Rural Communities Take Center Stage at Compeer Financial’s Inaugural Rooted & Rising: Rural Forum

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Kayla Hendrick, Grit Marketing
[email protected] or (309) 657-1858

Rural Communities Take Center Stage at Compeer Financial’s Inaugural Rooted & Rising: Rural Forum

Opportunities Abound as Leaders Come Together For New Connections and Shared Momentum Around the Future of Rural Communities

OWATONNA, Minn., Sept. 17, 2026 — The future of rural communities is promising – a sentiment shared over two days in Owatonna, Minnesota with a range of real world examples and the research and data to back it up. 

At Compeer Financial’s inaugural Rooted & Rising: Rural Forum (the Forum), rural-focused conversations reinforced several themes: rural communities are filled with people already creating change; many of their challenges are interconnected; practical ideas can start small; and collaboration across organizations and sectors can help communities build momentum.

The Forum brought together more than 170 community leaders, business owners, entrepreneurs, nonprofit organizations, economic development professionals and others from across the Midwest for passionate conversations focused on both the challenges and opportunities shaping rural communities.

With 35 speakers and sessions spanning community development, housing, entrepreneurship, infrastructure, workforce, leadership and collaboration, the Forum was intentionally designed to move beyond simply identifying challenges. Speakers shared real examples of what is working in their communities, while attendees exchanged ideas, made connections and explored approaches they could take back to their own organizations and hometowns.

"The energy throughout these two days reinforced something we believe strongly at Compeer: Rural Communities have incredible people, ideas and opportunities," said Jase Wagner, president and CEO of Compeer Financial. "No one organization or community has every answer. Progress happens when we bring people together, learn from one another and build the relationships that help good ideas move forward."

That spirit of collaboration carried throughout the Forum. Attendees heard from leaders working firsthand on issues facing rural regions and had opportunities to connect across sectors that do not always find themselves in the same room — business, agriculture, government, nonprofit organizations, economic development and community leadership.

Craig Culver, co-founder and chairman of the board of Culver's, shared how the values and experiences rooted in small communities helped shape the growth of the company. Throughout the Forum, other speakers brought forward examples of communities tackling housing needs, supporting entrepreneurs, strengthening local economies and finding new ways to work together.

Julie Tesch, president and CEO of the Center for Rural Policy and Development, challenged attendees to recognize the opportunities within rural communities rather than viewing rural challenges only as problems to solve.

Closing keynote speaker Becky McCray, rural entrepreneur, rancher and co-founder of SaveYour.Town, brought the conversation back to what individuals can do when they return home: remain open to new ideas, recognize the assets already within their communities and take practical steps toward progress.

For Compeer, Rooted & Rising is intended to be more than an event. The conversations, stories and connections created at the Forum will continue through future Rural Vitality programming and resources. 

"Bringing people together is only valuable if the conversation continues after everyone goes home," Wagner said. "Our hope is that people leave Rooted & Rising with a new idea, a new connection or a different way of looking at an opportunity in their community — and then do something with it."

To learn more about Compeer Financial's Rural Vitality work visit https://compeer.com/investing-in-rural-communities.

About Compeer Financial

Compeer Financial is a member-owned Farm Credit cooperative serving and supporting agriculture and rural communities. The $36.7 billion organization provides loans, leases, risk management and other financial services throughout 144 counties in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Based in the Upper Midwest, Compeer Financial exists to champion the hopes and dreams of rural America, while providing personalized service and expertise to clients and the agriculture industry.

Compeer Financial is the third largest cooperative of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of lending institutions supporting agriculture and rural communities with reliable, consistent credit and financial services. Learn more about Compeer Financial’s patronage program.

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