The Art of Banking

Brad Meier

Executive Vice President – Real Estate & Commercial Banking

With 35 years of banking experience under his belt and some strong customer relationships that have exceeded 20 years, Brad has the background and the passion to support the needs of his client’s business. As a veteran banker, he brings a unique level of sophistication and a personal touch to every deal which is why he has such a loyal clientele. As an artist and proud supporter of the local creative community, Brad brings commitment and value to our work in the community.

Tell us about the importance of community.

Community is very important. It’s a part of our culture internally and defines the way we approach our relationships with our clients externally. Our ownership group is very philanthropic and engaged in the community, which is also reflected in our leadership team. I’m personally active in the arts community as a student and board member of Northern Clay Center, which is an established ceramic arts organization with a very strong local, regional, and national presence. This fall, I joined the planning committee for The Auction at Minneapolis College of Art & Design–the only art school remaining in Minnesota and one of few in the region. The Auction at MCAD aims to raise scholarship funds and support the next generation of young artists, designers and creatives.

How does banking relate to your passion for the arts?

In many ways, I find art—particularly sculpture—to share commonalities with banking. Both are appealing in that they involve planning and constructing and creating and producing. I feel Pablo Picasso truly captured it when he stated, “Sculpture is the art of the intelligence”.

I’ve been in banking for 30 some years. My current role is mainly business development concentrated in commercial real estate, law firms, private banking, and publishing. For some, banking might not appear to be very creative, but often times a client will benefit from a unique approach and I find it very rewarding when I’m able to create and deliver services that address their specific needs and aspirations. I have a loyal and diverse book of business with very active and entrepreneurial customers that are buying, selling, and expanding. It’s inspiring to serve such a vibrant set of entrepreneurs and business owners who contribute so much to the prosperity of our Twin Cities community. There is an art to being a good banker and partner–my passion for the arts and banking lends itself nicely to the work I do in the business community.

What sparked your passion for the arts?

I like the creative process and working with a different side of my brain. I love the arts community and being surrounded by interesting points of view from fellow students, artists and outreach educators. I work with young children, couples, and the elderly. It’s very diverse and to me it’s very liberating.

What’s unique about Riverland Bank?

What distinguishes us from our competition is our people. It’s our knowledge of the client and our ability to connect with them and facilitate their growth and success. My largest clients today are people that I started working with 15-20 years ago. We provide a high level of personalized service and that is often times rare. We’re known for being responsive, trusted, very competitive, innovative, and creative in a positive context.

Does size matter in banking?

Over the years I’ve worked at banks both large and small. At a smaller bank you’re typically closer to the client; there’s more of an entrepreneurial culture. Sometimes banks are distinguished by their size, their rates, their structure or their terms, but at Riverland Bank it’s all about the relationships, which is why I love our new tagline–Banking on Community.

Brad is a past director of the Minnesota Bankers Association and the Graduate School of Banking at University of Colorado and has been active in the American Bankers Association.

If you’d like to get in touch with Brad to discuss your banking needs or future opportunities, please email him at bmeier@riverland.bank