Tell us about your background. Where you grew up, where you went to school, industry experience, your family, and volunteer work.
I grew up south of Flandreau and graduated from Flandreau High School. I now live there with my husband, Tony, and have four kids ages 23, 21, 17, and 14. We also have three dogs: Hazel (a chocolate lab/German shorthair), Sami D (a black lab), and Cleo (a border collie mix).
After being a stay-at-home mom for 15 years, in 2008 I decided to go back to school and attended Colorado Technical University, where I earned my associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in paralegal studies. Prior to joining the FNB family, I worked part-time as a bookkeeper/office manager for a local small business, and then as the city finance officer for a small town near where I lived. In 2016, I began my career at First National Bank as a trust assistant (now known as client service associate) in the Wealth Management department, and was promoted to Personal Trust Officer at the beginning of 2019.
I enjoy helping with parades/community events, but I’m also active in a few non-profit organizations. I’m a committee member of Team Tayden (raise funds for children and their families fighting cancer), a Make-A-Wish volunteer, and love stepping in to help wherever it is needed.
Q: What is your role at FNB? What does your day-to-day work look like?
As a personal trust officer, my day-to-day consists of many different responsibilities. Some examples include: interaction with my customers via phone, email and in person, manage trusts, IRAs, and investment accounts, meet with prospective customers, and review accounts and documents. My customers have become family and no day is the same. What I love about working here is it doesn’t feel like a job and I never know what I may encounter, which makes it so interesting and fun.
Q: Why did you come to work at FNB?
My sister worked here and always had such good things to say. A friend of ours knew I was looking for a change, so he suggested I look into the trust industry. When I saw the posting for the trust assistant position, I knew I had to apply and I haven’t looked back since.
Q: What’s the best memory you have from working at the Bank?
This is a hard one. We’ve made lots of memories, but what comes to mind first is a trip four of us from our department took to California to meet one of our customers in person. The meeting went great and the customer relationship became even stronger. They occupy the whole top floor of the building where their offices are, which made for amazing views of the city in every direction. It was an experience I won’t ever forget.
Q: If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?
A full-time traveler. That’s a job, right?
Q: If Hollywood made a movie about your life, which actress would you want to play you and why?
I can’t think of a specific one. Those who come to mind are Melissa McCarthy, Sandra Bullock, Kristen Wiig… or maybe Alyssa Milano or Mila Kunis. They all have a sense of humor, but can also be serious when needing to be.
Q: If you had $500 to spend at any local business, where or what would you spend it on?
That would have to be any of the food places near where we live, and there are plenty of options: Mad Mary’s Steakhouse, Huncake Café, Norby’s Bar and Grill, Papa’s Pub, Blue Jays Bar and Grill, The Spot Drive-In, Steve’s Bar & Grill, Flandreau Bistro & Roasterie, KIKOS Mexican Taco Shop, or the Flandreau Bakery. For anyone who is looking for something different, it’s worth the drive to check any of them out.