River Bend Winery & Distillery

River Bend Winery and Distillery has been a part of the Chippewa Valley for decades, first planting its roots in Chippewa Falls back in 2009, and in 2022, a new family was handed the reins. Sara and Mike Antonson alongside their daughter and her husband, Andrea, and Jake Fleishauer, are nailing down the winemaking and distilling process to the finest detail, and refreshing the River Bend space.

"We thought, 'What if we tried? What if we bought a business and we did it, together?'" Sara said. "A family business: we can teach future generations about hard work and working together as a family."

Jacob Bauer, a commercial lender at Security Financial Bank, initially met with the family members and was able to identify immediately that they needed a financial institution that was willing to think outside the box - and SFB was the perfect place to do just that.

"SFB is what made this work. They believed in us right from the start," Sara said. "We told them our story, our business plan, and the biggest thing is that they believe in us. We consider our SFB partner to be part of the family."

SFB provides more than a business transaction, they provide a true family relationship.

SFB provides more than a business transaction, they provide a true family relationship.