×

Key hires and promotions announced by First Western

Numerous promotions and new hires at First Western Bank and Trust and First Western Insurance in Minot have been announced.

Mike Humphreys has been promoted to vice president of insurance at First Western Insurance. Humphreys is a Minot High graduate and has over 25 years of retail, wholesale and financial services management experience. Humphreys is a member of both the Independent Insurance Agents of North Dakota and Professional Insurance Agents of North Dakota, as well as the Minot Home Builders Association. He is also a member of the United Fire & Casualty Insurance Agents advisory board. Humphreys joined First Western Insurance in December with the acquisition of Humphreys Insurance & Surety by First Western Bank & Trust.

Eric Mueller moved to Minot in 2012. He is originally from Seward, Neb., and graduated from the University of Nebraska with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Mueller has worked in a variety of lender positions locally, most recently with Town and Country Credit Union.  Mueller became a consumer loan officer at First Western Bank & Trust in November.

Sabrina Herrmann has been promoted to marketing specialist officer at First Western Bank & Trust. Herrmann is a Minot native who graduated from Minot High School and Minot State University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in science of management.  She has been with First Western Bank & Trust since October 2014.

Kiernan Bullinger is a Bottineau native who graduated from Bottineau High School and Minot State University with a bachelor’s degree in business management, concentrating in accounting. Bullinger comes to First Western Bank and Trust after nine years with IRET Properties, where she worked as a project manager for their Development Department. Bullinger was hired as a mortgage lending loan processor in September.

Brent Mattson has been promoted to vice president at First Western Insurance and is the commercial lines manager. Mattson has lived in Minot for over 12 years. He is a graduate of the University of North Dakota. He is involved in a variety of organizations in the Minot community; Trinity Health and Foundation Boards, Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation Board, Norsk Hostfest Board, and the YMCA Board. He has been with First Western Insurance since August 2014.

Ilene Baker has been promoted to assistant vice president human resource manager at First Western Bank & Trust. She was hired as human resource manager in October 2013. Baker is a native of Watford City and graduated from the University of North Dakota with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. In 2005 she became certified as a Professional in Human Resource Management by the HR Certification Institute and achieved the SHRM Certified Professional by the Society of Human Resource Management in 2015. Baker has served in multiple officer positions with the Minot Area Human Resource Association and the North Dakota State Society of Human Resource Management Council.

Chris Lamoureux has been promoted to Executive Vice President at First Western Bank & Trust. He is a native of Newburg and a 1989 graduate of Minot State University, where he received a bachelor of science degree in accounting. He joined the Trust Department of First Western Bank in 1990, and was named manager in 1996.  Lamoureux has completed the National Graduate Trust School, a comprehensive three-year program sponsored by the Trust Division of the American Bankers Association, in cooperation with Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.  He is chairman of the Trust and Trust Investment Committees and is a member of the First Western Bank & Trust’s Management and Loan Committees. In addition he serves on North Dakota Banking Association Trust Committee.

Lamoureux presently serves as vice president of the board of directors for Center Mutual Insurance Company of Rugby.

Jersey Benson has been promoted to vice president of commercial lending at First Western Bank & Trust in Minot.  Benson is a Minot native who graduated from Minot High School and the University of North Dakota with a bachelor’s degree in banking and financial economics. He began his career with First Western Bank & Trust as a credit analyst in 2011. Benson is involved in the Souris Basin Planning Council. He is also an active member of the Emerging Leaders Group, a state-wide organization associated with the Independent Community Banks of North Dakota.

Fred Beuchler has been promoted to senior vice president, chief lending officer with First Western Bank & Trust. He is a native of Minot and has been with the bank since 2007. Beuchler graduated from North Dakota State University where he received his bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and recently graduated from the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado.

Luis Estrada has been promoted to senior vice president of operations at First Western Bank & Trust. Estrada is originally from Texas, but has been in the Minot community for many years. He graduated from Minot High School and Minot State University with a bachelor’s degree in music and Spanish in 2005. He has held a variety of positions within the bank in the 13 years he has worked for First Western Bank & Trust.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today