KERKHOVEN, MINN.  –Terri Barrett was raised to believe she could do whatever she wanted, regardless of what stood in her way. 

Even now — as market president of Bravera Bank in Kerkhoven, Minn. — she knows her resilience and nontraditional route to the banking industry allows her to best serve her clients and colleagues. She sees her position as a way to link the bank, its employees and the Kerkhoven community together.

“I have the best job in the world,” Barrett said. “I feel like we have a really close knit group, but our community is what really keeps me focused on my job and what I do.”

For her work building community inside and outside the bank, Barrett has been named a 2024 BankBeat “Outstanding Women in Banking” honoree.

Barrett started as a bookkeeper for her father’s construction company before becoming a part-time teller at Financial Security Bank in 2008. With the support of her colleagues, she quickly became more involved and moved up at the bank before it was acquired by Dickinson, N.D.-based Bravera Holdings Corp., in 2021.

She continues to encourage people to jump into the banking business, including when they start the way she did. Ali Bouta, an ag banking officer at Bravera, also started as a teller and bookkeeper at Financial Security and had known Barrett as a client for many years. Barrett got Bouta her first job at the bank. 

Bouta said Barrett’s leadership style allows many people to grow from one position to the next efficiently. 

“Terri has an open door policy to everyone,” Bouta said. “She encourages us to find our solution or our own ideas. It’s never her telling us what to do and she’s always open to our suggestions. She always wants us to be learning.” 

Giving back to the community remains a focus in Barrett’s work. She started as a board member at BankIn Minnesota in January and continues to be a committee member for the Independent Community Bankers of America’s Rural America and Agriculture Committee. 

Outside of the banking industry, Barrett participated in the Blandin Community Leadership Program in 2018, which works to develop a diverse, resilient and sustainable rural Minnesota. As an avid runner, she’s also served as a director for several races in her community and has advocated for more accessible trails.

Barrett attributes some of her success to the mentorship she’s received from the Minnesota banking community. 

“I was fortunate to be surrounded by people who were willing to invest time in me, from leaders of Financial Security Bank and with the leaders of Bravera,” she said. “President and CEO of ICBA Rebeca Romero Rainey is a fantastic role model. She has so much passion and commitment for our industry, it’s hard not to get excited. Tiffany Baer Paine, the newest chair of BankIn Minnesota, [and other] strong women in our industry are really becoming a part of the landscape and a normal part of everyday banking, which is really exciting. I look to them and lean on them.” 

After benefiting from these interactions, Barrett has served as a mentor in Bravera’s program that connects leaders across all levels and locations. She hopes to be a positive influence and leader for young women in the industry.

Barrett completed her MBA degree in August and plans to channel what she learned back into building the best culture possible inside and outside of Bravera Bank. 

Bouta said Barrett is every employee’s biggest cheerleader at the bank, constantly looking for opportunities to improve everyone’s experiences within the workplace. She looks up to Barrett as a positive role model, someone’s footsteps she can follow in.

“If you’re looking for someone who is going to stand behind you and support your projects and ideas and forge that path for you, that is who Terri is,” Bouta said. “She will cheer you on every step of the way and will be that bright shining smile at the finish line who knew you could do it all along.”

People continue to drive Barrett and her work. She said she hopes to continue building people’s trust in her bank and to continue developing better relationships for years to come. 

“Being a community banker, like I am, is so much more than transactions and technology,” Barrett said. “There’s so much of a people-focus in terms of community development, customer engagement and investment into colleagues. It’s really a well-rounded career choice. When I first entered the banking industry I had no idea what I was in for and 16 years later, I feel like I’m a part of a family in so many ways.”

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