to verify if
the email is genuine.
Hang up
Scammers use public information to find out your name and phone
number. They often use scare tactics to get you to send money, provide
personal information, or gain access to your computer. If someone calls
and wants you to hand over money, be very suspicious. Remember, if it
sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Check your credit report once a year
Credit reports show your credit history, including the number of loan
requests and whether it’s for credit cards, auto loans or mortgages.
Make sure the report is accurate, and write a letter noting any mistakes.
There are three major credit bureaus that provide credit reports for a
nominal fee, and there may be variations in each report: Equifax,
800-685-1111, Experian,
888-EXPERIAN, and Trans
Union, 800-916-8800.
You can request a free credit
report from each of the
three credit reporting bureau
through annualcreditreport.
com.
Pay attention to
billing cycles
Follow up with creditors if bills don’t arrive
on time. An identity thief may have changed your billing address and
started to use the credit card.
Use unique and strong passwords for each account with a mix of letters,
numbers and symbols in your password.
Minimize the amount of personal information you carry. Many people
have several credit cards, including cards for individual retailers; carry
them in your purse or wallet only when necessary. Do not store Social
Security cards, passports or birth certificates in purses or wallets unless
necessary.
Write down credit card names and numbers
and store them in a safe place
It’s important to cancel your credit cards immediately if they’ve been
stolen, but the key is having the toll free numbers and credit card
numbers handy so you know who to call. It also helps to have a list of
all credit cards in one place. Make a list of your credit and debit cards &
store the list in a safe & secure location.
Keven Dunlap, who has served as Chief
Financial Officer of Liberty Savings
Bank and eventually Liberty Bank
Minnesota is retiring after exactly 30
years of service.
Keven has been responsible for financial
statements, compliance, corporate
governance and a hundred other tasks.
He has been an important part of the
growth and success of Liberty the last
three decades.
"Keven has been an unwavering asset
to Liberty in so many ways. I have had
the privilege of working with him daily
for these last 30 years and it has been an
unbelievable working relationship" says
Mark Bragelman, Liberty President.
Bragelman continued: "Mr. Dunlap has
been willing to take on whatever task
was at hand. In addition to a wealth of
experience and knowledge he has had
the ability to work with all kinds of
people. He has been a real champion
for all of our Community activities and
his work with the CMBA, community
festivals, Salvation Army and a dozen
other things has always represented the
best in Liberty".
We wish Keven all the best and look
forward to hearing about his adventures,
grandchildren and other interests. Please
join us in wishing him all the best.
KEVEN DUNLAP
ANNOUNCES HIS
RETIREMENT!
Guard the mailbox from theft
Deposit bill payments at the post office or in post office collection boxes. If going on vacation,
ask the post office to hold your mail until you return.
shred junk mail
If you receive pre-screened credit card or mortgage offers in the mail, shred them if you
decide not to accept the offer.
Reduce the amount of junk mail you receive
Pre-screened credit card offers are an easy target for identity thieves. To opt out of receiving
pre-screened credit card offers, call: 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567- 8688). To remove your
name from other national direct mail lists, write: Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box
9008, Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008.
Only use secure Internet sites for e-commerce
When banking online or shopping with a credit card, most sites will note when you enter or
exit a secure connection. Look for a small yellow “padlock” in the toolbar and “https” in the
web address.
It’s important to simply know who you are dealing with
Do not give out personal information over the phone, through the mail or over the Internet
unless you have initiated the contact. Legitimate organizations that you do business with
already have the information they need and will not ask you for it.
Before revealing personal information, find out
how it will be used
Ask whether it will be shared with other companies. Many businesses will provide you with
their “privacy notice.” Financial service companies, including banks, mortgage companies and
credit card companies, are required by federal law to provide consumers with privacy notices
detailing what information is shared with different businesses, and to give consumers the
opportunity to “opt-out” and decline receiving marketing information.
Banking
on the
Go!
We’re excited to have a full suite of personal mobile banking
apps to allow you to manage your
finances on the go.
> Apply for a mortgage online
> View account balances and
Transactions online or on your
mobile device
> Transfer funds between your
Accounts
> Pay bills using the optional
Bill Pay service
> Make loan payments
> Make a mobile deposit
> View check images
Our FREE* mobile banking apps are available for Android, iPhone, and iPad.
Go to your device’s application store and download today.
* Our app is free but standard wireless carrier rates and fees may apply.
8 | Customer Connection c November 2017
P.O. Box 40
St. Cloud, MN 56302
PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
St. Cloud, MN
Permit No.
2650
1-888-850-Bank | libertybankmn.com
LibertyApply.com is a website designed
to allow you to apply for a home loan from
your portable electronic device (your phone!)
anytime 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Liberty has developed the best technology anywhere to offer this convenience. There is
a lot of advertising by national mortgage lenders promoting the use of your phone to get a
home loan. At Liberty we provide the same convenience with one big difference: you know
who is on the other end of the communication!
Combining 24 hour, seven day a week technology (we are available anytime) with Liberty's historic best
rates in the market and lack of extra fees makes LibertyApply.com the best option available when you need
a home loan.
Please don't hesitate to try us out and referrals are appreciated. We pledge to give you, or someone you send our
way, the same high level of service you expect with amazing technology to make it even more convenient.
LibertyApply.com
ALL OF THE
TECHNOLOGY
YOU WANT...
from the people
you know and it's
available 24/7!
