Exhibit 10.11


                          EMPLOYMENT SECURITY AGREEMENT


         EMPLOYMENT SECURITY AGREEMENT,  dated this 6th day of May 1999, between
Bank West Financial  Corporation,  a Michigan  corporation (the  "Corporation"),
Bank West, a  Michigan-chartered  savings bank and a wholly owned  subsidiary of
the  Corporation  (the  "Bank"),  and Louis D.  Knooihuizen  (the  "Executive").
Hereinafter,  the  Corporation  and the Bank are referred to collectively as the
"Employers."


                                   WITNESSETH:

         WHEREAS, the Executive is a newly hired officer of the Employers;

         WHEREAS,  the  Employers  desire  to  be  ensured  of  the  Executive's
continued active participation in the business of the Employers; and

         WHEREAS,  in order to induce the  Executive  to remain in the employ of
the Employers and in consideration of the Executive's  agreeing to remain in the
employ of the Employers,  the parties  desire to specify the severance  benefits
which  shall be due the  Executive  in the event  that his  employment  with the
Employers is terminated under specified circumstances;

         NOW  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of  the  premises  and  the  mutual
agreements herein contained, the parties hereby agree as follows:

         1.  Definitions.  The following words and terms shall have the meanings
set forth below for the purposes of this Agreement:

         (a) Annual  Compensation.  The Executive's  "Annual  Compensation"  for
purposes of this  Agreement  shall be deemed to mean the  highest  level of base
salary paid to the Executive by the Employers or any  subsidiary  thereof during
any of the three calendar years preceding the Date of Termination, including the
calendar year in which the Date of Termination occurs.

         (b) Cause.  Termination by the Employers of the Executive's  employment
for "Cause" shall mean termination because of personal dishonesty, incompetence,
willful  misconduct,   breach  of  fiduciary  duty  involving  personal  profit,
intentional failure to perform stated duties, willful violation of any law, rule
or  regulation  (other than  traffic  violations  or similar  offenses) or final
cease-and-desist order. For purposes of this paragraph, no act or failure to act
on the Executive's part shall be considered "willful" unless done, or omitted to
be done, by the Executive not in good faith and without  reasonable  belief that
the Executive's action or omission was in the best interest of the Bank.

         (c)  Change in Control  of the  Corporation.  "Change in Control of the
Corporation"  shall mean a change in control of a nature  that would be required
to be  reported  in response  to Item 6(e) of  Schedule  14A of  Regulation  14A
promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,


<PAGE>
                                       2


as  amended  ("Exchange  Act"),  or any  successor  thereto,  whether or not any
security of the  Corporation is registered  under  Exchange Act;  provided that,
without limitation, such a change in control shall be deemed to have occurred if
(i) any  "person"  (as  such  term is used in  Section  13(d)  and  14(d) of the
Exchange  Act) is or becomes  the  "beneficial  owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3
under  the  Exchange  Act),  directly  or  indirectly,   of  securities  of  the
Corporation  representing  25% or  more  of the  combined  voting  power  of the
Corporation's  then  outstanding  securities;  or (ii)  during any period of two
consecutive  years,  individuals who at the beginning of such period  constitute
the Board of Directors of the Corporation  cease for any reason to constitute at
least a majority thereof unless the election,  or the nomination for election by
stockholders, of each new director was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds
of the directors then still in office who were directors at the beginning of the
period.

         (d)  Code.  Code  shall  mean the  Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986,  as
amended.

         (e) Date of Termination.  "Date of  Termination"  shall mean (i) if the
Executive's  employment is terminated for Cause, the date on which the Notice of
Termination is given,  and (ii) if the Executive's  employment is terminated for
any other reason, the date specified in the Notice of Termination.

         (f)  Disability.  Termination  by  the  Employers  of  the  Executive's
employment based on "Disability" shall mean termination  because of any physical
or mental impairment which qualifies the Executive for disability benefits under
the  applicable  long-term  disability  plan  maintained by the Employers or any
subsidiary  or, if no such plan  applies,  which would qualify the Executive for
disability benefits under the Federal Social Security System.

         (g)  Good  Reason.  Termination  by the  Executive  of the  Executive's
employment for "Good Reason" shall mean termination by the Executive based on:

                           (i) Without the Executive's  express written consent,
                  the  assignment by the Employers to the Executive  following a
                  Change  in  Control  of  any  duties   which  are   materially
                  inconsistent   with   the   Executive's   positions,   duties,
                  responsibilities  and status  with the  Employers  immediately
                  prior to a Change in Control of the Corporation, or a material
                  change in the Executive's reporting  responsibilities,  titles
                  or offices as an employee and as in effect  immediately  prior
                  to such a Change in Control,  or any removal of the  Executive
                  from or any failure to re-elect  the  Executive to any of such
                  responsibilities, titles or offices, except in connection with
                  the  termination  of the  Executive's  employment  for  Cause,
                  Disability  or  Retirement  or as a result of the  Executive's
                  death or by the Executive other than for Good Reason;

                           (ii) Without the Executive's express written consent,
                  a material  reduction by the Employers in the Executive's base
                  salary as in effect on the date of the  Change in  Control  of
                  the  Corporation  or as the same may be increased from time to
                  time


<PAGE>
                                       3


                  thereafter  or a material  reduction  in the package of fringe
                  benefits provided to the Executive;

                           (iii) Any purported  termination  of the  Executive's
                  employment  for Cause,  Disability or Retirement  which is not
                  effected  pursuant to a Notice of  Termination  satisfying the
                  requirements of paragraph (i) below; or

                           (iv) The  failure  by the  Employers  to  obtain  the
                  assumption of and  agreement to perform this  Agreement by any
                  successor as contemplated in Section 6 hereof.

         (h) IRS. IRS shall mean the Internal Revenue Service.

         (i) Notice of  Termination.  Any purported  termination by the Bank for
Cause,  Disability  or  Retirement  or by the Executive for Good Reason shall be
communicated by written  "Notice of Termination" to the other party hereto.  For
purposes of this Agreement,  a "Notice of Termination" shall mean a notice which
(i) indicates the specific termination  provision in this Agreement relied upon,
(ii) sets  forth in  reasonable  detail the facts and  circumstances  claimed to
provide a basis for termination of Executive's employment under the provision so
indicated,  (iii) specifies a Date of Termination,  which shall be not less than
thirty (30) nor more than ninety (90) days after such Notice of  Termination  is
given,  except  in  the  case  of  the  Employers'  termination  of  Executive's
employment  for Cause,  and (iv) is given in the manner  specified  in Section 7
hereof.

         (j)  Retirement.  Termination  by  the  Employers  of  the  Executive's
employment  based  on  "Retirement"  shall  mean  voluntary  termination  by the
Executive in accordance with the Employers' retirement policies, including early
retirement, generally applicable to their salaried employees.

         2.  Benefits Upon  Termination.  If the  Executive's  employment by the
Employers  shall  be  terminated  subsequent  to a  Change  in  Control  of  the
Corporation  by (i) the  Employers  other  than for Cause,  Retirement,  or as a
result of the  Executive's  death or Disability,  or (ii) the Executive for Good
Reason, then the Employers shall, subject to the provisions of Section 3 hereof,
if applicable:

        (a) pay to the Executive, in twenty-four (24) equal monthly installments
beginning  with  the  first  business  day of the  month  following  the Date of
Termination,  a cash  amount  equal  to two (2)  times  the  Executive's  Annual
Compensation; and

        (b) maintain  and provide for a period  ending at the earlier of (i) two
(2) years  after  the Date of  Termination  or (ii) the date of the  Executive's
full-time  employment  by  another  employer  (provided  that the  Executive  is
entitled under the terms of such employment to benefits substantially similar to
those  described in this  subparagraph  (b)), at no cost to the  Executive,  the
Executive's  continued  participation  in all group  insurance,  life insurance,
health and accident,  disability and other employee benefit plans,  programs and
arrangements in which the Executive was entitled to
<PAGE>
                                        4

participate  immediately prior to the Date of Termination (other than retirement
plans or stock compensation plans of the Employers),  provided that in the event
that the  Executive's  participation  in any plan,  program  or  arrangement  as
provided  in this  subparagraph  (b) is barred,  or during  such period any such
plan,  program or arrangement  is  discontinued  or the benefits  thereunder are
materially  reduced,  the Employers  shall arrange to provide the Executive with
benefits  substantially  similar to those which the  Executive  was  entitled to
receive under such plans,  programs and  arrangements  immediately  prior to the
Date of Termination.

        3. Limitation of Benefits under Certain  Circumstances.  If the payments
and benefits  pursuant to Section 2 hereof,  either alone or together with other
payments  and  benefits  which  Executive  has the  right  to  receive  from the
Employers would constitute a "parachute payment" under Section 280G of the Code,
the payments and benefits pursuant to Section 2 hereof shall be reduced,  in the
manner determined by the Executive,  by the amount, if any, which is the minimum
necessary to result in no portion of the payments and benefits  under  Section 2
being  non-deductible to either of the Employers pursuant to Section 280G of the
Code and subject to the excise tax imposed under  Section 4999 of the Code.  The
determination  of any reduction in the payments and benefits to be made pursuant
to Section 2 shall be based upon the opinion of independent tax counsel selected
by the Employers'  independent public accountants and paid for by the Employers.
Such counsel shall be reasonably  acceptable to the Employers and the Executive;
shall promptly prepare the foregoing opinion,  but in no event later than thirty
(30)  days  from the Date of  Termination;  and may use such  actuaries  as such
counsel  deems  necessary  or advisable  for the purpose.  In the event that the
Employers  and/or the  Executive do not agree with the opinion of such  counsel,
(i) the Employers  shall pay to the Executive the maximum amount of payments and
benefits pursuant to Section 2, as selected by the Executive, which such opinion
indicates that there is a high probability do not result in any of such payments
and benefits being non-deductible to the Employers and subject to the imposition
of the excise tax imposed  under Section 4999 of the Code and (ii) the Employers
may request,  and  Executive  shall have the right to demand that the  Employers
request,  a ruling from the IRS as to whether the disputed payments and benefits
pursuant  to Section 2 hereof  have such  consequences.  Any such  request for a
ruling from the IRS shall be promptly  prepared and filed by the Employers,  but
in no event  later than thirty (30) days from the date of the opinion of counsel
referred to above, and shall be subject to Executive's approval prior to filing,
which shall not be unreasonably  withheld.  The Employers and Executive agree to
be bound by any ruling received from the IRS and to make appropriate payments to
each other to reflect any such rulings, together with interest at the applicable
federal rate provided for in Section  7872(f)(2) of the Code.  Nothing contained
herein  shall  result in a  reduction  of any  payments or benefits to which the
Executive may be entitled upon  termination of employment other than pursuant to
Section 2 hereof,  or a reduction  in the  payments  and  benefits  specified in
Section 2 below zero.

         4.       Mitigation of Benefits.

         (a) The  Executive  shall be  required  to  mitigate  the amount of any
benefits   enumerated  in  Section  2(a)  hereof  by  diligently  seeking  other
employment  consistent and comparable with the Executive's  current  position or
earnings from self-employment, provided, however, that the
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                                        5


Executive shall not be required to accept comparable employment located beyond a
fifty (50) mile radius of the City of Grand Rapids, Kent County,  Michigan.  The
benefits specified in Section 2(a) hereof shall be reduced by an amount equal to
one hundred percent (100%) of the total base salary earned by the Executive from
such other  employment or earnings from  self-employment  during the twenty-four
(24) months  following the first business day of the month following the Date of
Termination.  In no event, however,  shall the Executive be required to pay back
to the Employers  pursuant to this  provision any amount in excess of the amount
payable under Section 2(a).

         (b) The  Executive's  failure to make good faith  efforts to diligently
and continuously seek other employment, as reasonably determined in the exercise
of utmost good faith by the Boards of  Directors  of the  Employers,  shall be a
breach of this Employment Security Agreement.  In such case, the Employers shall
notify the Executive in writing and provide the Executive  with thirty (30) days
to take appropriate  corrective action. The notice shall state the basis for the
breach and what  corrective  action must be taken.  If the Executive fails to do
so, the Employers'  obligations under this Employment  Security  Agreement shall
terminate  upon the first day  following  the  expiration of the thirty (30) day
notice.

         5.  Withholding.  All  payments  required  to be made by the  Employers
hereunder to the Executive  shall be subject to the withholding of such amounts,
if any,  relating  to tax and other  payroll  deductions  as the  Employers  may
reasonably  determine  should be  withheld  pursuant  to any  applicable  law or
regulation.

         6.  Assignability.  The Employers  may assign this  Agreement and their
rights hereunder in whole,  but not in part, to any  corporation,  bank or other
entity  with or into  which  either  of the  Employers  may  hereafter  merge or
consolidate   or  to  which  either  of  the   Employers  may  transfer  all  or
substantially  all  of  their  respective  assets,  if in  any  such  case  said
corporation,  bank or other  entity  shall by  operation  of law or expressly in
writing assume all obligations of the Employers  hereunder as fully as if it had
been originally made a party hereto, but may not otherwise assign this Agreement
or its rights hereunder. The Executive may not assign or transfer this Agreement
or any rights or obligations hereunder.

         7. Notice.  For the purposes of this  Agreement,  notices and all other
communications  provided for in this Agreement  shall be in writing and shall be
deemed  to have been duly  given  when  delivered  or  mailed  by  certified  or
registered mail,  return receipt  requested,  postage prepaid,  addressed to the
respective addresses set forth below:

         To the Employers:          President
                                    Bank West Financial Corporation
                                    2185 Three Mile Road N.W.
                                    Grand Rapids, Michigan 49544



<PAGE>
                                        6


         To the Executive:          Louis D. Knooihuizen
                                    3530 Navaho S.W.
                                    Grandville, Michigan 49418

         8. Amendment;  Waiver. No provisions of this Agreement may be modified,
waived or discharged unless such waiver,  modification or discharge is agreed to
in  writing  signed by the  Executive  and such  officer or  officers  as may be
specifically  designated  by the Boards of Directors of the Employers to sign on
their  behalf.  No waiver by any party  hereto at any time of any  breach by any
other party hereto of, or  compliance  with,  any condition or provision of this
Agreement  to be  performed  by such  other  party  shall be  deemed a waiver of
similar or  dissimilar  provisions  or conditions at the same or at any prior or
subsequent time.

         9.  Governing  Law.  The  validity,  interpretation,  construction  and
performance of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the United States
where applicable and otherwise the substantive laws of the State of Michigan.

         10. Nature of Employment and Obligations.

         (a) Nothing  contained  herein  shall be deemed to create  other than a
terminable  at  will  employment  relationship  between  the  Employers  and the
Executive,  and the Employers may  terminate the  Executive's  employment at any
time,  subject to providing any payments specified herein in accordance with the
terms hereof.

         (b) Nothing  contained  herein shall create or require the Employers to
create a trust of any kind to fund any benefits which may be payable  hereunder,
and to the extent that the Executive  acquires a right to receive  benefits from
the  Employers  hereunder,  such right shall be no greater than the right of any
unsecured general creditor of the Employers.

         11. Term of Agreement.  Unless extended as provided in this Section 11,
this Employment  Security  Agreement shall terminate on March 30, 2001. Prior to
March 31,  2000,  and each March 30 after  that (the  "anniversary  date"),  the
Boards of Directors of the Employers shall consider, review and, if appropriate,
explicitly approve a one-year extension of the remaining term of this Employment
Security  Agreement.  The  term  of this  Employment  Security  Agreement  shall
continue  to  extend  each  year if the  Boards  of  Directors  so  approve  the
extension.  If the Boards of Directors  elect not to extend the term, they shall
give written  notice of the decision to the  Executive not less that thirty (30)
days prior to the anniversary date.

         12. Interpretation and Headings. This Agreement shall be interpreted in
order to  achieve  the  purposes  for which it was  entered  into.  The  section
headings  contained in this Agreement are for reference  purposes only and shall
not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
<PAGE>
                                        7

         13. Validity.  The invalidity or  unenforceability  of any provision of
this  Agreement  shall not affect the  validity or  enforceability  of any other
provisions of this Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect.

         14.  Counterparts.  This  Agreement  may be  executed  in  one or  more
counterparts,  each of which shall be deemed to be an original  but all of which
together will constitute one and the same instrument.

         15. Regulatory Prohibition. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement to the contrary,  the obligations of the Employers  hereunder shall be
suspended  in the event that the FDIC  prohibits  or limits,  by  regulation  or
order,  any payment  hereunder  pursuant to Section 18(k) of the Federal Deposit
Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. ss.1828(k)) and the regulations promulgated thereunder,
including 12 C.F.R. Part 359.

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  this  Agreement  has been executed as of the date
first above written.


Attest:                                     BANK WEST FINANCIAL
                                               CORPORATION


/s/ Kevin A. Twardy                         By: /s/ Ronald A. Van Houten
-------------------                             ------------------------
Kevin A. Twardy                                 Ronald A. Van Houten

Attest:                                     BANK WEST


/s/ Kevin A. Twardy                         By: /s/ Ronald A. Van Houten
-------------------                             ------------------------
Kevin A. Twardy                                 Ronald A. Van Houten

                                            EXECUTIVE


/s/ Janet E. Pellerito                      By: /s/ Louis D. Knooihuizen
----------------------                          -----------------------
Janet E. Pellerito                              Louis D. Knooihuizen