Al Doering is chief M&A officer at Stearns Bank N.A.  Mr. Doering is responsible for identifying and analyzing acquisition opportunities as well as finding and developing specialty finance products.  He has been in banking for over 40 years, starting his career with the FDIC division of liquidation, during the farm and energy bank crisis.  He then transitioned to the RTC working on several dozen savings and loan failures.  Mr. Doering previously worked at several banks, including a previous role as chief credit officer at Stearns Bank.  

Mr. Doering serves as a board member for Stearns Bank’s contract capital corporation subsidiary and is a member of the loan committee and enterprise risk management committee.

Mr. Doering is an active member of RMA and is a past member of its Community Bank Council.

Mike Lochmann is a partner at Stinson LLP.  He is a trusted and strategic advisor to banks, financial service companies and fintech innovators on complex regulatory and compliance issues and financing transactions.  His focuses on financial services regulation and compliance, mergers and acquisitions of banks and financial companies, consumer finance and financing transactions nationwide.  He has helped dozens of banks, fintech companies, prepaid card issuers and e-banking, e-lending, e-payments and technology companies create new regulatory-compliant products and services.

Recognized for helping clients grow their businesses with practical legal advice and workable solutions, Mr. Lochmann advises on the design and marketing of innovative financial products and services.  He applies his CPA background and deep knowledge of banking, corporate, securities and tax laws to counsel companies and individuals dealing with federal and state regulatory compliance issues.

Heather Plumski is chief financial and strategy officer at Stearns Bank N.A.  She is responsible for the bank’s financials and reporting, collaborating with senior management to devise effective planning and actionable goals.  Her experience in credit analysis, regulatory requirements and leadership extends into analyzing success of products, projects and activities for Stearns Bank. 

Ms. Plumski serves as a board member for Stearns Financial Services, Inc. and is chair of the Stearns Bank Holdingford, N.A. and Stearns Bank Upsala, N.A. board of directors.  She is an ESOP trustee serving on several committees for Stearns Bank, including enterprise risk management committee, asset/liability management committee, audit committee and strategic planning committee.  In 2022, she was honored as CFO of the Year by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

Selena Samale is of counsel at Stinson LLP.  She handles mergers and acquisitions, secured lending transactions and general corporate matters.  Ms. Samale assists clients in assessing opportunities, structuring investments and financial products and managing both strategic partnerships and customer relationships.

Ms. Samale serves as outside general counsel to community banks, finance companies, domestic and foreign investors and nonprofit corporations.  In this role, she provides continuity across her clients’ various investments and throughout the life cycle of their business.  She counsels clients through ownership changes, internal reorganizations, acquisitions and divestitures, regulatory compliance and other operational matters.  Clients appreciate her creative and practical approach to navigating complex legal issues.