ANCHORAGE, AK – First National Bank Alaska’s Board of Directors announced several appointments and promotions on Jan. 24, at their annual Dinner Dance. The event recognizes and celebrates notable bank achievements.
Key appointments and promotions to the bank’s leadership include:
- Vice President and Senior Healthcare Lending Officer Melissa Reiser was promoted to Senior Strategic Commercial Lender and appointed Senior Vice President.
- Vice President and Treasury Management Manager Sean Brown was promoted to Treasury Management & Card Manager.
- Proof Imaging Manager Matthew Clark was appointed Vice President.
- Escrow Manager Michelle Frain was appointed Vice President.
- Loan Officer Katie Mallard was promoted to Loan Officer III and appointed Vice President.
- Vice President and Loan Documentation & Servicing Manager Bory McMahan was promoted to Senior Loan Processing & Servicing Manager.
- Loan Officer Veronica Pillans was promoted to Loan Officer III and appointed Vice President.
- Assistant Vice President and Business Initiative Manager Chris Shockley was promoted to Branch Lending Operations Administrator and appointed Vice President.
- Loan Officer Ingrid St. John was promoted to Loan Officer III and appointed Vice President.
- Assistant Vice President and Kuskokwim Branch Manager Nili Sundown was promoted to Branch Manager III Lending and appointed Vice President.
- U-Med Branch Manager Rachel Carlson was appointed Assistant Vice President.
- Product Support Manager Melissa Jean was appointed Assistant Vice President.
- Operations Supervisor Becky McLellan was appointed Assistant Vice President.
- Loan Officer Daniel Nicholson was promoted to Loan Officer II and appointed Assistant Vice President.
- Operations Supervisor Jillian Sloat was appointed Assistant Vice President.
“The promotion of these key leaders is a result of First National’s steady growth over the past decade, culminating in the bank’s recognition as the second-top bank in the nation by Forbes on their America’s Best Banks list,” said Board Chair and CEO/President Betsy Lawer. “I’m excited about the new heights our expanded leadership team will help us reach as we work together to shape a brighter future for all Alaskans.”
Alaska’s community bank since 1922, First National Bank Alaska proudly meets the financial needs of Alaskans with ATMs and 28 locations in 19 communities throughout the state, and by providing banking services to meet their needs across the nation and around the world.
For more than a century, the bank has been committed to supporting the communities it serves. In 2024, for the eighth consecutive reporting period, over a span of twenty-four years, First National received an Outstanding Community Reinvestment Act performance rating from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.
In 2026, for the second year in a row, Forbes selected First National as one of America’s Best Banks, this year ranking the bank as the second best in the nation. Newsweek recognized the bank as one of the nation’s 2026 Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions for the second year in a row. In 2025, Alaska Business readers voted First National “Best of Alaska Business” in the Best Place to Work category for the 10th year in a row, Best Bank/Credit Union for the fifth time, and Best Customer Service for the second year in a row. In 2025, American Banker recognized First National as a “Best Bank to Work For” for the eighth year in a row. The bank was also voted “Best of Alaska” in the Anchorage Daily News awards, ranking as one of the top three in the Bank/Financial category for the seventh consecutive year.
First National Bank Alaska is a Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender, and is recognized as a Minority Depository Institution by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, as it is majority-owned by women.