Paymon Farazi and John Wernz Appointed to Choice Bank’s Board of Directors

We are excited to announce the addition of two new members to our Board of Directors: Paymon Farazi and John Wernz.

Choice Bank’s Board of Directors is comprised of entrepreneurs and experienced leaders that help support the foundation of our organization. They are individuals that recognize there is always a better way to do banking and are committed to supporting and expanding our People First promise.

“John and Paymon will bring valuable expertise and insight to our Board of Directors that will greatly contribute to Choice Bank’s drive toward innovation and superior People First service,” said Brian L. Johnson, Choice Bank CEO and Board Director.

Paymon Farazi, a resident of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota), is Chief Product Officer for Tausight, a start-up focused on healthcare data security and clinical workflows. His track record includes building successful teams, executing on complex projects, and driving profitability. Previously, Mr. Farazi was the Chief Product Officer at Optum Insight, a division of Optum/United Health Group. He has a demonstrated record of performance across many industries and organizations including Cargill, Symantec, and Dell Computers.

“I’m honored to have been elected to Choice Bank’s board of directors,” Farazi said. “I’m so impressed by what the team has built – a combination of traditional banking services and banking as a service platform enabling the next generation of fintech companies. Choice Bank represents the best a community bank can be. Delivering best-in-class products to the communities they serve will also push the envelope forward on innovation to make the whole industry better. I’m excited to be a part of their journey.”

John Wernz, of Corcoran, Minnesota, is a Special Partner at Cogo Labs, a Fintech incubator. He was previously the Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer for Wealth Enhancement Group, a firm specializing in a comprehensive, team-based approach to wealth management. He has helped the firm grow from under 100 to over 1,000 employees and from $2.5B in assets under management to over $50B. Mr. Wernz is a senior executive with a proven track record of driving rapid growth through building teams, processes, and strategies. He serves as an advisor to growing tech companies and has extensive experience in sales and marketing.

“I was interested in supporting choice for two reasons,” Wernz said. “First, they really follow and live People First, it is much more than a saying or tagline. Second, they are committed to growth and working with new areas of Financial Technologies. That is a combination that doesn’t exist elsewhere in the industry. What I saw in Choice was a team that was committed to growth. Not just to be bigger but to serve more people. That includes both clients and employees. I felt like the mission was something I wanted to be a part of.”

Guided by a People First approach, we’re proud that our roots are local, decisions are made locally, and our leadership is local. Our board of directors is represented in communities throughout our footprint and are the ones that lead our innovation and drive our passion.

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