Promotions & New Hires

State Bank names Kutz VP

Lebanon, Ind.-based State Bank has hired Corey Kutz as vice president, Lebanon market manager.  Kutz has more than 10 years of banking experience, most recently at Huntington Bank. He was a branch manager at JP Morgan Chase from 2012-14 and held the same role at KeyBank from 2014-16. He has a Bachelor of Science degree … Read more

BankBeat parent acquires marketing firm

NFR Communications LLC, the parent company of BankBeat, has acquired Cooks Bay Marketing, a Minneapolis-area creative services and marketing firm founded by Tiffany Beitler in 2014. [Continue]

Knuese named Wisconsin DFI administrator

Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions Secretary-designee Cheryll Olson-Collins has appointed Michelle Knuese to lead the organization’s Division of Corporate and Consumer Services as administrator. Knuese is filling the vacancy left by DFI Deputy Secretary Patti Epstein, who was appointed deputy secretary in January. Prior to her appointment, Knuese held several leadership roles in budget, finance, … Read more

Waukesha State Bank adds 3 to board of directors

Wisconsin-based Waukesha State Bank has added Donna Bembenek, Laura Gutierrez and Sarit Singhal to its board of directors.  The additions were announced Feb. 17. Bembenek is the president of Waukesha-based Catholic Memorial High School; Gutierrez is the executive director of the Milwaukee-based United Community Center; and Singhal is the president and CEO of the Milwaukee … Read more

Lockhart named VP at The Farmers Bank

Jeff Lockhart joined Frankfort, Ind-based The Farmers Bank on Jan. 24 as a vice president/senior commercial banking officer.  Lockhart’s 38-year career has nearly entirely been in commercial banking, mainly as a commercial real estate banker.  Prior to joining The Farmers Bank, Lockhart worked for INB (Chase), KeyBank, Fifth Third Bank, Merchants Bank of Indiana and … Read more

One Community Bank names Gashette business banking officer

Wisconsin-based One Community Bank has hired Kay Gashette to be a business banking officer at its Middleton branch. Gashette has 22 years of banking experience, six in Wisconsin as a branch manager. Prior to moving to Wisconsin, Gashette was an assistant vice president for Comerica Bank in Texas from 2013-16.  “Kay is a wonderful addition … Read more

Dacotah Bank promotes 2 to VP

Aberdeen, S.D.-based Dacotah Bank has promoted Alexandra Grieben to vice president of risk management and Ryan Fjeldheim to VP of business development. Grieben graduated from Northern State University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science degree in banking and financial services. A graduate of Aberdeen Leadership, Grieben was the 2012 recipient of the Dale Stein … Read more

Bank First promotes Green to VP

Manitowoc, Wis.-based Bank First has promoted Evelyn Green to vice president-retail banking.  Green began her career at Bank First in 2017 with more than 40 years of banking experience. Prior to her promotion, Green was an assistant vice president-retail banking.  Prior to her time at Bank First, Green was a mortgage loan officer at Aurora … Read more

PremierBank appoints 2 to board

Fort Atkinson, Wis.-based PremierBank has promoted Tim Kuehn and Matt Hilderbrandt to its board of directors.  Kuehn, a real estate developer and president/owner of Green Bay businesses Kuehn Commercial Properties and Margarita’s Famous Mexican Food & Cantina, has a speech communications/business degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Hilderbrandt is the president and CEO of the … Read more