BUSINESS

In business: Krewe co-owner joins Initiative Foundation board

Sarah Kocher
St. Cloud Times

Restaurateur Mateo Mackbee has joined the Initiative Foundation's board of trustees.

Mackbee co-owns Krewe and Flour & Flower, both St. Joseph-based businesses, with partner Erin Rae. They utilized an Initiative Foundation loan to open their businesses in 2020.

“Mateo knows the ins and outs of small business ownership,” Initiative Foundation President Matt Varilek said in a press release. “So much of our work at the Foundation involves helping our region’s entrepreneurs overcome challenges on the road to success. Mateo’s expertise with community-based entrepreneurship will help us to be even more effective.” 

Mateo Mackbee

Mackbee will serve a three-year term, which started May 1. He can serve up to three terms on the board, which has 15 members.

“I hope to [reinforce] the idea that it is possible for a person of color to be successful in Central Minnesota,” Mackbee said in the release. “I want to be the reflection in the mirror … for everyone who may dare to dream to own a business and live in a rural Central Minnesota community.”

More:Flour & Flower, Krewe open amid pandemic, offering fresh pastries and taste of New Orleans

Cold Spring-based bank acquires another Minnesota bank

Granite Bank has agreed to acquire Champlin-based Maple Bank, a move that marks Granite Bank's expansion into the Twin Cities Metro area.

“We are proud to be acquiring Maple Bank, and have long admired the job that Maple Bank and their bankers have done serving the small business community," Granite Bank President and CEO Gerald Reiter said in a press release. "It is an exciting opportunity to serve customers in the Northwest Metro of the Twin Cities, and we look forward to expanding on the relationship-based style of banking they’re accustomed to.”

According to Granite Bank, if approved, the acquisition should close this summer.

Granite Bank is a family-owned community bank founded in 1902, headquartered in Cold Spring and serving Central Minnesota.

Nelson Personal Injury promotes attorney

A Nelson Personal Injury attorney has been promoted to full partner.

A press release from Nelson Personal Injury said Matthew Nelson was promoted at the start of 2022. He has been with the company since 2012 and focuses on personal injury, product liability and wrongful death. 

Sarah Kocher is the business reporter for the St. Cloud Times. Reach her at 320-255-8799 or skocher@stcloudtimes.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahAKocher.

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