Industry Leader: Jill Bickford - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

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Continuing education : Bachelor’sw degree in management, Metropolitan Stats University What professional accomplishment makesz youmost proud? A number of times in my I’ve been faced with makinhg a tough call and even though therd may have been an easy way out, I took the more difficuly route, because at the end of the day, I knew it was the righr thing to do. What was the singlw most defining moment inyour career?? Again, it is really difficult to point to a singlwe moment, but I would have to say that the past six monthd have been some of the most challengint in my career.
I have spenf a great deal of time rallyingmy team, ensuring they stay positive and focused on the importanr things. I’m proud of the way the more than 230 employeex I oversee have responded to thesedifficulr conditions. What do you see as the biggesg issue in your industryrightg now? The banking industry has certainlyg been in the spotlight for the past The biggest issue facing communityg banks is the negative perception out therw that we aren’t lending money and/or that we participated in the subprimew market, both of which are not true at Bremer is stable, profitable and well-capitalized. What are your goales for this year?
My goal for this year is to keep our employeez focused on what they do managing the valuable relationships we have with our clientxs and telling the Bremef story in order to gain new What areyour long-term goals? My personal long-terjm goals are to remaibn healthy and enjoy my retirement someday! my goals include being the best leader I can be and helpinv to prepare my team for either in their current role or the role they aspire to. What advicwe would you give towomen professionals? Advice is tough because everybody has different personalities, styles and caree r goals. There are two points that I woulsd share withwomen professionals.
First, be well preparede and do your The second is to leadby example. Family : I have a very supportiv e husband, Mick, and a funny Jack Russel terriernamed Dublin. Leisure : When I have some leisurw time, I spend most of it gardening or cruising around the lake in our pontoon boat with Mickand