Premier Bank is delighted to announce the promotion of Dan Taylor to President. Since joining Premier Bank in 2000, Dan has held several key roles, including Lender, Assistant Vice President, and Senior Vice President. This role was previously held by Wade Gort, who will continue to serve as the bank’s CEO (Chief Executive Officer).
Reflecting on his journey, Dan shared “I am excited to continue my professional growth within Premier Bank. I’ve been truly blessed to work alongside such great people, and thank Wade and Greg for this opportunity.”
Premier Bank is also honored to announce the promotion of Matt Westra to CFO (Chief Financial Officer). Matt holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and an MBA from the University of South Dakota. Prior to joining the bank in June 2022, Matt gained valuable experience in investment banking with Goldman Sachs in Salt Lake City. His background in capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, and financial modeling has significantly contributed to the bank’s growth and long-term planning.
In his new role, Matt will oversee bank-wide financial management, reporting, and analysis. To prepare for these expanded responsibilities, he completed the Independent Community Bankers of South Dakota LevelUp Program in 2023 and graduated from the Rock Valley Leadership Institute in 2024.
His father, Greg Westra, the former CFO who will continue to serve as Executive Vice President at Premier Bank, shared, “Every parent is thrilled to see their child succeed. I’m especially proud of Matt for using his skills and experience to strengthen and foster growth in the company Wade and I helped create.”
When asked about his promotion, Matt stated that “Wade and Greg have created an incredible culture, creating win-win partnerships with each of our communities and customers. I am excited to preserve that culture with the addition of our new leadership positions to continue to catalyze success in our communities into the future.”
Premier Bank is pleased to announce the promotion of Jessy Paulson to COO (Chief Operations Officer), a newly established role designed to support the bank’s continued growth. Formerly Vice President of Operations and Human Resources, Jessy will continue with many of her current responsibilities, but will also focus on aligning the bank’s systems, processes, and departments; addressing operational challenges; implementing new initiatives; and advancing the bank’s strategic vision. To support this transition and allow Jessy to dedicate more time to her expanded role, recently-hired, Tammy Faber, has assumed several Human Resources responsibilities.
Jessy brings a wealth of experience due to serving the bank in various capacities since 2009. After leaving the bank for a couple years to focus on her business, Purpose + Grit, she returned to Premier Bank in 2022 to lead key projects and serve as Vice President of Operations. She is currently completing her final year at the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Reflecting on her new role, Jessy shared, “Over the years, I’ve worked in almost every department of the bank, so this position is a natural fit for my experience.”
Doug Moller has been promoted to Chief Information and Technology Officer. Throughout the course of his career in Information Systems and Security, Bookkeeping, and Data Processing, Doug has taken on progressively greater responsibilities. He has played a key role in shaping the bank’s information security program and technology strategy—developing and implementing security policies, ensuring regulatory compliance, mitigating cyber threats, leading incident response efforts, and educating employees on best practices.
While many of his core responsibilities will remain the same, this new title reflects his leadership and continued commitment to advancing the bank’s cybersecurity and technology initiatives. Doug is enthusiastic about the opportunity to further strengthen the data security program and drive innovation in the bank’s IT operations.
In addition to hiring new team members and realigning responsibilities to better meet the bank’s evolving needs, Premier Bank recognizes the promotion of these four key individuals— Dan, Matt, Jessy, and Doug—as instrumental to its continued success and future of the bank.
Wade Gort shared, “Premier Bank is proud to give Dan, Matt, Jessy, and Doug the opportunity to apply their experience, education, and unique skill sets to lead our organization forward. Their leadership will be vital in enhancing the service we provide to our customers and achieving our long-term growth objectives.”