Management Team and Directors
Mark A. Anderson, CFA
Mark serves as President, CEO and Director of BlackRidge Financial, Inc., as well as a Director of BlackRidgeBANK. Prior to BlackRidge, Mark was President and CEO of Community First Bankshares, Inc., also headquartered in Fargo, ND.
Sean L. Burian, CFA
Sean serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer and Director of BlackRidge Financial, Inc. and as a Director and Chief Investment Officer of all three banks owned by BlackRidge. In addition to overseeing the investment portfolio and daily funding position for the BlackRidge banks, Sean is also responsible for the organization’s Asset/Liability Management process and the BlackRidge Compliance department. Prior to BlackRidge, Sean was Senior Vice President of Community First Bankshares, Inc.
Craig A. Weiss, CPA
Craig serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Director of BlackRidge Financial, Inc. and as a Director and Chief Financial Officer of all three banks owned by BlackRidge. In addition to duties as CFO, Craig oversees Human Resources, BlackRidge Operations Center and the Information Technology Department. Prior to BlackRidge, Craig was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Community First Bankshares, Inc.
Gary A. Knutson
Gary serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Director of BlackRidge Financial, Inc. and as a Director and Chairman of all three banks owned by BlackRidge. The bank presidents all report to Gary, who also chairs the company’s Senior Credit Committee. Prior to BlackRidge, Gary was Executive Vice President and Division President for Community First Bankshares, Inc.
Carrie Cwikla
Carrie serves as Vice President – Special Projects for BlackRidge Financial, as Assistant Secretary to the Board of BlackRidge Financial, Inc. and as Secretary to the Boards of all banks owned by BlackRidge. As part of her responsibilities, Carrie is also managing the centralization effort of Loan Documentation Preparation and lends support to all contract and vendor management issues. Prior to BlackRidge, Carrie was Vice President and Fargo Site Manager for Bank of the West. Prior to that, she served in various credit and documentation positions with Community First Bankshares, Inc.
Joyce Nelson Schuette, CFA
Joyce has served as a director of BlackRidge Financial, Inc. since 2006. Joyce recently retired after many years in the investment banking field, most recently as Managing Director for the Financial Institutions Group of Piper Jaffray, Inc.
Lauris Molbert, CPA, JD
Lauris has been a director of BlackRidge Financial, Inc. since 2005. He has been Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Otter Tail Corporation since 2002.
Rahn K. Porter
Rahn has been a director of BlackRidge Financial, Inc. since 2005. He has been Senior Vice President of Investor Relations for Qwest Communications International since 2007.
Carrie Bjorge
Carrie J. Bjorge, CPA, is Accounting Officer for BlackRidge Financial.
BlackRidge Loan Documentation Team
Pam Norman, Loan Documentation Supervisor
Jessica Huseby, Loan Documentation Specialist