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Chris Knight joined First Bank & Trust as the Senior Regional Mortgage Banking Manager in 2023 to lead and oversee the South Dakota mortgage teams of the organization. With over 16 years of banking experience, he brings strong backgrounds in both the mortgage and retail sides of finance.
Knight is a graduate of the University of South Dakota where he obtained a degree in business management. He is actively involved in the Realtor Association of the Sioux Empire and the Home Builders Association of the Sioux Empire, and he serves as a board member of the Youth Ninja Foundation in Sioux Falls.
When he is not leading the FBT South Dakota Mortgage team, Knight enjoys playing golf, attending his son Myles’ American Ninja Warrior competitions, and spending time with his wife, Jeni.
Darren Lee has been in mortgage lending for over 20 years and has helped more than 4,000 families with their mortgage needs. Darren graduated from Morningside College with degrees in Business Administration, Marketing and Economics. He was the first mortgage professional in South Dakota to carry the Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist (CMPS) designation.
Darren says, "I have a passion for educating the customer. When they leave my office, I want to make sure they are comfortable with the financing they have chosen, and, all of their questions have been answered."
Ryan Spellerberg joined First Bank & Trust in 2023 as a mortgage loan officer. With over 23 years of lending experience and a passion for helping home buyers, he brings a strong background in the mortgage field.
A native of Lidgerwood, North Dakota, Spellerberg is a graduate of Northern State University where he obtained bachelor of arts degrees in both business and economics. He is active in a variety of non-profits and organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, The Banquet, Sioux Empire Housing, and the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society. He also spends his time teaching Financial Peace University classes through Ramsey Solutions.
When Ryan is not cheering on the Chicago Bears, hiking, biking, or kayaking, he can be found spending time with his wife Emily and their two adopted beagles, Annie and Bee.
Brian Spaans has over 15 years of mortgage lending experience and has been with First Bank & Trust since 2007. A graduate of the University of South Dakota with a degree in Business Management, he has previous experience in bank management and personal banking.
Brian is a member of the Realtor Association of the Sioux Empire and the Home Builders Association of the Sioux Empire. He and his wife Emily have two sons, Preston and Connor.
Amy Teeslink joined the organization as a Mortgage Loan Officer in January 2020. Her responsibilities include educating and assisting customers with their home-buying process and refinancing, with a focus on assisting first-time homebuyers with South Dakota Housing, FHA, VA and conventional loans. Amy received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Sioux Falls, and associate’s degrees in Business Administration and marketing from Southeast Technical Institute.
With over ten years of Sioux Falls market experience as a Mortgage Loan Officer, Amy is a valuable addition to the First Bank & Trust team. She is involved in the Sioux Falls community as a member of the Realtor Association of the Sioux Empire and the Home Builders Association of the Sioux Empire and has served as an Edith Sanford Executive Committee Member since 2015. A Brookings, SD native, Amy enjoys spending time with family, golfing, camping and handcrafting jewelry. She and her husband, Mike, have three children, Addison, Jackson, and Grayson (Gracie).
Julie Tibke joined the First Bank & Trust Mortgage team in 2023 as a Mortgage Loan Officer. With over 30 years of experience in the mortgage industry, she has held various positions in loan processing, underwriting, and origination. As an active member of the community, she has been involved with many organizations such as Realtors Association of the Sioux Empire and Home Builders Association of the Sioux Empire, her local church, and Junior Achievement.
A native of Brandon, South Dakota, Julie received her Bachelor of Science degrees in math and economics. When Julie is not traveling, reading, golfing, or playing volleyball, she enjoys spending time with her husband Jeff, daughter Kayla, and her son Dylan and his wife Brandee.