Jill is an Operations Associate at Heartland Trust Company, handling the day-to-day tasks for the Operations team. Her optimistic outlook and upbeat personality make her a great coworker!

Tell us about yourself.

First, I have a confession. I am a terrible cook and the cupcake recipe below is from my mom. There is almost zero chance I could bake them successfully, but I can verify that they are delicious!

I have a daughter who will graduate high school next year, so I have one last year stocked full of school activities. As sad as I am for her to grow up, I can’t wait to see what path she chooses next. I volunteer with the Arthritis Foundation and facilitate a connect group for those with all types of arthritis and rheumatic diseases here in the Fargo-Moorhead area. It is such a rewarding experience to help people and be part of their arthritis journey.

• Paula Stebner (VP, Trust Officer) and Jon Benson (VP, Trust Officer) tended our booth at the Great Plains Land Expo presented by Pifer’s Auction & Realty in June. They discussed how Heartland Trust can assist with land ownership issues. They also met former Minnesota Viking Chad Greenway, who was the keynote speaker at the event.

Picture of Kevin Pifer, Jon Benson, Chad Greenway, and Paula Stebner.

Dustin is the Investment Officer at Heartland Trust Company. He oversees investment research, meets with analysts, and does much of the financial planning for our clients.

Tell us about yourself.

I’m a north Fargo native and attended Minnesota State University Moorhead from 2007 to 2011. I guide discussions in our Investment Committee and have a mild obsession with statistics and analytics. Aside from working with clients, a large portion of my role revolves around conducting research and meeting with outside analysts.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

• Brian Halverson, President, currently serves on the Board of Directors at the Plains Art Museum in Fargo.
• Brian also recently presented to the Financial Management Association (FMA) group at Minnesota State University Moorhead. FMA is a student organization that helps aspiring professionals with networking and skill development for financial careers.

• We are proud to be a Premier Partner with the FMWF Chamber for 2019.
• Jon Benson, Trust Officer, is a past president of Hospice of the Red River Valley and is currently on the Board of Directors.
• Steve Halverson, chairman of the board, currently serves on the FMWF Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors as a member at large.
• We celebrated the holiday season with a Christmas party at the Plains Art Museum, complete with a white elephant gift exchange and pottery making class.
  • Gary is going to get a lot of use from his gift.
  • Jana, Kevin, and Mary are now expert potters.

Kayla Kranda is an Operations Associate at HTC. She oversees our trust accounting software and makes sure everything balances. Kayla enjoys spending time with her family and friends and is an avid football fan.

Tell us about yourself.

I grew up in Tappen, North Dakota, and graduated from Minot State University with a bachelor of science degree in finance. I have been in the financial services and banking industry for over 15 years. Currently, I live in West Fargo with my husband, Kyle, son Karson (2 1/2), and daughter Kora, who was born at the end of January.

Technology is always changing. To keep clients and employees satisfied, businesses need to strike a balance between staying up-to-date without constantly changing the way business is done. At Heartland Trust Company, we are always looking for ways to improve our technological footprint while keeping your information secure.

In 2018, we transitioned to new trust accounting software. Our entire team took on hours of extra training to learn the new software before the conversion. So far, the transition has been very successful. Our clients have access to a secure, user-friendly, and robust program with many new and exciting features. Our staff has new tools to streamline processes and serve you better.

Bre Smith is an administrative associate who supports the trust administration side of HTC. She is the most recent addition to HTC, and we are excited to have her on the team.

Tell us about yourself.

I grew up in Vermillion, South Dakota, and attended college at St. Cloud State University and South Dakota State University. My husband and our two girls just moved to Fargo from Pierre, South Dakota, this spring. Prior to joining HTC, I worked in the trust department of a bank for four years.

• Steve Halverson, Chairman of the Board, was installed as the International Director for District 4 of the Sons of Norway at the International Convention in Bloomington, Minnesota, this past August.

If you stopped by Heartland Trust Company this summer, you probably saw our mess. Our office underwent a full remodel, adding new carpet, paint, building updates, and several new offices to accommodate our growing staff. Half of the building was done at a time, leaving space at a premium at times. We pulled through and everything was done in about 12 weeks.