2025 Best of Business: Financial Services
Accounting Firm
Gold | CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA)
The CLA team has clear marching orders: create opportunities for its clients, people, and communities. CLA meets that objective through tightly integrated services, ranging from audit, tax, and wealth advising to consulting. The firm prides itself on rich industry expertise and ability to guide clients during tumultuous times with insights and strategies, whether in outsourcing or digital transformation. CLA has grown to 9,000 employees in 130 locations, securing its 2025 rank at #10 in Accounting Today’s list of the top 100 U.S. firms. For businesses big and small, startup or established, public or private, CLA provides the resources to keep business moving forward.
Silver | John A. Knutson & Co.
Bronze | EisnerAmper
Business Bank
Gold | Security Bank & Trust
Rooted in its approach to meet owners’ day-to-day financial needs with personal, thoughtful attention, Security Bank & Trust has enjoyed a 90-year history serving business customers. Based in Glencoe, the bank has expanded to 21 locations across Minnesota. It focuses on serving entrepreneurs with annual revenues of up to $50 million and 25 to 500 employees. As proud community members, Security employees understand customers’ business challenges and goals. Bankers strive to deeply understand their operations and provide practical banking solutions. Security is growing of late, acquiring Cambridge State Bank and completing a merger with Flagship Bank Minnesota in 2024.
Silver | Bridgewater Bank
Bronze | Alerus
Commercial Lenders
Gold | Alerus
One of the oldest banks in the Upper Midwest, Alerus began nearly 150 years ago in the Dakota Territory as a lender to businesses and families. Today, Alerus offers comprehensive services to businesses and consumers in commercial and industrial banking, business banking, wealth management, and retirement and benefits. Alerus aims to provide customers with the personalized service of a community bank, but with large-bank expertise at the ready. Its mission: helping customers achieve their goals with tailored services. More than half its 900 employees are Minnesota-based, giving Alerus on-the-ground insight into customer needs.
Silver | Bridgewater Bank
Bronze | Security Bank & Trust
Credit Union
Gold | TopLine Financial Credit Union
TopLine Financial Credit Union serves 70,000 member-owner customers from 10 branches across the Twin Cities. With $1.1 billion in assets, TopLine provides comprehensive financial services to individuals and families in a 15-county region. Its 180-person team focuses on helping members manage and achieve their financial goals, providing a robust menu of offerings including car loans and mortgages, small business loans, and investment and insurance services. TopLine’s philosophy of “people helping people” guides its operations, wrapped in its focus on building long-term relationships with customers and making a deep impact in the communities it serves.
Silver | Blaze Credit Union
Bronze | Wings Financial Credit Union
Wealth Management
Gold | Alerus
Alerus is no one-trick pony when it comes to wealth management. The Grand Forks-based company, with a presence in the Twin Cities for two decades, serves customers with comprehensive offerings including estate planning, investment and tax management, retirement planning, and fiduciary services. Its private banking platform goes beyond traditional banking to provide an integrated lens on personal financial pictures, steered by relationship managers with custom guidance. Alerus was recognized by American Banker as one of the nation’s best banks to work for in 2023, and in 2024 by Finance & Commerce as the top provider of several financial services, including wealth management.
Silver | RBC Wealth Management
Bronze | Security Bank & Trust
