<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-20-107810.txt : 20201026
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-20-107810.hdr.sgml : 20201026
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20200923161359
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-20-107810
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20200923

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>
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<TYPE>CORRESP
<SEQUENCE>1
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;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;punctuation-wrap:simple;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">September&nbsp;23, 2020</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;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><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;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">United States Securities and Exchange Commission</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Division of Corporation Finance</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><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;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Washington, D.C.&#160; 20549</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Attention:&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; Ms.&nbsp;Tonya K. Aldave</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 align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;text-align:right;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Re:</font></b></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><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;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Alerus   Financial Corporation</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Request   for Acceleration of Effectiveness of Registration Statement</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">on   Form&nbsp;S-3 SEC File No.&nbsp;333-248841 (&#147;Registration Statement&#148;)</font></b></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>  </table>
<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;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Dear Ms.&nbsp;Aldave:</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;punctuation-wrap:simple;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">On behalf of Alerus Financial Corporation, as registrant, the undersigned officer hereby requests that the effective date for the Registration Statement be accelerated so that it will become effective at 4:00 p.m.&nbsp;(Washington, D.C. time), or as soon as practicable thereafter, on Friday, September&nbsp;25, 2020.</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;punctuation-wrap:simple;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Feel free to telephone Joseph T. Ceithaml of Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum&nbsp;&amp; Nagelberg LLP, the registrant&#146;s legal counsel, at (312) 629-5143 with any questions or comments.</font></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><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;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Alerus Financial   Corporation</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;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Randy L.   Newman</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Randy L. Newman</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Chairman, Chief   Executive Officer and President</font></p>    </td>   </tr>  </table>
<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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