FNBT Announces Four Officer Promotions

Release date: 2/5/2024

Beloit, WI, February 05, 2024 – First National Bank and Trust (FNBT) is pleased to announce four officer promotions.

Sean Gjestson has been promoted to First Vice President (FVP), Director of Operations. He joined FNBT in 2008 as a Loan Operations Representative. Since then, he has held various positions including the Loan Operations System Admin, Commercial Sales Admin, Credit Analyst, Loan Operations Analyst, ATM-Card Services Manager, and most recently Deposit Operations Manager. In his new role as FVP, Director of Operations, Sean oversees the work done by the Deposit Operations and Loan Servicing departments and leads process improvement initiatives, ensuring customer satisfaction and regulatory compliance. Sean earned a bachelor’s degree in business management and finance from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater in 2007 and went on to earn a Master of Business Administration in 2014. Sean lives in Beloit, Wisconsin with his wife Pam and their two kids, and enjoys coaching his son’s basketball and soccer teams through the YMCA during his free time.

Kristen Jacobsen has been promoted to Assistant Vice President (AVP), Information Technology (IT) Development Team Lead. She has been with FNBT since 2015 gaining expertise in FNBT’s data environments and automation tools through various roles, most recently serving as Automation Engineer. In her new role as AVP, IT Development Team Lead, Kristen collaborates with the FNBT leadership team to develop and understand the bank’s strategic vision while providing leadership and support to a team of software engineers that deliver solutions to meet these goals. Kristen earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater and has earned a Six Sigma Green Belt certification, which focuses on achieving high quality outputs in production processes. She also earned the Branch Manager and Team Leader certificates from the American bankers Association (ABA). Kristen lives in Beloit, Wisconsin, with her husband, Dan. Active in her community, Kristen enjoys volunteering for the Downtown Beloit Association and participating in the Stateline Boys and Girls Club’s annual “Today’s Dreamers Tomorrow’s Leaders” event.

Keith McCormick has been promoted to First Vice President (FVP), Agriculture Banking Manager. Keith started his career with FNBT in 2010 as a commercial banking trainee, and moved to Monroe, Wisconsin in 2011 as a commercial banker where he developed his skills in commercial banking operations and credit risk. As FVP, Agriculture Banking Manager, Keith manages a portfolio of agriculture clients, assisting them with their banking needs while providing sound advice. He also works to develop relationships with potential new clients. Keith is a graduate of Iowa State University earning a Bachelor’s of Science degree in finance. Dedicated to continuous learning, he earned the Credit Risk Certification (CRC) through the Risk Management Association in 2017 and graduated from the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin – Madison this past year. In his free time, Keith enjoys camping with his wife and soon to be three children, traveling to Iowa to work on his family farm, and volunteering for Green County’s Habitat for Humanity where he has been a board member since 2013, currently serving as treasurer.

Michael Montgomery has been promoted to Vice President (VP), Enterprise Architect. Michael came to FNBT in 2019 as IT Supervisor and Officer. He has extensive knowledge of IT systems and infrastructure from his nearly 15 years of experience in the information technology and financial services industries. In his expanded role as VP, Enterprise Architect, Michael develops, designs, and implements FNBT’s IT architecture. He plays a key role in the planning of new technologies, and the improvement of existing solutions. Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and is a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin – Madison where he also earned an executive leadership certificate. Michael resides in Rockford, Illinois with his wife.

About First National Bank and Trust:
First National Bank and Trust Company is a family-focused, community bank headquartered in Beloit, Wisconsin. Chartered in 1882, First National Bank and Trust has grown to be a leading financial services institution offering products and services for consumers and businesses, as well as trust, retirement services, investment management, brokerage and insurance. We now serve nearly 30,000 households in 13 communities and 16 locations in Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois with assets of approximately $1.5 billion. We treat our customers, employees, shareholders and communities like family, with a goal of helping all our families succeed. Providing Sound Advice and delivering an exceptional experience has positioned First National Bank and Trust as a Stateline leader in the industry. For additional information, visit www.bankatfirstnational.com.