Sara Ausman joined Alerus in 2012 and has more than 25 years of experience in in private and commercial banking. Ms. Ausman has devoted the majority of her career to working with professional service firms and private banking clients.As managing director of private banking and professional services, Ms. Ausman leads strategy and business development initiatives designed to broaden Alerus' reach in all of its markets. Prior to joining Alerus, Ms. Ausman held leadership positions with several prominent financial institutions in the Twin Cities.Ms. Ausman holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master's degree from Michigan State University. Active in her community, Ms. Ausman has served on the boards of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and the downtown Minneapolis YMCA. She was actively involved with the Common Bond Mentoring Program, the Minneapolis Business Partners Mentoring Program, the Ronald McDonald House, and Habitat for Humanity.She enjoys spending free time at her family's cabin in Wisconsin. Ms. Ausman lives in Edina with her husband, Richard, and their two daughters.