People on the Move

Tom Palmer, president and CEO of First National Bank of River Falls, Wis., has announced his retirement.."It will be hard to leave First National. We have accomplished a lot over the last 10 years," Palmer said..Palmer's career in banking began in 1974 at Norwest Bank in St. Paul, Minn. From there, he took a position at Franklin National Bank in Minneapolis, where he served as president and CEO before beginning his position at First National Bank, in December of 1998..Palmer said he hopes that his retirement allows him time to complete projects, spend more time with family, travel and find time for rowing. The bank plans an open house in his honor on Dec. 18. .Kathleen Kienitz and Becky Westphal have joined the staff of the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison..Kienitz has been hired as assistant vice president-marketing and banker relations. She brings more than 18 years of experience in marketing and executive education to her role, most recently as marketing specialist with the Credit Union Executives Society. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Kienitz will soon complete a certificate in marketing excellence at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is active in the Madison chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators..Westphal has joined the staff as assistant vice president-professional development. She helped develop banking-specific education programming for the past eight years as the former assistant director of education for the Wisconsin Bankers Association. In her newly created position, Westphal will oversee curriculum and faculty for GSB's expanded residential programs, including the Human Resource Management School and Senior Management Seminar; online seminars; and new programs created in collaboration with GSB's 18 sponsoring state bankers associations. She will manage the Prochnow Education Foundation's Scholarship program, which awarded more than $80,000 to 70 GSB students in 2008. .Brenda Coulter was named chief financial officer of Duke Financial Group, Inc., a bank holding company in Minneapolis with three subsidiary banks. .Warren Hanson, president and CEO, Greater Minnesota Housing Fund in St. Paul, Minn., was appointed to serve on the Affordable Housing Advisory Council for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines. His three-year term will begin on January 1, 2009..Hanson is actively involved with a variety of organizations including the Housing Preservation Project Board, Envision Minnesota Gubernatorial Committee for Regional Growth Management, Governor's Commission to End Long Term Homelessness and Minnesota Housing Partnership. He also serves as an adjunct professor for the University of Minnesota Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs..FHLB Des Moines' Affordable Housing Advisory Council is a 15-member group that advises the Bank on housing and economic development programs and needs.