STEPHEN L. STENEHJEM NAMED 2022 DISTINGUISHED COMMUNITY BANKER

BISMARCK, ND – Stephen L. Stenehjem, Chairman and CEO of First International Bank & Trust (FIBT), is the recipient of the 2022 Distinguished Community Banker Award. The award was presented to him during the 54^th Annual Independent Community Banks of North Dakota (ICBND) Convention & Exposition. The three-day event was held August 8-10, at the Bismarck Hotel and Conference Center, in Bismarck, and was attended by over 200 bank and associate members.

The Distinguished Community Banker Award was created in 1998 by the ICBND Board of Directors to recognize the efforts of its most outstanding members and is the most prestigious award given by ICBND. This award, which need not be given every year, honors an active or former community banker for exemplary and outstanding service to community banking over an extended career. Stephen’s father Leland M. Stenehjem posthumously received the award in 2017, making Stephen the second Stenehjem to be honored with the ICBND Distinguished Community Banker Award.

Stenehjem, who recently celebrated 40 years with First International Bank & Trust, looks back on his achievements with pride. “FIBT is over 100x larger than when I started and that’s a testament to the amazing team we’ve built over the years. From our humble beginnings in Arnegard, ND, we now have 34 locations across four states and can serve more customers than ever before. Thank you to everyone who has been part of FIBT’s success. I am truly humbled and honored to receive this award.”