Stearns Bank appoints two board members

St. Cloud, Minn.-based Stearns Bank appointed John Sizer and Lea Marquez Peterson to its board of directors. 

Sizer worked at professional services firm Deloitte, retiring as a senior audit partner after a more than 36-year career at the company. He led Deloitte’s Arizona audit practice for 17 years, and has advised large public companies as well as private businesses in commercial real estate, manufacturing, higher education and consumer services.

“Stearns Bank’s history of stellar financial performance and focus on prioritizing strong risk management practices aligns well with my belief and experience that the best performers are those who invest in strong financial, operational and audit controls,” Sizer said.

Marquez Peterson, the first Hispanic woman to hold statewide office in Arizona, has decades of experience as an entrepreneur. She’s represented thousands of small businesses in identifying new markets, government procurement and financing expansions and acquisitions.

“The depth of their experience in finance, business and audit will guide our growth strategies, and their corporate leadership expertise will help us maximize our community impact and grow diversity in business across all sectors,” said President and CEO Kelly Skalicky.