Movers & Shakers features new hires, promotions and awards involving top executives and organizations. For consideration, email jodi@siouxfalls.business. Guaranteed placement is provided only to partners of SiouxFalls.Business.

The First National Bank in Sioux Falls

Thomas Newman

MarieClaire Christenson

First National Wealth Management at The First National Bank in Sioux Falls has hired MarieClaire Christenson as a personal trust officer and officer of the bank. Christenson previously practiced law at Lockwood & Zahrbock Kool Law Office in the areas of family law, criminal defense and estate planning.

Thomas Newman has returned to The First National Bank in Sioux Falls as an ag banking team leader and vice president. Newman worked at the bank for seven years before relocating to Arizona in 2023. He has 11 years of banking experience and worked as an agronomist for five years.
The First National Bank in Sioux Falls has promoted six staff members.

Brad Korleski

Angie Woolridge

Kade Larson

Kade Larson, business portfolio manager, to officer. Larson has been with the bank for three years.

Angie Woolridge, employee development manager, to assistant vice president. Woolridge has been with the bank for 11 years.

Brad Korleski, customer operations manager, to assistant vice president. Korleski has been with the bank for two years.

Tasha Jurrens

Scott Hirsch

Jason Miller

Jason Miller, systems manager, to assistant vice president. Miller has been with the bank for two years.

Scott Hirsch, deposit operations manager, to assistant vice president. Hirsch has been with the bank for two years.

Tasha Jurrens, employee experience manager, to assistant vice president. Jurrens has been with the bank for nearly four years.

University of South Dakota

Betsy Becker

The University of South Dakota has appointed Betsy Becker as the next dean of the School of Health Sciences. Becker, a 2014 alumna of the USD department of physical therapy, has experience in academic leadership and clinical practice. Since 2020, she has served as chair of the department of health and rehabilitation sciences in the College of Allied Health Professions at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Her tenure at UNMC spanned over two decades, where she rose from lecturer to tenured professor, also serving as graduate faculty and director of the physical therapy department. She initiated the physical therapist assistant program at Southeast Community College in Lincoln, Nebraska, and also served as chair. She practiced physical therapy for 14 years in Nebraska and Arizona. Becker earned her Master of Physical Therapy from UNMC in 1999, followed by her Doctor of Physical Therapy from USD and a Ph.D. from UNMC. She will begin her role in July.

ACLU of South Dakota

Kaitlyn Denzler

Kaitlyn Denzler has joined the ACLU of South Dakota as deputy executive director. She most recently served as a foreign service officer with the United States Agency for International Development, where she managed programs advancing labor, women’s and LGBTQI+ rights. She also helped to strengthen anti-corruption efforts and safeguard election integrity. Earlier in her career, Denzler was a program officer at Amnesty International USA, where she led campaigns and increased member engagement on sexual and reproductive rights.

Melissa Sand

Alternative HR

Melissa Sand has joined Alternative HR as an HR consultant. She spent more than 20 years working in HR for a large financial services company. Her background includes talent acquisition, employee relations, workplace accommodations, guiding leaders through complex and sensitive employee matters and crafting workplace policies and employee handbooks. More recently, she worked with smaller, local health care and credit card companies.

Jack Hopkins

CorTrust Bank

Jack Hopkins, president and CEO of CorTrust Bank, has transitioned from chairman to immediate past chairman of the Independent Community Bankers of America. Hopkins serves in many leadership roles at ICBA, including on the executive committee, board of directors and federal delegate board. He also serves on ICBA’s policy development and nominating committees and serves as executive committee liaison for the Minority Bank Advisory Council.

Cris Stratman

First Interstate Bank

Cris Stratman has joined First Interstate Bank as a retail manager of the branch in downtown Sioux Falls. Stratman has 14 years of experience in the financial industry, working in the mortgage departments of Wells Fargo and Reliabank and serving as assistant vice president of business development and branch manager at One American Bank.

Megan Howard

Howard Wealth Management Group

Megan Howard of Howard Wealth Management Group has qualified to be an RBC Wealth Management Portfolio Director. The designation is reserved for financial advisers who have achieved a high level of success in building consultative wealth management businesses.

South Dakota FCCLA

Mattilyn Jaquet

Leia Rombough

Jennifer Poulos

Jennifer Poulos, an adviser of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America at West Central High School in Hartford, is one of 15 semifinalists nationwide for the 2025-26 FCCLA Adviser of the Year Award. In addition, two South Dakota students, Leia Rombough, a senior at Harrisburg High School, and Mattilyn Jaquet, a freshman at Sioux Valley School in Volga, have been recognized as top 15 semifinalists for the FCCLA Member of the Year award. The top five finalists for both awards will be named in April.