<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-19-049353.txt : 20191010
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-19-049353.hdr.sgml : 20191010
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20190909172425
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-19-049353
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20190909

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ALERUS FINANCIAL CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000903419
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS [6021]
		IRS NUMBER:				450375407
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		CORRESP

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		401 DEMERS AVE
		CITY:			GRAND FORKS
		STATE:			ND
		ZIP:			58201
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7017953200

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		PO BOX 6001
		STREET 2:		401 DEMERS AVE
		CITY:			GRAND FORKS
		STATE:			ND
		ZIP:			58206-6001

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	FIRST NATIONAL CORP NORTH DAKOTA
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19980312
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>CORRESP
<SEQUENCE>1
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">[Raymond James Letterhead]</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">September&nbsp;9, 2019</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><b><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">VIA EDGAR</font></u></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Division of Corporation Finance</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">100 F Street, N.E.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Washington, DC 20549</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Attention:&#160; Mr.&nbsp;David Gessert</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Re:</font></b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><b>Alerus Financial Corporation (the &#147;Company&#148;)</b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-1 (File No.&nbsp;333-233339)</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Request for Acceleration of Effectiveness</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Dear Mr.&nbsp;Gessert:</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In accordance with Rule&nbsp;461 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the &#147;Securities Act&#148;), we hereby join Alerus Financial Corporation (the &#147;Company&#148;) in requesting that the effectiveness of the Company&#146;s above-referenced Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-1, as amended, be accelerated so that it will become effective on September&nbsp;11, 2019, at 4:00&nbsp;p.m., Washington D.C. time, or as soon thereafter as practicable.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Additionally, pursuant to Rule&nbsp;460 of the Securities Act, we hereby advise you that 1,630 copies of the Preliminary Prospectus dated September&nbsp;3, 2019, were furnished to the underwriters and distributed by the underwriters approximately as follows from September&nbsp;3, 2019 through the date hereof: 665 copies to institutional investors and 965 copies to others.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We, the undersigned, as representative of the underwriters, have complied and will continue to comply, and each participating underwriter and dealer has advised the undersigned that they have complied and will continue to comply, with the requirements of Rule&nbsp;15c2-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Very truly yours,</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">RAYMOND   JAMES&nbsp;&amp; ASSOCIATES,&nbsp;INC.</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As Representative of the several Underwriters</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">By:</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Sanjay Patel</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Name:</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Sanjay Patel</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Managing Director</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">cc:</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Joseph Ceithaml, Barack   Ferrazzano Kirschbaum&nbsp;&amp; Nagelberg LLP</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Aaron Seamon, Squire   Patton Boggs (US) LLP</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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