Sather’s Roots
Since her first monthly board meeting last October, Sather recognized several commonalities between the financial world and healthcare.  “The products are different, yet I find a lot of similarities to the bank,” says Sather. “There is a lot to learn, but those similarities certainly help.”  Born and raised in Greenbush, Sather left Roseau County in 1985 to attend Northland Community College in Thief River Falls and then NDSU, earning degrees in Family Economics, Sociology, and Business.  She then received her certification as a financial planner before returning to her roots to start a career and raise her family. Today, she and her husband Al have six children and five grandchildren.  “When you’re fresh out of college, the inclination is to head for big city life to find success. I’m happy to say that wasn’t the case with me. There are all kinds of opportunities for success right here at home,” she says.  Sather joined Border State Bank in 1989, where she has held the positions of loan officer, executive vice president, and president of the Greenbush location.  In her current position, she works with all seven bank locations concerning retail delivery of consumer and real estate loans and deposit products.  Already active in several community organizations, Sather welcomed the invitation to join the hospital board.  As a child, she made countless visits to the Greenbush hospital and nursing home to visit her mother, a longtime employee. Now a mom herself, Sather jumped at the chance to help guide the organization’s future.  “I didn’t have to think twice. I knew it was a perfect fit,” Sather says.

Wilson’s Journey
Like Sather, Mark Wilson is a native of Greenbush. He grew up on a dairy and grain farm west of town before making the same trek to NDSU as his fellow board member.  “I was interested in a future in farming, but not as a farmer,” he says. “I went to school intending to get into the banking side of things with ag finance.”  Wilson earned degrees in Accounting and Ag Economics before taking the CPA exam and getting his feet wet with a Grand Forks accounting firm.Hoping to raise a family in the same type of small town environment where he grew up, Wilson returned to Roseau County in 2002. He landed an accounting job through Norm Hayes, a founding partner of the Roseau firm known today as Czeh Pederson & Wilson.  An avid golfer, Wilson displays his Hole-In-One plaque near his desk, a reminder of a lucky shot on the course in Greenbush.  An even greater sense of pride, he admits, was being asked to join the hospital board.  “I was very excited to be asked to bring my finance skills to the board,” Wilson says. “This was something I had hoped to do at some point in my career, but I was surprised it happened so soon.”  Wilson and his wife Aimee live in Roseau with their two children. He is an active member of Messiah Lutheran Church and serves on the Oak Crest Golf Course­ Board.

Hopes and Goals
Wilson and Sather are impressed with what they have learned about LifeCare during their first months on the board.  “Given the location, I hadn’t expected the numbers to be so large. Not only the funds going in and out, but the sheer size and scope of the hospital and its departments. The fact that LifeCare employs nearly 500 people was a real eye opener,” he says.  “One thing that really strikes me, that people might take for granted, are the cutting-edge services that we have. You don’t have to travel to find the best doctors or best healthcare. We have it right here,” she says.  Given their Greenbush upbringing, both have a keen interest in the LifeCare Greenbush Medical Park construction project.
“The new med park is a very important facility in that it will allow people to stay in the community,” Sather says.  Scheduled for completion this summer, the facility will house a clinic, nursing home, and a host of LifeCare services.  “It will be an integral part of the community,” Wilson says. “There’s no questions about that.”  Asked about the addition of Wilson and Sather to the board, Okeson is pleased with the results. “The nominating committee did a great job with these selections,” says Okeson. “Both are doing excellent work.”