U.S. bank changes leaders in South Dakota, North Dakota

Northwestern Financial Review, Oct 7, 2000

U.S. Bancorp announced changes that will affect the top leaders in its North Dakota and South Dakota offices.

Barry Martin, former leader of U.S. Bank's North Dakota operations, will take on the same role in South Dakota, where he began duties on Aug. 14. Martin, who has worked for U.S. Bank since 1980, had been based in Fargo, N.D., and will move to Sioux Falls, S.D.

Martin replaces Jim Mirehouse, who for the past five years has been president/district manager of U.S. Bank South Dakota. Mirehouse, president of the South Dakota Bankers Association for 1999-2000, will move to Rapid City, S.D., and become an internal consultant for U.S. Bank.

His new duties will include company reviews on improving service in U.S. Bank's smaller, non-urban markets. In addition, Mirehouse will coordinate the integration of U.S. Bancorp's Piper Jaffray securities unit within the company's regional commercial banking operations.

The move will mark a homecoming of sorts for Mirehouse, who previously served as president of U.S. Bank in Rapid City when it was called First Bank of South Dakota. For the past five years, Mirehouse commuted between Rapid City-where his family lives -and Sioux Falls.

"It made sense to go back to Rapid City. I can do my new duties practically anywhere," Mirehouse said.

Mirehouse's replacement, Martin, also will continue in his role as regional commercial banking manager for South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and out-state Minnesota. Martin has served in a number of positions with $82 billion Minneapolis-based U.S. Bancorp. Martin worked in Rapid City, S.D., from 1980 to 1989, then Sioux Falls from 1989 until 1995. He moved to Fargo that year and became bank president. In 1998, he was named U.S. Bank regional manager.

Meanwhile in North Dakota, Ron Robson was promoted to president of the Fargo-Moorhead market.

Robson began his career at U.S. Bank in Sioux Falls in 1981. Two years later he relocated to Rapid City, S.D., and spent eight years as a commercial lender. He briefly worked in Sioux Falls as a commercial lender, and was promoted to business banking manager in Bismarck, N.D. He moved to Fargo in 1994, where he served as senior vice president and business banking manager.