DAVID W. ROM

"Banking is a very personal transaction, yet it has become commoditized. I want to bring back the meaning of a handshake and sitting across from your customers at a church breakfast like my grandfather did as an attorney in North Dakota. I like that we are creating our own destiny as a bank that provides real advice. If you're looking for the reliable, blocking and tackle style of banking, talk to us."

David Rom, 41, became a founder of the only new Minnesota bank approved in 2006 after an extraordinarily diverse 15-year career in public accounting and banking – his experience ranging from balance sheet reviews of failed S&Ls on the auction block to audits and regulatory projects at community banks in the Midwest and South. He has worked in mergers & acquisitions due diligence for the purchase of distressed small community banks. He has served as CFO in several privately owned banks, managing millions of dollars and developing his vision of how a respected business bank should operate.

After pursuing the traditional route of bank ownership for a year by courting existing bank owners, David focused on his connections in the banking world – forming a partnership of trusted local colleagues. Upon raising $9.9 million in start-up capital from 100 individual investors and meeting regulatory requirements, David and his partners opened Platinum Bank in Oakdale, Minn., on February 12, 2007.