Cottage Grove, Minn. – Ben Gathje has been named to the Merchants Bank Advisory Board for the Twin Cities, according to Dan Massett, Regional President – North Region.

“Ben has a pulse on the business community that Merchants’ serves in the Twin Cities and his perspective on how we can continue to meet the everchanging needs of business owners will be important as we grow our business partnerships in the region,” said Massett.

Gathje has been part of the Culver’s franchise since 2002 and owns Culver’s locations in Cottage Grove, Stillwater and Woodbury with his business partners. In addition to the Merchants Bank Advisory Board, Gathje also serves on the Board of Directors for the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce.

“I’m looking forward to contributing to Merchants’ success as a Board member and helping others learn more about the Bank that has helped me grow my own company over the years,” said Gathje.

The Board and Advisory Board leadership structure is well established in the Merchants culture and has contributed to the growth of the organization. The Twin Cities Advisory Board was established in 2009.

Advisory Boards across Merchants’ footprint ensure the Bank is connected with the communities served and provides key insights into the local population and economies. Advisory Board members contribute meaningful feedback about what is important to community members and business owners and how Merchants Bank can collaborate on a local level to create thriving communities.

Merchants Bank is a full-service community bank with 23 bank locations in southeastern Minnesota and west-central Wisconsin and a leasing division, Merchants Bank Equipment Finance, in Edina. Headquartered in Winona, MN, MFGI has more than $2.8 billion in assets. Merchants was founded in 1875. Member FDIC.