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Business Journals
11-07-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Sunrise Banks and Green Cities Accord join forces for climate and community
Successful partnerships thrive on symbiosis, when both parties benefit and grow together. The most powerful partnerships go even further, creating ripple effects that elevate the experiences and well-being of others. These kinds of alliances help foster real, lasting change in communities. Sunrise Banks, a values-based bank based in the Twin Cities, grounds its mission in strengthening the ties that connect individuals, organizations, and the neighborhoods they serve. The bank measures its success not just by financial performance, but by the positive impact created through collaboration. It actively seeks partnerships with organizations that reflect a shared commitment to sustainability, social responsibility and local engagement. Earlier this year, Sunrise Banks entered into a unique partnership with Green Cities Accord, a Twin Cities-based nonprofit focused on preserving urban tree canopies. The partnership reflects a shared vision for a more sustainable future—and it is proving to be transformative on multiple levels. Benefits for Both Organizations The mutually beneficial relationship between Green Cities Accord and Sunrise Banks goes beyond the traditional financial exchange. On one side, Sunrise Banks purchased Carbon+ Credits from Green Cities Accord to offset emissions associated with business travel. These urban tree-based carbon offsets support the bank's sustainability goals while driving local climate action. Conversely, Green Cities Accord chose to move its financial accounts to the Net Zero Deposits program at Sunrise Banks. These deposits are used to support funding for projects that work to reduce or avoid carbon emissions. Both personal and business banking customers can opt into Net Zero Deposits with a checking, savings or CD account. The partnership between Sunrise Banks and Green Cities Accord highlights a willingness for each organization to invest in the other's mission, creating shared value for the community. The collaboration also contributes to the health of the urban environment in Minnesota. Storms, disease, drought and ongoing development have negatively impacted urban forests in the Twin Cities. Green Cities Accord is working to rebuild and expand the urban tree canopy, an effort Sunrise Banks actively supports. Urban trees provide more than natural beauty. They offer shade, reduce energy consumption, absorb pollutants, improve air quality, and help cool urban heat islands. These benefits contribute significantly to livable cities and resilient communities. By supporting Green Cities Accord's tree planting and maintenance efforts, Sunrise Banks is investing in both environmental and public health. Green Cities Accord's impact is grounded in transparency and certification. The organization is recognized by City Forest Credits, a nonprofit carbon registry endorsed by the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Accreditation (ICROA). These rigorous standards ensure that every credit represents verifiable carbon reductions. Revenue from credit sales is reinvested into future planting and tree care—directly benefiting local neighborhoods. Net Zero Banking: Aligning Values with Financial Tools As the partnership developed, Green Cities Accord saw an opportunity to further its sustainability mission by banking with Sunrise Banks. The nonprofit adopted the use of Net Zero Deposits, discovering that even routine financial operations can support climate action. 'Learning about Net Zero Deposits was the first time I had thought about banking as a form of climate action, and how the investments your bank makes can have a real impact,' said Micheala Neu, Director of Programs and Operations at Green Cities Accord. 'It was important for us to bank with an institution that reflects our sustainability values. Partnering with a local establishment like Sunrise Banks was a no-brainer and a win-win for us.' The partnership illustrates how even the most familiar systems, such as banking, can be reimagined to support broader sustainability goals. For Green Cities Accord, Sunrise Banks offered both alignment and local accountability. A Broader Commitment to Positive Impact Green Cities Accord is just one example of how Sunrise Banks is using its platform to promote positive environmental and social change. In addition to Net Zero Deposits, the bank also offers Net Zero Financing options for projects such as energy efficient upgrades, electric vehicles and chargers, and sustainable building construction. These projects can qualify for a lower loan rate. These tools empower businesses and nonprofits to incorporate environmental responsibility into everyday decisions without unnecessary complexity or additional cost. Sunrise Banks believes that small shifts in perspective—like choosing a values-aligned banking partner—can lead to significant change. The partnership with Green Cities Accord is a testament to how mission-driven collaboration can benefit organizations, individuals, and the planet alike. Together, these two organizations are demonstrating that sustainability is a shared journey that can be strengthened by a shared purpose.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TopLine Financial Credit Union Opens New Maple Grove West Branch on June 9, 2025
TopLine is thrilled to announce the opening of their new Maple Grove West branch located at 7015 Alvarado Lane North, Maple Grove, Minnesota 55311 TopLine's New Maple Grove West Location MAPLE GROVE, Minn., June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TopLine Financial Credit Union, a Twin Cities-based member-owned financial services cooperative, recently opened a new full-service Maple Grove West branch on June 9, 2025, located at 7015 Alvarado Lane North, Maple Grove, MN 55311. The new Maple Grove West branch will provide personal service as well as self-service convenience with a new innovative 24/7 Interactive Teller Machine (ITM) that provides members with remote assistance service, combining the convenience of ATMs with the personalized experience of a branch visit. Financial product and service offerings include: savings and checking accounts, auto loans, home loans, personal loans, student loans, mortgage services, investment services, small business and commercial services, insurance agency, remote access, as well as financial education and counseling from TopLine Certified Credit Union Financial Counselors. "We are excited to announce the opening of our new Maple Grove West location, further expanding our presence in the surrounding communities of Maple Grove, Corcoran, Hamel and Media to offer accessible financial services to more consumers and small business owners," stated Mick Olson, President and CEO of TopLine Financial Credit Union. "Our new branch reflects our dedication to delivering tailored financial solutions that empower individuals and families to realize their dreams, whether it's buying a home, funding education, saving for retirement, protecting assets, or starting a small business. We look forward to creating lifelong connections and serving as a trusted financial partner for individuals and families across these vibrant communities.' TopLine will be holding a Grand Opening Celebration at the new location during the week of June 23 – 28, 2025. The community is invited to visit the branch in-person for exclusive specials, tasty treats, and a 'We'll Pay Your Phone Bill for a Month up to $150' raffle as a way to recognize the Bell System telephone workers who started the credit union 90 years ago. To learn more visit TopLine will be hosting a Ribbon Cutting Celebration in partnership with the Minneapolis Regional Chamber at the new location, 7015 Alvarado Lane North, Maple Grove, MN 55311, on Wednesday, July 9th from 2:00pm – 4:00pm. Everyone is welcome and refreshments will be served. TopLine Financial Credit Union, a Twin Cities-based credit union, is Minnesota's 9th largest credit union, with assets of over $1.1 billion and serves over 70,000 members. Established in 1935, the not-for-profit financial cooperative offers a complete line of financial services from its ten branch locations — in Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, Circle Pines, Coon Rapids, Forest Lake, Maple Grove, Plymouth, St. Francis and in St. Paul's Como Park — as well as by phone and online at Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in Anoka, Benton, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Pine, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Washington and Wright counties in Minnesota and their immediate family members, as well as employees and retirees of Anoka Hennepin School District #11, Anoka Technical College, Federal Premium Ammunition, Hoffman Enclosures, Inc., GRACO, Inc., and their subsidiaries. Visit us on our Facebook or Instagram. To learn more about the credit union's foundation, visit CONTACT:Vicki Roscoe EricksonSenior Vice President and Chief Marketing OfficerTopLine Financial Credit Unionverickson@ | 763.391.0872 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
Business Upturn
10-06-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
TopLine Financial Credit Union Receives Twin Cities Best of Business 2025 Reader's Choice Award
MAPLE GROVE, Minn., June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TopLine Financial Credit Union , a Twin Cities-based member-owned financial services cooperative , has been named the Best Credit Union in Minnesota by Twin Cities Business 2025 Best of Business Reader's Choice Poll. Twin Cities Business conducts an annual survey of their readers asking 'Which companies exemplify true excellence in their respective industries and would they confidently refer to a family member, friend or colleague?' and published results in its June/July issue and online. The communities the credit union services have recognized TopLine as one of the most appreciated and trustworthy financial institutions in Minnesota. Several qualities that make TopLine stand out include the credit union's dedication to our mission of 'Connected, We All Do Better' by providing affordable and competitive financial services, commitment of our employees to help consumers achieve their financial goals, positively making a local and global impact through community outreach activities via their TopLine Credit Union Foundation, and helping consumers with homeownership and investments. 'We are honored to receive the distinction in the Financial Services Credit Unions category of the Twin Cities Business 'Best of Business' poll,' said Mick Olson, President and CEO of TopLine Financial Credit Union. 'This recognition reflects the unwavering commitment, care, and compassion of our TopLine family of employees in supporting our members and communities and helping them achieve their financial dreams. We extend heartfelt gratitude to our members and communities for their trust and support, and congratulate all the esteemed organizations recognized this year.' Twin Cities Business is Minnesota's leading provider of business news, insight, and analysis through daily online new stories, e-newsletters, a monthly print magazine and live events. Along with their readers, they get to know the personalities of our region's most influential leaders, exploring the 'how' behind their success, strategies, and solutions. They discuss today's most pressing issues, examine trends and outlooks, and provide the context, perspective, and information leaders have come to depend on. TopLine Financial Credit Union , a Twin Cities-based credit union, is Minnesota's 9th largest credit union, with assets of over $1.1 billion and serves over 70,000 members. Established in 1935, the not-for-profit financial cooperative offers a complete line of financial services from its ten branch locations — in Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, Circle Pines, Coon Rapids, Forest Lake, Maple Grove, Plymouth, St. Francis and in St. Paul's Como Park — as well as by phone and online at . Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in Anoka, Benton, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Pine, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Washington and Wright counties in Minnesota and their immediate family members, as well as employees and retirees of Anoka Hennepin School District #11, Anoka Technical College, Federal Premium Ammunition, Hoffman Enclosures, Inc., GRACO, Inc., and their subsidiaries. Visit us on our Facebook or Instagram. To learn more about the credit union's foundation, visit CONTACT:Vicki Roscoe EricksonSenior Vice President and Chief Marketing OfficerTopLine Financial Credit Union [email protected] | 763.391.0872
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TopLine Financial Credit Union Receives Twin Cities Best of Business 2025 Reader's Choice Award
TopLine honored with 'Gold' in the Financial Services Credit Union category TopLine Financial Credit Union Receives Twin Cities Business 2025 Reader's Choice Award MAPLE GROVE, Minn., June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TopLine Financial Credit Union, a Twin Cities-based member-owned financial services cooperative, has been named the Best Credit Union in Minnesota by Twin Cities Business 2025 Best of Business Reader's Choice Poll. Twin Cities Business conducts an annual survey of their readers asking 'Which companies exemplify true excellence in their respective industries and would they confidently refer to a family member, friend or colleague?' and published results in its June/July issue and online. The communities the credit union services have recognized TopLine as one of the most appreciated and trustworthy financial institutions in Minnesota. Several qualities that make TopLine stand out include the credit union's dedication to our mission of 'Connected, We All Do Better' by providing affordable and competitive financial services, commitment of our employees to help consumers achieve their financial goals, positively making a local and global impact through community outreach activities via their TopLine Credit Union Foundation, and helping consumers with homeownership and investments. "We are honored to receive the distinction in the Financial Services Credit Unions category of the Twin Cities Business 'Best of Business' poll," said Mick Olson, President and CEO of TopLine Financial Credit Union. "This recognition reflects the unwavering commitment, care, and compassion of our TopLine family of employees in supporting our members and communities and helping them achieve their financial dreams. We extend heartfelt gratitude to our members and communities for their trust and support, and congratulate all the esteemed organizations recognized this year." Twin Cities Business is Minnesota's leading provider of business news, insight, and analysis through daily online new stories, e-newsletters, a monthly print magazine and live events. Along with their readers, they get to know the personalities of our region's most influential leaders, exploring the 'how' behind their success, strategies, and solutions. They discuss today's most pressing issues, examine trends and outlooks, and provide the context, perspective, and information leaders have come to depend on. TopLine Financial Credit Union, a Twin Cities-based credit union, is Minnesota's 9th largest credit union, with assets of over $1.1 billion and serves over 70,000 members. Established in 1935, the not-for-profit financial cooperative offers a complete line of financial services from its ten branch locations — in Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, Circle Pines, Coon Rapids, Forest Lake, Maple Grove, Plymouth, St. Francis and in St. Paul's Como Park — as well as by phone and online at Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in Anoka, Benton, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Pine, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Washington and Wright counties in Minnesota and their immediate family members, as well as employees and retirees of Anoka Hennepin School District #11, Anoka Technical College, Federal Premium Ammunition, Hoffman Enclosures, Inc., GRACO, Inc., and their subsidiaries. Visit us on our Facebook or Instagram. To learn more about the credit union's foundation, visit CONTACT:Vicki Roscoe EricksonSenior Vice President and Chief Marketing OfficerTopLine Financial Credit Unionverickson@ | 763.391.0872 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Miami Herald
22-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Tariffs, high building costs, stingy lending make for curious revival of split-levels
With six kids, a housekeeper named Alice and Tiger the dog, the fictitious "Brady Bunch" of the 1970s sitcom filmed in a real-life mid-century California house, a perfectly groovy set for all the shenanigans that made the show so popular. More than 50 years later, that split-level trend is resurfacing, but it's not because of a newfound appreciation for the retro style. President Donald Trump's tariffs - on top of already high construction and borrowing costs - have made the staggered floors of a split-level an affordable design that doesn't sacrifice square footage. The "Brady Bunch" home was a quintessential split-level: semi-open living spaces spread through several off-set levels connected by short flights of stairs. The layout gave it an open feel that became a coveted option for suburban families that aspired to more than their boring, tract-style houses. The initial obsession with splits, however, didn't last long. By the 1980s, buyers started favoring more impressive two-story houses and open-plan ramblers that offered one-level living. Now, the "split" has new life thanks to several Twin Cities builders, who are betting a variation of that "Brady Bunch" house called a split-entry will help attract a new generation of budget-conscious buyers. "We went several years without building any," said Dale Wills, the owner and founder of Centra Homes. "They're a major focus for us right now, and there's a good reason for it." Split-entry plans, which typically have a foyer positioned between an upper and lower level, are the most common splits in the metro. Once inside the front entry, there's a few stairs going up and a few heading down to an only half-buried lower level. Centra, a Twin Cities-based company that caters to entry-level buyers, started doubling down on splits when mortgage rates began rising in 2022, Wills said. And now, with house prices already at record highs and pending tariffs on building materials threatening to add tens of thousands of dollars to a new home's cost, the plan has become even more relevant. Last month, the median price of all home sales nearly breached $400,000, while the price of a new single-family house in the Twin Cities topped $540,000, according to a new report from the Minnesota Realtors. The report also said a new house typically fetches a nearly 45% premium compared to an existing one. With buyers still outnumbering sellers in some parts of the metro, builders are especially eager to attract first-time buyers like Kyleigh Besta and Michael Smith. Besta said she and Smith, her fiancé, were originally shopping for an inexpensive, older house they could fix up and eventually flip. But they realized the cost of buying a new house was comparable to that of a used one. So they recently bought a split-entry house within a Centra development called Fox Run in North Branch, Minnesota. Single-family splits there are now priced at $342,000 to $369,900, a sweet spot for first-timers. "We found a new home that we could put equity in," she said. "And it had almost everything we wanted upstairs." The equity opportunity is on the unfinished lower level, which will nearly double the living space once the couple completes it. Because their lower level has foundation walls only half as high as a traditional basement, which is nearly fully underground, the floor has large, full-size windows. Smaller, egress-style windows often make stereotypical basements "feel more like a dungeon," Besta said. The discount on such splits can vary dramatically depending on the floor plan and location. Builders said they can be less expensive to construct because they're a quicker build, which brings down labor costs. They also tend to have a more compact footprint, reducing building materials. Centra's split-level Maple plan costs about $211,949 to build compared to $228,696 for its single-level Pine plan with a full basement. That's a savings of nearly $17,000, or about 8% less in hard construction totals alone, not including the land and other costs, Wills said. Including the typical builder markup, the retail difference is nearly $20,000. Wills said that's a meaningful gap for current buyers, especially those trying to stay under financing thresholds or looking to avoid high monthly payments. "In today's market, affordability and efficiency are driving consumer behavior," Wills said. "The split-entry home has emerged as a clear winner on both fronts." Splits with a finished basement, Wills said, often provide more than 2,400 square feet of space, but they also offer buyers more flexibility than other floorplans. "Many buyers love that splits can offer the feel of a two-story in a smaller package," he said. "With multi-level separation, that works well for today's families." Plus, because a split tends to have a tighter footprint, they can also fit on smaller, less-expensive lots. Peter Barile is a Twin Cities sales agent who is also on the board of the local chapter of Docomomo, a nonprofit devoted to modern design that has organized tours of architecturally significant split levels. He said the onus for many of those on-display splits, including the one he lives in, was to take advantage of relatively "unbuildable" lots. Sloped land or areas with a high water table that wouldn't be suitable to a full basement, for example, also tend to be less expensive. Lennar, the nation's largest homebuilder, has a split-entry plan in Zimmerman, Minnesota, with three bedrooms on the upper level and two bedrooms on the lower, listed for $369,783. And regional builder Capstone Homes is offering what it calls a "budget-friendly split-level" plan at its Pine Vale project in Somerset, Wisconsin. A five-bedroom house there with nearly 2,300 square feet is on the market for $419,900. At Anna's Acres in Otsego, Minnesota, the company is selling a nearly 2,900-square-foot, five-bedroom split-level for $469,900. Splits are a trend "primarily driven by cost," per Zach Adams, the owner of Wright Sherburne Realty and vice president of sales for Centra. When he started selling new houses in 2000, the split-entry was prevalent but eventually went out of favor with buyers. "Some just don't want it," he said. "They want to come in (the front door) and live on the main level." Adams said today, with so many buyers focused solely on price, a home's floorplan becomes a secondary issue. He also knows firsthand the appeal of multi-level living - he owned one in the early 2000s. "My first house was a split," he said. "Now they're coming back." Amanda Zielike, founder of an interactive website devoted to house histories called HouseNovel, said she isn't surprised at the split's return. "It makes sense that more split-entry homes are being developed than split-levels, since they're likely less complex and more cost-effective to construct," she said. In the middle of the past century, when splits peaked in popularity, Zielike said they were a go-to plan for builders looking to offer more space and flexibility. Buyers also loved the layout. It efficiently separated everyday living into distinct zones that reflected the lifestyle of the mid-century American family, which also wanted both openness and privacy in a modest footprint. "While they don't often get the same nostalgic fanfare as Victorians or Craftsmans, they have a surprisingly unique history," she said. "It's been interesting to see them quietly making a comeback and re-entering conversations about practical and affordable housing." 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