Nov. 18, 2025

This week’s Up-and-Comer is Alex Haverly, the treasury management team leader at The First National Bank in Sioux Falls.

Name: Alex “AJ” Haverly

Age: 33

Hometown: Sioux Falls

What brought you to Sioux Falls?

I grew up in Sioux Falls and continued my education at USD. While I explored my opportunities across the country, I ultimately felt called to return home, where Sioux Falls offers the perfect balance of career growth and the lifestyle I was seeking.

What keeps you in Sioux Falls?

The combination of a supportive community and the city’s continued growth are what keep me here. Having family nearby, along with our shared tradition — obsession — of raising golden retrievers, makes Sioux Falls feel like home.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

Getting to work with the businesses in our community, understanding the challenges they face and using my knowledge to educate them on possible solutions.

How did you get connected to your industry?

I grew up connected to the industry. My dad had a career with the Small Business Administration and would always seem to have insight into everything being developed when it came to business in the community.

Describe your workplace in three words.

Local, agile, rewarding.

What is something someone might be surprised to learn about you?

It won’t surprise people close to me, but I really enjoy overlanding to remote parts of the country and disconnecting from the luxuries in life. My favorite trip so far has been taking the Idaho BDR (Backcountry Discovery Route), a 1,300-mile journey from Jarbridge, Nevada, to the Canadian border.

What’s your favorite way to give back to your community?

I love partnering with Lost&Found in the prevention of suicide among youth and young adults. I went to college with the founders and saw firsthand the impact they were making. Additionally, I enjoy mentoring and serving on the campus advisory board for my fraternity, Phi Delta Theta.

What’s one business you’d like to see in Sioux Falls that isn’t here now?

I’d love to have a Gino’s East here in South Dakota — some of the best pizza I’ve ever had.

If you had $1 million to start a business, what kind of business would it be?

While it sounds pretty mundane, I’d love to own a rental property out in the Black Hills, mostly so I could use it to spend more time out there hunting and exploring the various trails.