Haberfield / Lincoln, NE
Sean Payant, Ph.D., has been promoted to president of the company. He began as a consultant with the company in 2007, rising through the ranks, most recently serving as senior executive vice president, chief strategy officer. Payant is an active faculty member at both the Pacific Coast Banking School in Seattle and the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking in Philadelphia.
Achim Griesel has transitioned to president emeritus of the company as part of its long-term succession plan. He will continue to serve on the Board of Directors. Griesel started with the company as an account executive before holding a variety of leadership positions, eventually being named president in 2016.
ImageQuest LLC / Nashville, TN
Cindy Eagles retired from the company in June after serving as a communications consultant for nearly eight years. Before working for ImageQuest, she owned her own video production business for 17 years after 18 years in local and business journalism. Eagles currently serves as board president for the Brown-Pusey House, a 200-year-old historic house in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, that provides free summer concerts, offers a library of local history for genealogists and serves as an event venue. She has previously served on the boards of a Habitat for Humanity chapter and the Kentucky Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners. Eagles earned a bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University and a master’s degree from Northwestern University.
United Bankers’ Bank / Bloomington, MN
Jim Amundsen has joined the company as CEO. He most recently served as president & CEO of BankIn Minnesota, the state’s Independent Community Bankers of America affiliate. Before that, Jim spent 25 years as a community banker himself, including serving as the founding CEO of First Advantage Bank, Minneapolis. He guided the bank through the startup phase, the Great Recession, recovery and, ultimately, a merger with Border Bank, Fargo, North Dakota, in 2015.
Jen Severson has been promoted to serve as the company’s president. She has more than 23 years of community banking experience, including four as the company’s CFO. Before joining the company, Jen served as CFO/COO for Stonebridge Bank, Minneapolis, supporting it through its acquisition by American National Bank, Omaha, Nebraska, where she continued to serve as senior vice president, senior director of Minnesota credit strategy. She also has experience with client service, credit and commercial real estate lending.
Scott King-Ellison has joined the company as director of asset liability management strategy. He has more than 15 years of experience working with financial institutions in ALM, interest rate risk management and fixed income portfolio. King-Ellison earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, holds FINRA Series 7, 63 and 65 licenses and is a certified blockchain expert.
