Stearns Bank Welcomes Chief Lending Officer

St. Cloud, MN (April 17, 2025)—Today, Stearns Bank announced that Vicky Arroyo has joined as Chief Lending Officer. Arroyo’s addition will further solidify Stearns Bank’s Leadership Team, which champions diversity, fosters inclusion and empowers customers to reach their full economic potential. She will report to Heather Plumski, President of Stearns Bank.  

“Vicky brings impressive skills and diverse experiences to the organization at a crucial time – when Stearns Bank is helping our thousands of customers navigate the uncertain domestic economic landscape,” said Plumski. “Guided by her strong banking expertise, I know that she will play a pivotal role in strengthening, growing, and transforming our national lending strategies to help our customers succeed.”

As Chief Lending Officer, Arroyo will lead Stearns Bank’s core nationwide commercial and small business lending growth efforts to achieve top-line revenue, core deposit targets, and bottom-line profit and loss goals. With the addition of Arroyo, Al Doering, previously serving as both Chief Lending and Mergers & Acquisitions Officer, will transition to Chief M&A Officer, fulltime, to oversee the organization’s ongoing national merger and acquisition efforts.

“I was attracted to Stearns Bank’s strong mission and leadership team—both of which aligned with my career-long commitments of supporting and empowering diverse businesses and communities. I’m looking forward to increasing the bank’s lending activity levels in affordable housing and commercial real estate projects, while continuing to grow the bank’s small business loan activity,” said Arroyo. “Stearns Bank’s lending services and capabilities are hidden industry secrets that I’m excited to elevate. I look forward to collaborating with our specialized lending teams to strengthen customer relationships across the country.”     

Arroyo brings over 30 years of experience in the banking and financial services sector, most recently serving as Director of Economic Equity at BMO, where she played a key role in deploying the bank’s $40 billion Community Benefits Plan. Arroyo also focused on expanding business development efforts for minority-owned middle-market businesses, while also addressing systemic barriers to economic inclusion. Prior to BMO, she was President of MB Financial Bank’s Community Development Corporation (CDC), a subsidiary focused on meeting the bank’s Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) goals. Earlier in her career, Arroyo spent 15 years at BMO Harris Bank, N.A., leading teams in commercial real estate and community development lending. She earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting from DePaul University and completed the Managerial Leadership Stream program at BMO’s Institute for Learning. She resides with her family in Chicago’s Northwest Side.

To learn more about the innovative and industry-leading banking services, products and solutions available at Stearns Bank, please visit: www.StearnsBank.com.

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About Stearns Bank N.A.
Stearns Bank National Association is a majority women-owned and governed financial services institution committed to empowering people, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and local communities to reach their full financial potential. As a privately held, employee-owned entity, Stearns Bank offers a wide array of national products and services including consumer and small business banking, affordable housing financing, USDA and SBA lending, and equipment and small business financing. Headquartered in Minnesota, the well-capitalized institution has branch locations in Minnesota, Florida, and Arizona. Guided by a commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace, Stearns Bank is regularly recognized as one of the nation’s highest performing banks and ‘Best Banks to Work For’ by American Banker. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. Learn more at www.StearnsBank.com.

Media Contact
Armando Diaz
Armando.Diaz@StearnsBank.com
C: 561-729-6091