Midwest BankCentre announces finance, operation succession plans

St. Louis-based Midwest BankCentre announced a series of leadership changes within its finance and operations teams as part of a broader effort to support continued growth..CFO Marsha Benney will retire at the end of this year after a decade with the bank. CEO Orvin Kimbrough credited Benney with helping guide the bank’s expansion and strengthening its financial foundation.As part of the transition, the nearly $3 billion Midwest BankCentre restructured the CFO role into two senior leadership positions. Jim Brefeld, who joined the bank earlier this year, now serves as CFO, overseeing finance, compliance, facilities, and audit and enterprise risk management. Brefeld brings senior leadership experience from Ameriprise Financial, Scottrade Financial Services, Northern Trust and J.P. Morgan.Matt Shelton was promoted to chief operating officer. Shelton, previously senior vice president and controller, joined the bank in 2022. He will lead bank operations, information technology, and business intelligence initiatives. He has more than 20 years of banking experience..Adam Welch joined the bank as SVP and controller, succeeding Shelton. Welch brings accounting and community banking experience to the role.Dana Dougan, vice president and director of accounting and financial reporting, retired June 30 after nearly 20 years with the bank. Jennifer Lanzafame was named director of accounting and financial reporting, bringing more than two decades of experience in financial management within financial institutions.Midwest BankCentre had $2.47 billion of deposits as of Sept. 30. Founded in 1906, the bank has more than a dozen branches in the St. Louis region and lending offices across 11 states, with a business production office in Kansas City.