Jason Bristow
Director Since: 2023
Mr. Bristow is a retired senior finance executive with extensive experience leading global treasury, tax, and finance organizations. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of Finance at Medtronic, where he oversaw global Treasury and Tax and chaired the company’s Finance Executive Committee. Prior to Medtronic, he spent 11 years as Treasurer of Amazon.com and held CFO roles at two privately held technology companies. Earlier in his career, Mr. Bristow held finance leadership positions at GE and the Campbell Soup Company.
He serves on the Boards of Lowestoft Town Football Club and C2FO. Mr. Bristow holds a B.S. degree from DePaul University and an MBA from Pennsylvania State University. He is a member of the Executive & Compensation Committee, Audit Committee, and Finance Committee.
Randy Bryan
Director Since: 2025
Mr. Bryan is an advisor and private investor for early-stage companies and financial services firms, with more than 20 years of senior leadership experience in the financial services industry. He held several executive roles at IBERIABANK and First Horizon, including Merger Executive, Chief Transformation Officer, and Chief Risk Officer, contributing to the organization’s expansion from $10 billion to $85 billion in assets. Previously, he served as Chief Operating Officer at First Southern Bancorp, where he helped raise $400 million in equity capital and led multiple FDIC-assisted acquisitions and integrations.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Bryan held executive leadership roles at Capital One Bank, where he oversaw direct banking, corporate communications, delivery channel management, marketing, and customer experience. He played a key role in developing the company’s Information-Based Strategy and in the negotiation and integration of Hibernia into Capital One following Hurricane Katrina.
Mr. Bryan holds a degree from the University of Virginia and completed the general management program at Harvard Business School. He is a member of the Risk & Compliance Committee, Finance Committee and AML/CFT Compliance Committee.
Kristi Carlson
Director Since: 2023
Ms. Carlson recently retired as Senior Vice President, Finance – Tax, Treasury, and Internal Audit at Best Buy. In this role, she led global tax strategy and compliance, treasury activities, and the company’s internal audit function. Prior to joining Best Buy in 2008, she served as Vice President, Finance – Tax at Northwest Airlines, holding various tax, legal, and finance roles. She began her career as a tax attorney at Fredrikson & Byron P.A.
Ms. Carlson previously served on the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. She earned a B.A. in economics from St. Olaf College and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School. She is Chair of the Risk & Compliance Committee and a member of the Audit Committee and Governance Committee.
Paymon Farazi
Director Since 2022
Mr. Farazi is Chief Executive Officer of Nonstop Health, a healthcare fintech company focused on expanding access to high-quality, affordable healthcare. He previously served as President of Signify Health, a CVS Health company delivering home-based healthcare services, and as Chief Product Officer for OptumInsight, a division of UnitedHealth Group. His earlier experience includes roles at Digital Insight, Cargill, and Dell.
Mr. Farazi holds an MBA with honors from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Northwestern University. He is a member of the Audit Committee, Risk & Compliance Committee, and Governance Committee.
Andrew Jackson
Director Since: 2025
Mr. Jackson is a seasoned executive in audit, risk management, and regulatory compliance, recognized for transforming and modernizing enterprise assurance functions. Most recently, he served as EVP, Risk Analytics and Model Risk Director at Huntington National Bank, leading model validation, governance, and advanced risk analytics. At TCF Financial Corporation, he served as EVP & Chief Risk Officer and previously as EVP & Chief Auditor, where he strengthened governance, delivered cost savings, and elevated regulatory performance.
Mr. Jackson’s prior leadership roles include senior audit and risk positions at First Horizon National Corporation, American Express, and General Motors Corporation.
He holds a B.S. in Accounting from the City University of New York, Brooklyn College, and an MBA in Corporate Financial Management from Pace University. He is a Certified Internal Auditor and Certified Information Systems Auditor. Mr. Jackson serves as Chair of the AML/
Brian L. Johnson
Director Since: 2006
Mr. Johnson is the President & CEO of the Company and of Choice Financial Group, its wholly owned banking subsidiary. He joined the organization in 1999 and has served in several leadership roles, including Chief Credit Officer and President of the Walhalla, ND, and Grand Forks, ND banking locations. Since becoming President & CEO in 2011, he has guided the organization’s growth from a $600 million community bank to a financial services company with over $6.0 billion in assets.
A native of Walhalla, ND, Mr. Johnson earned a degree in business management and economics from Jamestown College. He has served on numerous industry and community boards, including the Federal Reserve Bank governing district and the American Bankers Association Government Relations Council. He is a member of the AML/CFT Compliance Committee, Executive & Compensation Committee, and an ex officio member of all other standing Board committees.
Lauris Molbert
Director Since: 2018, Chair of Board since 2020
Mr. Molbert is the former Chief Executive Officer of TMI Hospitality, Inc., which owned and operated approximately 200 hotels across 26 states. He retired following the successful sale of the company in 2017. Prior to TMI, he served as Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Otter Tail Corporation, where he led the diversification of the business into a multi-industry holding company.
Mr. Molbert currently serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of Sanford Health, one of the largest health systems in the United States. A native of North Dakota, he earned his law degree and his undergraduate degrees in accounting, finance, and banking from the University of North Dakota. He is a licensed attorney and certified public accountant.
In addition to serving as Chair of the Board, Mr. Molbert is Chair of the Executive & Compensation Committee and an ex officio member of all other standing Board committees.
Candace Muggerud
Director Since: 2018
Ms. Muggerud is CEO and Founding Partner of Kat and Company, a full-service marketing and advertising agency serving clients nationwide for more than 30 years. She is also co-founder of GoodHealthTV and the Living Local Network, technology-driven communication platforms supporting communities across 35 states.
Previously, she served as President of U.S. Bank Bismarck and as Senior Vice President overseeing smallbusiness markets in North Dakota and South Dakota. She holds board roles with the National Association of Community Health Representatives, the Abused Adult Resource Center, and the ND Multi-Partner Health Consortium.
A native of North Dakota, Ms. Muggerud earned a B.A. in Finance from the University of North Dakota. She is Chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the Executive & Compensation Committee and Governance Committee.
Cathleen Nash
Director Since: 2025
Ms. Nash is an experienced financial services executive with more than three decades of leadership in strategy, risk, regulatory engagement, and organizational transformation. She began her career at Bank of Boston and SunTrust before becoming CEO of Citizens Republic, a publicly traded bank in Flint, Michigan. She successfully led the organization through a turnaround, returning it to profitability and preparing it for sale to First Merit (Huntington).
She later served at as CEO at Woodforest National Bank, where she introduced commercial banking and asset-based lending as new lines of business. Ms. Nash has served on the Texas Economic Development Committee, the Community Bank Advisory group for the Dallas Federal Reserve and has taught in Florida State University’s Juris Master program since 2017.
She serves on the Finance Committee, Governance Committee, and Risk & Compliance Committee.
Marie Pillai
Director Since: 2023
Ms. Pillai is a seasoned financial executive with more than 30 years of experience in investment management, treasury, and corporate finance. She retired in 2019 as Vice President, Chief Investment Officer, and Treasurer of General Mills, where she oversaw an $11 billion retirement portfolio and managed global liquidity, capital structure, and cash management. She previously held leadership roles at Siemens and Procter & Gamble across investment, finance, and business unit operations.
Ms. Pillai serves on the Putnam Mutual Funds board, is a Senior Advisor to Hunter Street LP, and is a member of the Bush Foundation Investment Committee. Her prior board service includes the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis, Catholic Community Foundation, University of Minnesota, and Twin Cities Catholic Charities. She holds degrees from St. Xavier’s College (India), Case Western University, and Temple University. She serves on the Finance Committee, Audit Committee, and Risk & Compliance Committee.
George Wald
Director Since: 2014; Vice Chair since 2020
Mr. Wald is the former President, CEO, and Director of Great Plains National Bank, which merged with Choice in 2014. Following the merger, he served as Market President for the Dickinson and Belfield locations and as regional manager for LaMoure and Ellendale until his retirement in 2019. He brings deep banking and regulatory expertise, having held leadership roles with the North Dakota Bankers Association, NDBA Services Inc., the North Dakota Credit Review Board, and the Director Selection Committee for the Federal Reserve.
Mr. Wald earned a B.S. in agricultural education from North Dakota State University and completed extensive industry training including the Commercial Lending School and National Agriculture Bank Management School. He is Chair of the Finance Committee and a member of the Executive & Compensation Committee, and Governance Committee.
John Wernz
Director Since 2022
Mr. Wernz is a Partner and Strategic Advisor at Mission Wealth and an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Great Hill Partners, a leading private equity firm. He previously served as Chief Marketing and Growth Officer for Wealth Enhancement Group, helping the firm scale from fewer than 100 employees to more than 1,000 and grew assets under management from $2.5 billion to more than $50 billion.
He serves as an advisor to several technology companies and is actively involved in community organizations, including service on the board of the Pinky Swear Foundation. He is also co-owner of Spilled Grain, an award-winning brewery in Annandale, Minnesota. Mr. Wernz holds a degree in Finance from Gustavus Adolphus College. He is a member of the AML/CFT Compliance Committee and Finance Committee and serves as Chair of the Governance Committee.