Skip Navigation
Change Site Section
March 15, 2023
Justin Burleson

Justin Burleson, SPIRE SVP/Chief Operating and Financial Officer, has been named one of Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s prestigious 40 Under 40 honorees. For 30 years, MSPBJ editors sift through hundreds of nominations and choose 40 leaders under the age of 40 who have achieved great professional success while contributing to their communities and showing leadership in their industries.

An accomplished leader and public servant, Justin Burleson joined SPIRE in January 2020.  He leads and directs SPIRE’s merger, facilities, human resources, accounting/finance, and risk management teams.  Under his leadership, SPIRE has grown from $1.2B to $2.15B in assets (73% increase), 300 to 365 employees (23% increase), and $114M to $164M in regulatory equity (43% increase).  He has successfully led and implemented four mergers, onboarding 5,797 members and $66 million in assets.

Burleson founded SPIRE’s DEI Council and has championed key company initiatives to enhance employee engagement and community give back.  Burleson is regularly invited to speak on the local and national stage about industry trends and maximizing corporate performance.

“We are so proud of Justin,” says SPIRE President/CEO Dan Stoltz, “SPIRE has significantly outpaced national growth rates during Burleson’s tenure, allowing us to serve our members to the highest potential. He is truly deserving of this honor and recognition from the business community.”

Read Justin's recognition on the MSPBJ website

Related Articles

photo of Blaze VP of Enterprise Risk Management Cassandra Sandstrom

Cassandra Sandstrom Named to ACUARP Risk Committee

Blaze VP of Enterprise Risk Management Cassandra Sandstrom has been appointed to the Association of Credit Union Audit & Risk Professionals (ACUARP) Risk Committee.

Blaze Proudly Awarded Best in Minnesota in five categories by the Star Tribune Readers' Choice Award Program

Blaze Named Minnesota's Best in Five Categories

Blaze has been named Minnesota’s Best in the 2024 Star Tribune Readers’ Choice Awards in five categories - Credit Union, Home Mortgage, Wealth Management, Customer Service-Financial Services, and Customer Service.

photo of Bridget Petersen

Bridget Petersen Named to Cooperative Network Board

Blaze AVP of Strategic Partnerships, Bridget Petersen, was recently appointed to the Cooperative Network’s Board of Directors.