WILLISTON — American State Bank & Trust Company Assistant Vice President and Commercial Loan Manager Taylor Grundstad recently graduated from the Graduate School of Banking (GSB) at Colorado in Boulder, CO.

This was the 70th graduating class for the GSB, which included 141 participants from all over the United States. Over the past two years, Grundstad successfully completed the graduate level banking school, which focused on general management and technology, leadership and human resource management, financial management and lending. GSB students completed intersession projects and ended their curriculum with an extensive bank management simulation course.

Grundstad has been employed with ASB&T since 2012. He is a Williston native and graduate of the University of Mary with a degree in finance. Grundstad previously completed the Dakota School of Banking, sponsored by the North Dakota Bankers Association (NDBA). He is a 2015 graduate of the Williston Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Williston program and a board member of the Star Fund and the Western Area Builders Association.

ASB&T Assistant Vice President and Internal Audit Manager Brandon Passley, recently graduated from the Dakota School of Banking (DSB) sponsored by the NDBA. In its 47th year, the school trained 75 bank personnel in Passley’s session. DSB was held at the University of Jamestown. This school provides an overview of the banking industry and includes a computerized bank management simulation to reinforce technical and functional management skills.

Originally from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, Passley is a graduate of Williston State College and holds a degree in accounting and business administration from Finlandia University in Michigan. He has worked in the ASB&T Audit Department since 2015. Passley is currently a board member of the Teton Booster Club and a member of the WSC Accounting Department Advisory Board.