First National Vice President Jodi Lawson Promoted to Head of Credit Administration

First National Bank of Northfield, the longtime cornerstone of Northfield’s banking community, announced that it has promoted Vice President Jodi Lawson to head of credit administration. In her role, which encompasses the credit analysis and administration of First National’s commercial loan portfolio, she will help facilitate the commercial lending process to ensure timely and effective credit decisions on behalf of First National clients. Lawson, a longtime Northfield resident, has been with First National for 25 years. During that time, she has held a variety of positions, including responsibilities for bookkeeping, consumer lending, documentation and compliance, and commercial lending.

Tim Viere, president of First National Bank of Northfield, said, “Jodi’s new position will play a pivotal role in our growth in business banking. She has served the bank faithfully over the past 25 years and her institutional memory provides our clients with a solid foundation that will help ensure that we process loans quickly and effectively on their behalf.”

First National is placing significant emphasis on serving businesses in and around Northfield, according to Viere. “In part, because of our undeniable link to the defeat of Jesse James, First National Bank of Northfield is recognized not only locally, but worldwide,” Viere said. “A better kept secret is the fact that we provide area businesses with a fantastic banking resource to help them succeed with their commercial endeavors. Having Jodi join our commercial lending team will only enhance that reputation.”

Lawson, a 1983 graduate of Northfield High School, has been a vice president at the bank since 2006. In that role she has served as a consumer lender, commercial credit analyst and compliance officer. Prior to that, she served as a First National teller and bookkeeper. In addition to her day-to-day duties, Lawson has served on several of the bank’s key committees, including the Budget Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, Technology Committee, and Growth and Expansion Committee.

Lawson commented, “I’m thrilled to take on this new challenge. This is an exciting time to be associated with First National and I’m looking forward to working with our commercial lending team to meet our business customers’ expanding needs.”

First National Bank of Northfield was founded in 1872 and has been locally owned ever since. Internationally recognized as the bank that defeated Jesse James, First National has been inextricably tied to Northfield throughout its history. The bank provides a full range of banking products and services to individual and business customers in the greater Northfield area. First National currently has $111 million in assets and 40 employees.