Business award winners
Solid Ground Community Partnership Award . F & M Bank Keith Warner Standard of Excellence Award .
VHEDC ’ S ANNUAL BUSINESS AWARDS RECOGNIZE COMPANIES DEDICATED TO BUILDING COMMUNITY
The VHEDC is pleased to recognize local businesses that go above and beyond to serve the community . On November 9 , 2023 , two local businesses were honored at our annual dinner held at the Vadnais Heights Commons banquet facility .
F & M Bank is the 2023 winner of The Keith Warner Standard of Excellence Award ; and Solid Ground is the 2023 winner of The VHEDC Community Partnership Award .
The Keith Warner Standard of Excellence Award
Named in honor of a former director of the VHEDC , the Keith Warner Standard of Excellence Award is given to a business that has shown a singular degree of excellence in the areas of business success , philanthropy , and community service . The 2023 winner is F & M Bank .
Ever since its beginnings in 1925 , taking care of the community has been a key component of the family-owned banking business , whose focus is on serving the small business owner . “ We cater to our client focusing on providing solutions to meet their needs instead of just selling products .” said Shelly Myrland , Senior Vice President , F & M Bank .
In addition to offering top notch customer service , F & M Bank also goes above and beyond to support the community . F & M Bank employees have volunteered for local organizations such as Sleep in Heavenly Peace and Feed My Starving Children . On a regular basis , we also do food drives for the local food shelves , winter wear drives for Solid Ground and toy drives for the Lions Club and Toys for Joy .
“ Being involved in the community is something we are all very proud of and enjoy doing . Employees are encouraged to volunteer in the community both during work hours and on their own time . Some of those projects include , ringing bells for the Salvation Army , going into classrooms as part of Junior Achievement initiatives or taking a day to go to JA Biz Town in St . Paul for interactive learning with our youth ,” said Sara Stafki , Vice President , F & M . Bank .
The bank also annually hosts “ Lunch with Us ,” an event during which staff serve a complimentary lunch to clients as well as anyone in the community that would like to stop in . “ It ’ s a very
welcoming event that is well attended . Everyone at the bank helps with the event ,” said Myrland .
“ Winning this award feels very gratifying . It is a testament to the great work our entire team does in the community on a daily basis . I am proud of our strong community involvement and how well we know our clients to provide them the best service possible ,” said Stafki .
“ It is an honor to receive the award and it is a testament to the hard work that all of the employees have contributed , whether it be doing the actual volunteering or staying back at the office to cover while others are away .” said Myrland .
42 Northeast Metro Business