First Fidelity Bank elects three new board members

Steve Hayes, Dan DeSmet and Murray Thompson were elected to the Board of Directors at the October 3rd meeting of Fidelity Corporation, the sole shareholder of First Fidelity Bank. 

Steve Hayes currently serves as Senior Vice President and Branch Manager in Presho. His career in banking started when he joined his parents as the third generation of Draper State Bank management in 1987. He currently serves as a member of the South Dakota Banking Commission. A few of Steve’s banking career highlights include completing the Graduate School of Banking Program in Boulder, Colorado, and serving as President of South Dakota Banker’s Association, the Conference State Banking Supervisor’s Board, and the Advisory Board for the FDIC. 

Dan DeSmet grew up on a family farm near Colome, and he has lived in Gregory since 1995. Dan is a partner in the CPA firm Fenenga, DeSmet and Company, LLC in Winner, SD, with over twenty years of auditing and accounting experience. His past experiences include serving as Mayor of Gregory for three years and on the city council for eleven. In his spare time Dan enjoys golfing and fishing. “I am thrilled to be selected to serve on the First Fidelity Bank’s Board of Directions and look forward to being part of their organization.”

COL (Dr.) Murray Thompson grew up in Pierre, South Dakota. He is a 2001 graduate of Creighton University with a BS in Physics and a 2005 graduate of the Creighton University Medical Center School of Dentistry.  He currently practices general dentistry and is the owner of the Pierre Dental Clinic. Professionally, Dr. Thompson is a member of the American Dental Association, the South Dakota Dental Association (SDDA), and the Southern District Dental Society. He is a Past President of the Southern District Dental Society, has served as a SDDA Delegate and Legislative Committee Chair, and currently is the Southern District Board Trustee.

“We are excited to have Steve, Dan, and Murray join the FFB Board of Directors,” said President & CEO David Nelson. “They bring well-rounded experience and fresh perspectives to our Board work, and they will be valuable to carrying out First Fidelity’s mission of being the best community bank in South Dakota for our customers, our coworkers, and all of their families and communities.”