Paul Dybing Promoted to Executive Vice President at Bank Forward

Paul Dybing has been promoted to executive vice president at Bank Forward, the bank's Board of Directors announced on February 7, 2026. The elevation of a long-serving Bemidji executive underscores continuity in the bank's local management and could shape lending and risk decisions that affect businesses and households across Beltrami County.

Dybing currently served as Risk Management Officer and Senior Loan Review Officer, in addition to his role as Bemidji Market President. Dybing has worked for Bank Forward in Bemidji since 2006, giving him roughly 20 years of local experience heading banking operations and overseeing credit quality in the market. The board's decision to promote an in-market executive signals a preference for institutional knowledge and operational continuity at a senior level.

The promotion is consequential for a community where relationships between local lenders and borrowers matter for small business financing, agricultural credit, and consumer loans. As Risk Management Officer and Senior Loan Review Officer, Dybing has been responsible for evaluating credit practices and monitoring loan portfolios - functions that help determine the bank's approach to underwriting and portfolio health. Elevating that perspective to the executive vice president role suggests Bank Forward is prioritizing risk discipline and local market insight as broader economic pressures persist.

For Bemidji customers and Beltrami County stakeholders, the change at the top ranks is likely to mean familiar leadership for commercial clients and individual depositors. Market presidents often serve as the public face of the bank in a community; Dybing's continuation in that capacity alongside his new title may preserve established customer relationships and community outreach efforts. Long-tenured local executives can also influence staffing decisions, branch strategies, and product focus in ways that affect access to credit and banking services in smaller markets.

Bank governance also factors into community confidence. The Board of Directors' promotion of an internal candidate with two decades of service reflects one model of succession that emphasizes steadiness over abrupt change. That approach may reassure borrowers who value predictable credit terms and continuity in loan servicing.

Residents and local businesses should expect ongoing operations at Bank Forward's Bemidji offices with leadership familiar to the market. Watch for any announcements from Bank Forward about expanded services, staffing changes, or strategic priorities that could follow this leadership shift. Overall, the promotion of Paul Dybing reinforces a local management track that ties executive decision-making closely to Beltrami County experience and relationships.