Brad Eck calls it quits after 45 years at First State Bank in Clearbrook
Tue, 03/27/2018 - 10:24am
admin
Friday, March 30 is the day that Brad Eck will be joining his wife Bonnie in retirement. The Clearbrook Community Center (old school) will be the place where the retirement celebration will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. There will be a ceremony to honor Brad for his duties at the First State Bank in Clearbrook at 2:30 p.m. You can come and enjoy appetizers, beverages and good company.
Brad was a 1971 graduate of Gonvick High School and he entered University of Minnesota at Crookston to get an accounting degree to work towards getting his Certified Public Accounting, CPA.
He was working for Northern Pipeline during the summer and in 1973 Orin Bagaason, President of the First State Bank needed someone at the bank and wanted him to come in for an interview. He got the job and started working in the insurance department. He got his insurance license and he did income taxes for the season. He really enjoyed the banking part but not the insurance that he was doing.
He worked for three members of the Bagaason Family, Orin and then his wife Carol after he died and now for his daughter Mary Jo Klinger. Brad and Mary were talking about retiring and they decided that when each of them decided it was time to retire they would do it together.
That time came and after several months of making arrangements for selling the bank it has been sold to Border State Bank. They have 10 locations: Badger, Baudette, Coon Rapids, Greenbush, International Falls, Lancaster, Middle River, Rochester DPO, Roseau & Thief River Falls. The move will become official in October of this year. In the meantime, with Brad’s retirement, David Felch will be the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in Clearbrook. Felch stated that, “First State Bank has always been a community bank and they intend to carry on the tradition.” In January of this year Border State Bank donated $7,500 as part of the three tier project that the City of Clearbrook is undergoing with a walking path, playground, basketball and volleyball courts and an overhaul of the dam area. Their donation will go towards building a shelter near the new playground and walking path.
Border States mission is, “to serve our communities. We want a safe, healthy and prosperous community for our children and ourselves. We’d like to see our local businesses grow and prosper. Shop, invest, and volunteer locally. Bank Local, Shop Local.”
Brad is looking forward to spring as he enjoys the outdoors. He loves to golf if his back doesn’t give out on him again. He will have more time to do yard work around his home and spend time with his family. He and his wife Bonnie have three daughters, Heidi and Brandon, Stacy and Erin and Melissa and Nathan and their grandchildren which will take up some of his time.
They have a motor home and they hope to get in a little traveling now that both he and Bonnie have retired. Bonnie retired the end of 2017 after 41 years of service to the health profession as a Family Nurse Practitioner for the Bagley and Sanford Clinics.