Local Team
Belle Fourche
Ashley Pearson – VP/Branch Manager
Ashley has been with Pioneer Bank & Trust since 2004. Her passion for agriculture and business has taken her down the career path of commercial/ag lending. As a correspondent lender, Ashley underwrites, originates and services long-term, fixed-rate loans for local businesses and producers.
Ashley received her Bachelor’s degree from Black Hills State in 2003 and her MBA from Colorado State in 2016.
In addition to volunteering with various school and athletic activities, she is an active member of the Belle Fourche Ag Committee, the UCC Christian Ed Committee and the BHSU Foundation Investment Committee. She is also a member of the Yellow Jacket Foundation Board of Directors, and currently serves as President.
Clay Birkeland – Senior VP/Director of Agricultural Banking
Clay has more than 20 years of agricultural and commercial banking experience. A 1993 graduate of Colorado State University, he completed the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado in 1999. He has been with Pioneer Bank & Trust in Belle Fourche since 1996, helping farmers, ranchers and area business persons with their diverse banking needs. He has been a trusted resource for hundreds of customers to help their business interests grow and thrive. Clay is an active Board of Director member for the South Dakota High School Rodeo Association, the Belle Fourche Country Club and the Belle Fourche Development Corporation. He has coached a multitude of youth sports in Belle Fourche and is a past President of the Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce.Jay Cordell – VP/Commercial & Ag Lender
Jay has been with Pioneer Bank & Trust since September 2012. Prior to that, he worked four years as an Agricultural Lender for Dacotah Bank in the Lemmon, SD and Hettinger, ND markets. Jay is a native of Camp Crook, SD where he was raised on a cattle and sheep ranch. He is a 2003 graduate of Harding County High School and a 2007 graduate of Black Hills State University with a B.S. degree in Business Administration specializing in accounting. He holds additional certifications with completion of the ABA Commercial Lending course, the SDBA School for Beginning Agricultural Lenders and the ICBA Commercial Lending Institute. Outside of the bank, Jay is active in the community by serving on the Board of Directors for the Belle Fourche Economic Development Corporation and the Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce serving as Board President in 2016 and 2017.Donna Bradley – Assistant Branch Manager & Vice President
Donna has been with Pioneer Bank & Trust since 1997, having started as a customer service representative. She has been a loan officer for 12 years. Prior to banking, Donna was employed as a legal secretary and office manager for 19 years, and continues to draw from that experience into the banking field. Donna is the active treasurer for the Belle Fourche Bronc Booster Club, a member of her women’s church board and also its treasurer. She has been involved with Belle Fourche soccer in one capacity or another since 1987.Charli Davis – Personal Banking Officer
Charli graduated from Dickinson State University in 2003 with an Associate’s Degree in Office Administration. She began her career at Pioneer Bank & Trust on May 31, 2005 as a Teller; she moved to Vault Teller and is currently a Personal Banker.
Scott Reder – Commercial & Ag Lender
Scott brings a vast agricultural and market knowledge to Pioneer Bank & Trust. In 1995 Scott was chosen as South Dakota Farm Bureau’s Young Ag Person of the Year. Since then, Scott has served on many local boards and committees including Black Hills Roundup Parade and Rodeo Chairman from 2008 – 2011.Buffalo
John Latham – Assistant Vice President & Commercial Loan Officer
John began working at PB&T in 2018. Prior to his career as a loan officer he was a teacher. John attended and graduated from Chadron State College.Beckie Ploszaj – Personal Banker
Beckie has worked at Pioneer Bank & Trust at the Buffalo Branch since 1999. Prior to that she worked at the FSA Office in Buffalo. Beckie has helped secretary the 4-H Premium Sale and timed at the Youth Rodeo’s in Harding County for over 20 years.
Rapid City South
Tim Merkle – Senior VP/Manager
Tim has more than 24 years of banking experience and has been with Pioneer Bank for a total of 16 years. He has a Bachelor of Science with a Finance Emphasis from Adams State College in Alamosa, CO. He has also served on various boards and has been involved in many volunteer activities over the years.Joanie Mantei – VP/Real Estate Lender
Joanie has been with Pioneer Bank & Trust for 18 years and has a total of 30+ years of banking experience. Currently she is a trained tutor with the Literacy Council of the Black Hills and has served as their Treasurer for 8 years.Sandy Nolan – Personal Banking Officer
Sandy has over 15 years of banking experience and has been with Pioneer Bank & Trust since October, 2018.Timothy Palmer – Commercial Lender
Tim has been in the banking industry for the last 5 years, as both an Analyst and Commercial Lender. He has a Bachelor of Science with an Emphasis in Economics and Finance from Black Hills State University in Spearfish, SD. Tim participates in several local non-profit organizations, including teaching Junior Achievement Classes in Rapid City Schools.Megi Plasencio – Personal Banker
Megi started her career in banking with Pioneer Bank and Trust in May of 2020 (smack dab in the middle of the pandemic!) She started off as a teller and continued to expand her knowledge as a Personal Banker. She takes pride in helping and getting to know her customers on a personal level. Megi also spends time within her daughters Girl Scout troop helping them learn entrepreneurship, leadership, and money handling. She is eager to learn and grow within Pioneer Bank as the years go on.Rapid City West
Rick Messer – Senior VP/Rapid City Market Manager
Rick began his banking career with Norwest Bank (formerly First National Bank of the Black Hills) in Rapid City in 1980 after graduating from Chadron State College with a BA degree in Business Administration. During his 17 years with Norwest, Rick worked in the Spearfish market as a consumer lender and a commercial lender. He also worked in the regional office in Sioux Falls as a Consumer Underwriter and Credit Analyst and eventually came back to Rapid City as a District Credit Officer. Rick’s career with Pioneer Bank & Trust began over 20 years ago (1997) when he was hired as a Vice President/Commercial Lender. Rick became a Senior Vice President and Manager at the new Mt. Rushmore Rd. location that opened in 2000. Since February of 2016 Rick has served as the SVP/Rapid City Market Manager and is located at the Rapid City West location. In addition to the BA from Chadron State College, Rick has an MBA from the University of SD and has completed a degree with the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Colorado. Rick currently serves on the Black Hills Works Board of Directors and has served as past-president of the Rapid City YMCA Board and Behavior Management System Board. He has also served on the United Way of the Black Hills Board and the Rapid City Chamber of Commerce Board.Chelsie Martin – Mortgage Loan Originator
While earning a bachelor’s degree in Economics from South Dakota State University, Chelsie started her banking career as a teller for First Bank & Trust. With 10+ years of financial services experience, as a mortgage loan closer, credit analyst, and consumer loan officer, she is excited to join Pioneer Bank & Trust’s Mortgage Loan Originator team! Over the years Chelsie has donated to many local non-profit organizations by supporting charity golf events. She also enjoys volunteering for youth sports programs such as Rapid City Junior Olympic USA Softball and coaching youth basketball.Justine McKay – Personal Banking Officer
Justine has been employed with Pioneer Bank & Trust since March 2013 and has since expanded her knowledge with multiple positions including Teller, Reception, Personal Banker and Operations Supervisor. In the last 5 years, Justine has donated to the American Heart Association for Pioneer’s very own Heart Walk team and to the United Way to help our community.Taylor Bartholow – Personal Banker
Taylor has been employed with Pioneer Bank & Trust since March of 2017. She started out as a teller at the Sturgis branch but has since transferred to the Rapid City West branch to further her banking knowledge with multiple positions including Teller, Receptionist and Personal Banker. Taylor has over 12 years of customer service experience. Taylor makes annual donations to various organizations for conservation including Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Pheasants Forever and Ducks Unlimited.Steve Conzet – Vice President of Business Banking
Steve has extensive experience in the banking industry and numerous leadership roles throughout the community.
Steve began his banking career as an Agricultural Banker Trainee for Community First Bank Systems in Windom, Minnesota in 1993.
In 1996, Steve accepted a management training program position within Wells Fargo in Rapid City. He started as a Personal Banker and as a Business Credit Analyst, eventually working his way up to Market President and Business Banking Manager of both the Rapid City and Northern Hills Markets. It was during this time that Steve graduated from the Pacific Coast Banking School in Seattle, a masters-level extension program for officers in the banking industry.
A leader in the community, Steve was formerly on the Board of Directors for the United Way of the Black Hills, holding various positions including President of the Board in 2006. He has served on Rapid City Economic Development Board (as board president in 2014), the Rapid Loan Fund, the Black Hills Vision Board, the Rapid City Economic Foundation Board, and the SD Bankers Association Legislative Committee. Steve has been a Junior Achievement volunteer for more than 20 years and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Behavior Management Systems where he has held various leadership positions, including President of the Board in 2014.
Eltonjon Finck – Commercial / Ag Loan Officer
Raised on a family farm and ranch near Ralph, SD, Eltonjon still manages operations today, while also bringing to the Pioneer team over 25 years of diverse financial experience.After earning his BS in Business Administration from Dickinson State University in 1997, he spent 13 years working for Ford Motor Credit and US Bank in Fargo, ND, where he earned numerous awards including Customer Service Award, Credit Analyst of the Month, Credit Analyst of the Quarter, and Top Quality Analyst. His Fargo career promoted him from Auditor, Credit Package Preparer, to Dealer Account Manager & Dealer Services Analyst, Prime and Non-Prime Credit Analysis / Underwriter. Eventually, the Black Hills called him to head back West so that he could maintain operations on the family farm and enjoy snowboarding and mountain biking in his spare time.
He moved to Rapid City in 2011 and spent five years with Ditech, training various teams in South Dakota, Arizona and Florida as a Senior Business Analyst before being recruited by Farm Credit to be an Insurance Officer for crop and hail. He joined the Pioneer Bank & Trust team in 2020 as a Credit Analyst for the Senior Vice President and Rapid City Market Manager, earned his NMLS in 2021 and enjoys using his unique background to find financial solutions for area farmers, ranchers, homeowners and businessmen alike. Eltonjon has served on multiple volunteer committees and community service organizations and personally supports the Black Hills Suzuki School, Kidnotes Piano and Black Hills Ski for Light.
Spearfish
Tom Deis – Senior VP/Manager
Tom has been serving the financial needs of the community of Spearfish and surrounding area for over 30 years. He joined Pioneer Bank & Trust 13 years ago as Vice President/Commercial Lending and became a Senior Vice President and Manager of the Spearfish Office in 2012. Tom’s experience includes work as a consumer lender, residential real estate lender, and ag and commercial lender. He brings a broad lending background to the table when visiting with his clients. Over the years he has been involved in many organizations serving in various capacities, most recently serving on the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the Spearfish Emergency Ambulance Service, Spearfish Economic Development Corporation SEFR Loan Committee, and Knights of Columbus.Dan O’Shea – VP/Commercial Lender
Dan has been in banking for over 25 years serving in a variety of roles. He’s an alumni of the Graduate School of Banking, Madison WI and San Diego State University. Prior to joining Pioneer Bank & Trust in 2000 he worked for national banks in South Dakota, Colorado and California. Dan is active in the Spearfish community and enjoyed serving as the Chamber President, Rotary President and as a Junior Achievement volunteer and board member.Kathryn Mundorf – Personal Banking Officer
Kathryn has 14 years of banking experience, all at Pioneer Bank & Trust. Prior to working at Pioneer Bank, she was a business owner and retail store manager for over 20 years. She received her education through several institutions and attended University of Nebraska at Wayne & Black Hills State University in Spearfish, SD, receiving an associate’s degree from Nettelton College in Fashion Merchandising. Kathryn volunteers at Grace Fellowship Church, loving the time she gets to spend with the little ones in the nursery and supporting the United Blood Services, donating blood several times a year.Susan P. Ziegler – Personal Banking Supervisor
Susan has been with Pioneer Bank & Trust since 2016 and has advanced into a Personal Banking Supervisor. She enjoys the daily interactions with all of her customers. Susan also volunteers as part of the Spearfish Fire Department AuxiliaryKristen R. Harding – Mortgage Loan Originator
Kristen joined the Pioneer Bank & Trust team in 2019, bringing more than a dozen years of financial services experience to a newly-created position in the Spearfish branch. While earning her Bachelor of Science degree from Black Hills State University, she first began working as a bookkeeper for a local non-profit, later transitioning to retail banking, and finally, to mortgage origination. Kristen is passionate about serving her community with integrity and care.Kyle Smith – VP/Commercial & Ag Lender
Kyle brings 16 years of financial services experience to the Pioneer team. Kyle graduated from Black Hills State University in 2002 with a double major in Business Administration and Human Resource Management.Samantha Wager – Consumer Real Estate Lender
Samantha joined the Pioneer Bank and Trust team in February, 2022 as a Consumer Real Estate Lender. She brings with her over 6 years of banking experience including Cash Management, Treasury Solutions, and Real Estate Loan Processing.
Samantha attended Black Hills State University in Spearfish, SD where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Corporate Communication with an emphasis in Business Administration.
Over the years Samantha has been involved in many organizations in the communities she’s served.