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Johnson, who interned at the bank during his senior year at St. Cloud State University, where he earned a degree in finance, has worked part-time at Farmers and Merchants for more than a year. Recently, he became a permanent member of the staff.

As a manager-trainee, Johnson is a jack-of-all-trades, working in every aspect of banking, from teller to processing loans, he said. He likes working at Farmers and Merchants. He enjoys getting to know his customers, and the other employees have a wealth of information to share, about the bank and the community, he said.

Johnson chose to move to Paynesville because he was raised in the small city of Darwin - he graduated from Dassel-Cokato High School - and he wanted to work and raise his family in a similar community.

Johnson's wife, Amy, is a nurse in Willmar. They live near Long Lake by Hawick and have two children, a two-year-old daughter and a newborn son. The family likes to spend time outdoors. They especially like fishing, walking, and biking on the area's trails, and hanging out at the lake.