First State Bank is implementing this privacy policy because a fundamental component of the bank/customer relationship is a customer's trust in this bank and because we respect the expectations of our customers regarding privacy and confidentiality. Protecting your privacy, along with your financial assets, is at the core of our business. You have chosen to do business with us, and we recognize our obligation to limit access to the information you provide us.

We also recognize that you expect privacy and security for your personal and financial affairs. We understand the need to safeguard our sensitive information about you that you have entrusted to us within our banks. We maintain standards and procedures designed to prevent misuse of this information.

Our Collection and Use of Information

We collect, retain and use information about you only when we reasonably believe it will help administer our business or provide products, services and other opportunities to you. We collect and retain information about you only for specific business purposes and we will tell you why we are collecting and retaining it upon your request. We use information to protect and administer your records, accounts, and funds; to comply with certain laws and regulations; to help us design or improve our products and services; and to understand your financial needs so that we can provide you with quality products and exceptional customer service. For example, we will obtain personal information about you when you apply for a loan, and we may obtain a credit report from a third party.

Our Maintenance of Accurate Information

We have procedures to help assure that your financial information is accurate, current and complete in accordance with commercial standards. We also have procedures to respond to your requests to correct inaccurate information in a timely manner. If you ever find that your account information is incomplete, inaccurate or not current, please call us at: 800-859-2027 or write to us at PO Box 68 Buxton, ND 58218. We will correct any erroneous information in a timely manner.

Limiting Employee Access to Information

Employees' access is restricted to their need to know such information for business reasons. All employees are trained to respect customer privacy, and those who violate our Privacy Pledge will be subject to discipline.

Security Procedures to Protect Information

We maintain security standards and procedures to help prevent unauthorized access to confidential information about you. We update and test our technology to improve protection of our information about you and to assure the integrity of our information.

Restrictions on Disclosures of Account Information

We do not reveal specific information about your accounts or other personally identifiable data to parties outside our bank. We will only disclose information to third parties about your credit, your accounts, and your transactions under any one of the following conditions:

1. You request or authorize it;
2. The information is provided to help complete a transaction initiated by you;
3. The information is provided to a reputable credit bureau or similar information reporting agency; or
4. The disclosure is otherwise lawfully permitted or required.

Maintaining Your Privacy in Business Relationships with Third Parties

We follow strict privacy procedures in regard to protection of customer information. Except as otherwise stated in this policy, we will not sell or share customer information with third parties. If we use a third party business partner, service company, or other business partner to prepare account documentation, service accounts, or for other purposes, we will make reasonable efforts to verify the business partners agree to safeguard our confidential information about you and your products and services with us and must abide by applicable law.

Disclosing Our Privacy Commitment to You

We want you to understand our commitment to personal privacy and our use of information. We will periodically review the methods available for communicating our privacy policy and determine whether current practices are meeting the needs of the Bank and our customers.

This Privacy Policy applies to individuals, and we reserve the right to change them, along with related provisions, at any time.