Spirit Lake – Tom Nelson of Bank Midwest successfully completes the 2025 Iowa Bankers Association’s Commercial Lending School held October 6-10 in Ankeny.
The school is an intense one-week program sponsored by the lowa Bankers Association. The purpose of the IBA Commercial Lending School is to prepare bankers to serve effectively and profitably as commercial loan officers. This is accomplished by developing a better understanding of the economy and how it affects the lending decision, how a business is structured and how it competes, and the role of company’s management.
Attending the school demonstrates commitment to professional growth and expertise and graduates will use their knowledge to further serve their clients and local communities. An extra congratulations is due to Tom as he scored in the top 10% of his class.
Since joining the commercial lending department at Bank Midwest in September 2022, Tom has prided himself in partnering with customers by making himself available and taking the time to get to know their businesses; finding the right solutions to help them achieve their goals.
“Tom’s achievement is a reflection of his hard work and passion for what he does,” said Kent Stensland, Chief Lending Officer. “Finishing at the top of his class is just one more example of the excellence he brings every day.”
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Tom also dedicates his time volunteering with several local programs. Tom has been a Soldier with the Minnesota Army National Guard since 2013 and was commissioned as a Military Intelligence Officer in 2017. Tom and his wife, Krista Nelson, reside in Spirit Lake with their 2-year-old daughter, Insley.
Bank Midwest is an employee-owned organization with 11 locations throughout Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota. The financial institution has assets exceeding $1.3 billion and is a full-service financial institution offering loans and traditional FDIC-insured accounts, as well as insurance, investment and trust services. *Investments and insurance services are not deposits, not FDIC insured, not guaranteed by the bank and may go down in value.