Trust Services

Erick Kephart

Trust Officer, VP

563-382-1556
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We all want to leave a legacy. With over a decade of experience in Trust and financial services, Erick believes that proactive planning is key to creating your legacy and saving your family time, energy, and money. Erick’s passion is helping individuals identify their goals and utilizing the available tools to achieve them.

Experience & Education

• Loras College, B.A. in Business Management – 2005
• Life and Health Insurance Licenses in IA

Professional Associations

• Iowa Trust Association

Community & Family

• Riverview Center of Northeast Iowa Board of Directors: 2017 – Present, Board Chair: 2019 – 2020, Board Vice-Chair: 2018 – 2019, Operations and Administration Committee: 2018 – Present, Finance Committee: 2017 – Present
• Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce
• Married to Chelsey Kephart, 3 children – Adilynn, Fitzgerald, & Truman
• Enjoys golfing, spending time outside with family, watching Cubs baseball, as well as any Hawkeye sporting event

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Jason Soland

Financial Advisor, VP

563-382-1549
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As a dedicated and experienced financial planner since 2007, Jason will work as a trust advisor with you to create and accommodate the simplest of strategies to the most complex. Jason offers best practices and solutions that will guide you with clear focus on your objectives.

Experience & Education

• CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional – 2015
• LUTCF – Life Underwriting Training Council Fellow – 2013
• APMA^® – Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor^SM – 2017
• Cannon School for Trusts & Estates
• Luther College, BA in Accounting – 2000

Professional Associations

• National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors Board member, 2008 – 2018. President, 2010 – 2018.
• Financial Planning Association, 2015 – Present
• Iowa Trust Association

Community & Family

• Nordic Fest
  Board of Directors, 2010 – 2014
  Sports Committee, 2010 – Present
• Chamber Golf Outing Committee, 2010 – Present
• Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce
• Rotary Club
• Married to Jennifer Soland, two daughters, Quinn & Charlie

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Kari Rude

Trust Administrative Officer

563-382-1547
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Kari grew up in Iowa and has lived in Decorah for most of her life. She loves Northeast Iowa living because it’s the perfect place to admire the beauty of all four seasons. Kari and her husband, Gregg, have a lovely family and feel fortunate to live near their two adult sons and four grandchildren. Gregg is happily retired, but Kari likes to keep him busy by giving him plenty of honey-do’s.
Kari enjoys spending time outside and appreciates any opportunity to go to the lake, play pickleball, hike, or ride her bike. However, it's the times she spends with her family that she treasures the most. One way she gets to do this is by throwing her iconic Green Bay Packers or Iowa Hawkeyes game-day parties. She believes there is no better weekend activity than gathering with her loved ones to watch the game. When Kari has downtime, she enjoys the practice of painting rocks to hide on the trails –she does it in the hopes that a fellow traveler will stumble upon them and it will brighten their day!
Kari’s favorite part of working at Decorah Bank & Trust is the relationships she gets to forge with clients. She enjoys getting to know the people in her community and finds that it makes every day a pleasant one.
Fun Fact:  Kari grew up with a family of skilled golfers. Although she never really reached their level of skill, she still remembers the time she made a hole-in-one with her trusty Mickey Mouse golf ball. The memory still puts a smile on her face.
 

Karissa Clifton

Trust Administrative Officer

563-387-5231
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Karissa returned to Decorah after graduating from Luther College. She loves this area because there’s always something new to discover—restaurants, stores, and plenty of parks. It’s been six years since Karissa’s homecoming, and so much has changed in her life. She recently married her best friend, Miles, in May 2021, and they have been enjoying their first year as newlyweds. Most of their time together is spent cooking, playing games, and laughing together. Karissa also became a proud pet parent to a 10-month-old Aussie Doodle puppy named Hank. Hank keeps Karissa on her toes with his intelligence and personality. When the house is quiet, she knows he’s up to some mischief.

Another major change in Karissa’s life—joining Decorah Bank & Trust! Karissa is new to the wealth management team and already finds her work rewarding. For Karissa, the best part about her job is witnessing the devotion the people of Decorah have for their families. She admires their desire to leave a lasting legacy to protect their family's well-being.

When Karissa isn’t working, you may find her working out and playing volleyball to maintain her game. She is a former athlete who enjoys staying active but considers herself an old soul when it comes to her other hobbies. When she wants to wind down, Karissa finds joy in crocheting, reading, and crossword puzzles. She has also recently taken up gardening, and her first summer crop was a huge success! Her favorite way to relax is by spending time with her family at their cabin—they take a trip there every summer.

But Karissa’s ultimate pairing to unwind is coffee and Crime Junkie. Coffee is a comfort to her and, although she usually indulges in the mornings, she can have it any time of day for the smell and taste alone. The Crime Junkie podcast is another way to keep her day going, especially on long car rides! True Crime is her favorite genre, and Karissa delves into the story telling of the hosts, Britt and Ashley, and gets invested in the mystery.

Fun Fact: Karissa knows how to juggle! She learned it as a way to improve her hand-eye coordination for volleyball, and it always makes people smile when she pulls it out at parties!