Our people are our strength

Ben Grimstad

President & CEO

Email Ben
(563) 387-5207

Ben is a life-long member of the Decorah Bank & Trust family. He spent his childhood working at the bank in a variety of roles before advancing his career by attending college and getting a bank job in the city. Ben used this time to learn as much as he could so that when he returned to Decorah in 2001, he would have the experience and knowledge required to lead DB&T into the future. 
Ben’s family includes his wife, Padrin, and their two adult children. He appreciates Decorah for its small-town charm and scenic wonders. Ben enjoys spending time in the great outdoors, exercising and reading. Ben is active on economic development boards and Decorah’s Sustainability Commission.
At Decorah Bank & Trust, Ben’s passion is working with and serving the amazing people of Decorah. For Ben, Decorah has the best of everything: the best people, the best pizza, and the best beer!
 

Dawn Muhlbauer, CPA

CFO & Cashier, EVP

Email Dawn
(563) 382-1553

Dawn is a northeast Iowa native who enjoys the beauty of the Driftless Region. She has a lovely family that includes her husband, Todd, and two sons, Jake and Dylan. Dawn’s husband, Todd, is a CPA and Principal at Hacker, Nelson & Co. Jake is a recent college graduate who has followed in his father’s footsteps and works in public accounting. Dylan is getting prepared to enter the professional world with his attendance at Luther College, where he is set to study history and education.
Dawn’s family means the world to her, and that is why she puts so much importance on their education. However, Dawn and Todd have established a great admiration for both the fine arts and athletics in their family.
The beauty of northeast Iowa is a sight to behold for Dawn. She believes that everyone needs to take a trip and see the wonders of Iowa’s scenic beauty for themselves. If you take her up on that offer, she advises two things: bring comfy shoes for the numerous hiking trails and let Dylan be your guide as he gives the best tours of the town!
When it’s time to relax, you’ll find Dawn watching the Hallmark Channel. Although the accountant is rarely the hero, she finds the wholesome movies and shows to be the ultimate de-stressor. Another activity that brings joy to her life is cooking. Dawn loves to cook because of the memories it creates with her loved ones. For Dawn, cooking isn’t a chore; it’s a way to create gatherings, great conversation, and laughter. She loves to wind down with her family and friends, eat great food and hear great stories.
When working with Decorah Bank, you can bet Dawn will take the time to listen if you need an ear. She is inspired by the impact of the bank on the lives of everyone in the community – from customers to employees.
Fun Fact: Dawn’s favorite confection is chocolate. She can’t live without it!
 

Andy Ludeking

Chief Credit Officer, EVP

Email Andy
(563) 203-8156

Andy grew up in the Ridgeway, IA area, only leaving to attend college at the University of Northern Iowa. He loves living in Northeast Iowa because most of his family lives in the area and it has plenty of outdoor spaces that are prime for exploring his hobbies. Andy has a wonderful family that includes his wife, Natasha, and his two children, Madison, 11, and Mya, 6, and their dogs, Star and Millie. Andy has many interests, but his favorite thing to do in his free time is be in the great outdoors.
Andy appreciates all four seasons for outdoor activities. During the warmer months, you can find him hunting, fishing, or biking on one of the many trails the area has to offer. Instead of bundling up by the fire in the winter, he much prefers to be out in the snow and riding snowmobiles. In his downtime, Andy likes to have a nice, relaxing day on the golf course or plan his next family vacation. When it comes to planning trips, he finds that researching and planning all the details can be almost as much fun as the trip itself. Recently, he went to Walt Disney World with his family and got to see his plans in action, which was a rewarding feeling.
On his days off, Andy loves to watch and attend sporting events with his family and friends. His sports allegiances lie with teams that are close to home, such as the Iowa Hawkeyes, Minnesota Vikings, and Minnesota Twins. At Decorah Bank & Trust he lends his allegiance to all the different business owners he meets and assists. For Andy, seeing others succeed is what makes working at Decorah Bank so wonderful. 
Fun Fact: If Andy wants something sweet, his go-to treat is ice cream; he can’t live without it!

Justin Gullekson

Chief Banking Officer, Decorah Market President

Email Justin
(563) 387-5239

Justin grew up in North Dakota before relocating with his family to Decorah nearly two decades ago. They chose the Decorah area as their home because of its pleasant scenery, wonderful inhabitants, and strong sense of community. Justin and his wife, Jeanne, have a large family that includes five children, three cats, and one dog. Two of their children attended the University of Iowa, which has resulted in a lifelong love for the Iowa Hawkeyes as well as wonderful memories of Iowa City.
For a fun day out, Justin and his family enjoy bicycling, bowhunting, and time spent on the golf course. They also find joy in simply spending time together in the beautiful bluffs and hills unique to Northeast Iowa. When looking to unwind, Justin appreciates nothing more than a fresh cup of coffee and cracking open a good book. Justin enjoys working at Decorah Bank & Trust because the friendly community equates to having the best customers you could wish for. This fuels his desire to deliver the best service possible to his clients.
Fun Fact: Even though Justin was not born in Decorah, he has a family history that is rooted in the area. Justin's great-grandfather grew up in Decorah during the mid-nineteenth century before moving up north to participate in homesteading in the 1890s.

Sara Thomas

Chief Operating Officer, EVP

Email Sara
(563) 387-5212

Sara was born and raised in Cresco, but she spent a few years away in South Carolina. In 2010, she returned to her hometown to be closer to her family. Sara has been married to her husband Trevor for 15 years. Their family includes three children and their dog.
Sara adores Decorah because there is no place like home with her loved ones. When she wants to have some fun with family and friends, you can find Sara outdoors taking in Decorah’s natural beauty. She enjoys taking the family hiking, canoeing, and on any outdoor adventure. Her absolute favorite outdoor activity is going boating on sunny days and having a blast in the water with her family.
At Decorah Bank, Sara enjoys the many different aspects of her role. She is always on the move working with different teams and projects applying her expertise and knowledge to ensure that everything is in perfect working order. She finds joy in working on all the details behind the scenes to improve technology for DB&T’s customers. 
Fun Fact: Her favorite beverage is Diet Coke—she finds it incredibly refreshing!
 

Lori Drtina

Integrator & Executive Assistant, VP

Email Lori

Lori grew up on a farm east of Cresco, graduated from Crestwood High School and attended college at NICC in Calmar. She has been married to her husband, Mark, for 16 years and is blessed with three children: Luke, Seth and Kara. Her free time is filled with attending many of her kid's sporting events – which she loves! Of course, this child count does not include their (or maybe just Lori's) four beloved cats. She would adopt all of the world's homeless kitties if she could. 

When discussing the area, Lori loves everything, from the beautiful rivers and bluffs, to the small shops and restaurants, to bumping into friends and neighbors at the grocery store or sporting events. She claims she is forever a small-town, country girl. What's not to love?! 

In her position, she's inspired by the individuals she works closely with, appreciating their encouragement and support. One area of her role is to help employees live their best lives by setting personal and professional goals. She feels watching people grow in all aspects of life is extremely rewarding. 

Fun fact: Lori's two favorite musicians are George Strait and Cher, wildly different in genre type! She believes the best way to unwind after a busy day is by rolling down her windows and belting along with George or Cher on her drive home.

Ben Grimstad

Board Member

Ben is a life-long member of the Decorah Bank & Trust family. He spent his childhood working at the bank in a variety of roles before advancing his career by attending college and getting a bank job in the city. Ben used this time to learn as much as he could so that when he returned to Decorah in 2001, he would have the experience and knowledge required to lead DB&T into the future. 
Ben’s family includes his wife, Padrin, and their two adult children. He appreciates Decorah for its small-town charm and scenic wonders. Ben enjoys spending time in the great outdoors, exercising and reading. Ben is active on economic development boards and Decorah’s Sustainability Commission.
At Decorah Bank & Trust, Ben’s passion is working with and serving the amazing people of Decorah. For Ben, Decorah has the best of everything: the best people, the best pizza, and the best beer!

Joe Grimstad

Board Member
Director

Joe has been a valuable member of the Decorah Bank & Trust team for twenty years; spending time as a staff member before being elected to the Board. Joe is enthusiastic about sustainability, and his work was monumental in securing Decorah Bank's carbon neutral status. He and his wife, Ann, have a lovely family that includes two sons and two fur babies. When not working, Joe likes to stay active in the community and does so by volunteering with the Downtown Decorah Betterment Association and the Luther Development Committee.

Donna Thomas

Board Member,
Market President

(563) 203-8157

Donna was born and raised in Cresco and has been an integral part of the Cresco Bank & Trust staff for over forty years. She loves the area and believes it is the ideal location to live, work, and raise a family. Donna is from a large family and she considers herself lucky that many of her family members live nearby. 
Donna farms with her husband, Kelly raising cattle and crops. Donna and Kelly have 4 sons, Kyle, Trevor, Joel, and Colter; all are married. Donna has 6 beautiful grandchildren and is looking forward to more in the future. 
On her days off, you’ll find her on the farm, taking in nature and the beauty of the Upper Iowa River. She believes there’s never a dull day in Cresco – you can enjoy every season! She feels the same about Cresco Bank & Trust; no two days have ever been the same. Donna has met and grown to treasure many people during her tenure at the bank and is happy to call Cresco home.

Ann Mansfield

Board Member

Ann has worked in the medical field with a focus on nursing for more than forty years. She has been performing healthy community work addressing childhood obesity in a six-county region. Ann’s entire family is involved in the healthcare field. Her husband is a physician, their son is an orthopedic surgeon, and their daughter is a registered nurse.
Ann's work is never done, and she is involved in a variety of community efforts. She serves on the Decorah Sustainability Commission, in community health projects, volunteers at her church, and is involved in research projects at Luther College and the Mayo Clinic.
Ann has been serving on the Board for 16 years and admires all the hard work that the bank does to succeed and help others succeed. She appreciates the consistent attention to integrity and the focus they have on workplace culture that makes Decorah Bank, truly one of a kind.
 

Larry Stevenson

Board Member

Larry is one of the longest tenured members of the Decorah Bank & Trust family. He started at DB&T thirty-one years ago and worked as the agriculture and commercial lender for the bank before joining the Board four years ago. He appreciates his present role since it allows him to be involved in the bank's growth and use his industry experience to contribute to its success.
Larry enjoys giving back to his community and likes to spend time volunteering. His favorite organizations to lend a hand to are the Decorah Lions Club, Winneshiek County Habitat for Humanity, and the Decorah Civil Service Commission.
 

Mona Nelson

Board Member

Mona began her financial career as a certified public accountant (CPA). She used her skills to teach accounting at her alma mater, Luther College. Mona worked as an accounting professor for 28 years, until she retired in 2018. Mona is presently retired and volunteers with an income tax VITA organization, serves as the treasurer of her church, and participates in various civic activities in her area. 
In her free time, Mona spends time with her husband and high school sweetheart of 35 years, Cy. Mona and Cy have a beautiful, big family of three adult sons and eight grandchildren.
Mona has been serving the Board and community for 18 years. She enjoys being a part of the Board because they truly care about the community, not just in words but in action. She admires the Board’s progression in staff development and banking values—always moving forward.
 

Steve Holland

Board Member

Steve is a newer member of the Decorah Bank & Trust family, having joined the Board in 2018 and the bank’s Audit Committee in 2020. He is currently a Professor of Economics at Luther College and has had a successful career that includes teaching at many universities as well as time spent as an attorney. He and his wife, Krista, moved to Decorah in 2005 with their three daughters, Ava, Mara, and Leah, and they love the scenic views and small-town atmosphere the area has to offer.
Steve enjoys being a Board member for DB&T because it is a company that not only strives to be financially successful, but also places a high value on being a good neighbor to the community and its citizens. During his free time, Steve likes to give back to the community he serves by being an active member of the Good Shepherd Church and volunteering for various Decorah Public School events.
 

Jim Morrow

Board Member

Jim has been involved in the banking world for 45 years. With beginnings at Cornell University, he studied Ag Economics and Finance, which eventually led him to become a part of Decorah Bank & Trust. Jim has worn many hats at Decorah Bank, from Business Banker to Chief Credit Officer. Jim recently retired as of January 2022 and intends to stay in Decorah. He loves the area for its scenic wonders, warm atmosphere, and the closeness to his family. Jim is enjoying retirement with his wife, Diana, their three children, and two grandchildren. They have fun bonding over his interests, including music, playing the piano, biking, and gardening. He also helps out whenever he can with his family's farm operations. Jim is a family man and a man of the community. As a volunteer, he is active in Decorah's Seed Saver Exchange, Rotary Club, Decorah Covenant Church, and Sunflower Child Care Center. 

Jim was asked to join the Board upon his retirement and officially became a member in May 2022. He serves as a member of the Board's Credit Committee and the Asset Liability Committee. He also lends his expertise as co-teacher for Decorah Bank's Leadership Development Program and continues to provide continuity in Decorah Bank's credit culture. Jim enjoys staying in touch and contributing to the ongoing success of Decorah Bank. He is especially excited about the efforts of new renewable initiatives and the strong culture that helps Decorah Bank operate efficiently.