2025 Outstanding Women in Banking: Deb Kneisl

In depths of tragedy, Minnesota banker feels Bravera’s embrace In the autumn of 2021, when Deb Kneisl learned that Dickinson, N.D.-based Bravera Bank would acquire the Western Minnesota bank where she had worked since 1999, the news arrived as just one more hurdle to navigate in an already difficult year. .It wasn’t that Kneisl, a BankBeat 2025 “Outstanding Women in Banking” honoree, was afraid of the challenge. She had, after all, been an integral part of State Bank of Kerkhoven’s 2008 acquisition of an Albertville, Minn., branch from the Bank of Long Lake, a deal that occasioned the acquiring bank to change its name to Financial Security Bank. “I was a big part of that acquisition,” Kneisl said. “It was a lot of work; a lot of extra hours; a lot of time spent on the phone with United Bankers’ Bank [their correspondent] especially.” The deal meant FSB gained a branch that operated on a different core, and the coordination required in the months prior to full conversion was work Kneisl found interesting. “It was a challenge,” she said. “I got to be mathematical; I like things to balance.”Having been part of an acquiring institution also provided Kneisl with a perspective that could prove invaluable to her colleagues as they were about to become part of a larger team, this time on the acquired side of a deal. But that wasn’t at the crux of Kneisl’s pain.It had been spring back in 2021 when Kneisl and her husband received news that their youngest son, Bradley, had been electrocuted while working as a tree trimmer. As the family rushed to the young man’s side, doctors prepared them for the worst. “They told us he would be gone within 18 hours,” Kneisl said. What followed was nothing short of miraculous. Bradley defied all odds to regain consciousness; he recognized his family, which included a wife and young daughter; he taught himself to walk again, and he worked hard to gain his release from the hospital. “Financial Security Bank was very good about giving me the time I needed to go be with him,” Kneisl said.Barely more than a month after Bravera announced it was acquiring FSB, Bradley Kneisl’s recovery ended when a blood clot reached his heart. “They didn't even really know us and yet they sent a beautiful bouquet to the funeral and condolences and reached out,” Kneisl said. “They gave time for me to do what I needed to do for my family, and yet allowed me to be here when it was what I needed to keep myself busy so I didn't wallow.”Experiencing firsthand the concern an employer can convey to its employees made an impression on Kneisl, and invigorated her as grief ebbed over time. “Because I had seen the side of acquiring and all that had to happen and fall into place, the things that we had to know, I knew what I had to have so that it would be easier to be acquired,” Kneisl said. Long hours followed to be sure, but Kneisl said she didn't feel pressured. “I didn't feel overwhelmed. Bravera has said repeatedly that they felt the acquisition went very smoothly and with minimal hiccups.”Experience matters in cases such as this, and Kneisl brought it in spades. She started at the bank as a teller in 1999, after shuttering a home daycare business. She worked through the ranks to operations supervisor, and since the acquisition has transitioned to BSA officer. That last shift occurred unexpectedly due to a colleague’s departure. Kneisl had performed for a time as the bank’s internal auditor, and some of the skills needed with BSA were transferable. “I didn't ever feel overwhelmed because that's how Bravera works,” Kneisl said. “They make sure you've got what you need; they bring you support. So I stepped into BSA and I absolutely love it. It is fulfilling for me.”The new role has also renewed Kneisl’s purpose. “After Bradley passed away, I kind of thought I was ready to coast into retirement, to let myself take it easy and spend time with my grandkids,” she said. “Now, I don't want to coast. I like what I'm learning; I'm digging into accounts and challenging myself, asking the questions. I really enjoy it.”The role also provides Kneisl with the flexibility to fulfill her role as grandmother to six. She also serves as Clerk of Woods Township, the place where her parents operated a dairy farm. She also serves her neighbors as coordinator of the local chapter of Meals on Wheels. “Deb continually demonstrates superior customer service for both internal and external customers,” said Terri Barrett, Kerkhoven market president. “Deb is one of those people you can always count on — to do the right thing, to get the job done, to be there as a trusted colleague and friend. She has brought an immeasurable amount of value to the bank, our customers and community over the years. She is the definition of a community banker.”And Bravera, with its focus on its community of employees, is the company for Kneisl. “It is absolutely a blessing when you can come to work and open an email that says, ‘Keep so and so in your prayers and your thoughts because their grandmother passed away,’ or ‘Congratulations to so and so because they've got their new baby and all as well’,” she said. “It's a great company. They are stuck with me.”