Dave Peterka
My Rotary Life:
I joined the Excelsior Rotary Club (41 years ago) in January 1984. During my time with that
club, I was on the board many years holding various positions including board member,
Treasurer, Vice President and President. I was President during July 2001 through June 2002. A
highlight of that year was when my family hosted our inbound Rotary Exchange Student
(Marianna) from Brazil. Additionally, I was involved in many highway clean-ups, bell ringing
and other service projects. In 2005, Deb and I went to the International Rotary Convention in
Chicago – a tremendous experience. I joined the Stillwater Noon Rotary Club in 2018.
Family Life:
My family moved to Stillwater in 1965. I graduated from Stillwater High School in 1969, went
to Hamline University, graduating in 1973 and then started a 43-year career in Banking. I met my
wife Debby in 1978 and in March of 1979 we were married. We moved to the west side of the
cities in 1983 and then to the Excelsior area in 1993. We have two children, Melissa (1981) and
Mitch (1984) and they are each married with children. Melissa and Charlie live in Stillwater
with their three children, and Mitch and Sara live in Minnetonka with their two children.
Grandkids are wonderful! In 2021 my life changed when Debby passed away.
Work Life:
I started my career at First Bank System (now USBank) in 1973; and then moved on to The Bank
Group at The Bank Excelsior in 1980. In 1989, I joined two of my fellow employees in the
purchase of First State Bank of New Germany, one of the smallest banks in Minnesota. We
moved the charter to Excelsior, established Excelsior Financial Services and opened new
branches in Shorewood, Eden Prairie and Duluth. In 2017, we sold Excelsior Financial Services
to Alerus Financial, and I retired.
Free Time:
I have been boating on the St. Croix River for 60 years when my parents built a home on the
river in Croixside (north of Stillwater) in 1965. My favorite phrase is: “I know where every
sandbar is on the river north of Stillwater because I have hit then all”! I am a board member at
Bayport Marina and enjoy many relationships there. I enjoy hanging out with my children and
grandkids and I enjoy fishing with my grandson Max weekly on the river. I travel with family
members and friends to Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Cabo in Mexico each winter. In the fall,
I enjoy bird hunting and deer hunting. I try to get in a workout daily (treadmill or outside walks);
and in the spring, summer and fall I try to go on a bike ride daily.
That’s me!
.png)
