First State Bank and Trust announces leadership promotions.

First State Bank and Trust announces leadership promotions.

(Bayport, MN) The board of directors for First State Bank and Trust, Bayport, recently announced promotions in their leadership team. Jason Howard, executive vice president and chief operating officer, has been promoted to bank president, and Chad Fett, executive vice president of trust services, has been promoted to president of trust services.
 
“It’s been a joy for me to work closely with Jason and Chad, and I congratulate them on these well-deserved promotions,” said Peter Clements, CEO. “Succession planning has been a challenge for many community banks and we have taken a proactive approach to our plans. We’re extremely confident that we have some outstanding management talent in place supported by a dedicated, experienced staff at all of our branches throughout the St. Croix Valley.”
 
Howard, 40, joined First State Bank and Trust in 2012 and was promoted to chief financial officer in 2013. A 2001 accounting and economics graduate of Luther College, Howard began his career as a staff accountant with Arthur Andersen in Minneapolis and later served 10 years with Wipfli where he provided audit and consulting services to community banks throughout the Midwest.  Howard obtained his Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license in 2003. He currently serves as chairman of the board for Croixdale Senior Living Community, Bayport, is a member of the board of directors for Lakeview Health, Stillwater, and is an active participant in the Stillwater Noon Rotary Club. He resides in St. Paul with his wife, Lyndsay and two sons. 
 
“Jason has become an important part of our leadership team,” Clements noted. “His strategic visions and leadership strengths will be valuable as we move our 106-year-old bank forward into a future of great opportunities.”
 
Fett, 51, joined First State Bank and Trust in 1987 as a summer intern and worked as a teller and in the mortgage department prior to earning a business management degree from Concordia University. He also served in business development and was promoted to manager of the Oak Park Heights branch office when it opened in 1997. Fett joined the trust department in 2001 and was named senior vice president of trust services in 2011. He is a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) and is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP ^®). He is a board member for Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley and is a member of the Hudson Daybreak Rotary Club. A lifelong resident of Hudson, he and his wife, Heidi, reside there and have three daughters. 
 
“Since assuming the lead role in our trust services area nine years ago, Chad has provided excellent leadership and strong growth in that area--and I know he will continue to build upon our trust department’s success,” Clements said.
 
About First State Bank and Trust
First State Bank and Trust, founded in 1914, offers full-service banking, mortgage and insurance services at four branches in the St. Croix Valley including Bayport, Oak Park Heights and Stillwater, Minnesota and Hudson, Wisconsin. The bank also offers limited service at three senior living facilities in the area. The Trust Department is one of the largest community bank trust departments in the Midwest with assets exceeding $2.5 billion.
 
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