The focus of all credit unions is “people helping people,” so it’s no surprise that Kraig Blahoski has spent his career helping people. As Dakota West’s Chief Operations Officer, he guides the services that our members see and experience every day.
From his first job providing originating and second mortgages at People’s Community Credit Union in Hopkins, Minnesota, his goal of helping others was right there in the name. He grew in experience and accepted opportunities to grow and mentor others when he began supervising tellers. From the beginning, he recalls, “I liked it because I was able to help people.”
His guidance and leadership skills brought him to Dakota West, and over time, his family has followed. He finally hosted the majority of his family under one roof here in North Dakota this Thanksgiving. Now Watford City feels even more like home.
In addition to providing development and growth for Dakota West employees, including Khadero Taylor, with whom he partnered to develop a close-knit team at our New Town branch, he enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for Dakota West products, such as shared branching and rewards checking, with new employees encouraging them to, “be extraordinary.” It’s the perfect way to describe Kraig: extraordinary.
The Diversity of Our Branches
Yes, all of the Dakota West branches offer personal service to our members (and future members) and yes, all of our communities are nestled in western North Dakota, but if you zoom in, you’ll notice what makes each of our branches unique and special in each of our communities.
Grenora, one of the oldest branches in the Dakota West organization is the only financial institution within 30 miles of the community. Originally built around the Great Northern Railroad (GreNoRa), This community is as valuable to the region as Dakota West is to its northwestern members.
With a membership radius of fifty miles, Bowman’s community reaches beyond the edges of North Dakota. Unlike any other branch, our Bowman location serves members in Baker, Montana and Buffalo, South Dakota, and into Hettinger, North Dakota making it our only three-state location.
Serving our members of the MHA Nation at our New Town branch, our Member Service Representatives are learning traditional Hidatsa greetings to welcome elders who visit our branch on the Fort Berthold Reservation. We thank our members for the sense of family this shared communication brings to us.
Watford City is Dakota West’s home base, but it’s also the center of a county that includes a national park, two major rivers, two time zones, and blends both the history of agriculture and the modern advancements of the energy industry.
Located just twenty miles from Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport, our New England branch plays a vital role for the smaller communities of Hettinger County. The constancy of a credit union benefits the residents in the less-populated regions of North Dakota, and for half a century, this location has served as a valuable resource.
Each summer our Washburn branch provides account support to number of seasonal residents who come from the west coast of the United States and even from South Africa who return each year to lend a hand to our agricultural community. We welcome back our summer members who are helping to continue the traditions of farming and honey production in our McLean County community.
It’s the small ways our Mohall branch impacts our northeast region. When the north winds blow, it certainly is a benefit to be the only financial institution in town with drive-through service so our members can remain warm and toasty in their vehicles. In the summer, it’s also on the way to Lake Metigoshe for travelers needing to take advantage of our shared branch services.
In existence since 1940, our Turtle Lake branch is just down the street from Rusty the Turtle, the namesake placed to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the town in eastern McLean County.
We invite you to explore any of our branches when you are travelling throughout the Dakota West region. You may meet new faces, but you’ll always receive the same quality service. See you here soon!
Scholarship Profiles - Taylalyn Kaczmar, Clayton Ledahl, & Gracey Russell
Let us introduce three more Dakota West Annual Scholarship recipients from three different Dakota West branches. Taylalyn Kaczmar of Watford City will be starting at North Dakota State University this month working towards her goal of becoming a physician’s assistant. Her thoughts on the importance of communication relate directly to her future plans.
“Once in the medical field, discussion with providers and patients will be critical for the best and efficient care to be provided. I recognize that having effective communication in the workplace can determine and impact how well my relationships with my superiors, coworkers, and patients will be. I have been practicing good communication skills, and I will continue to improve these skills. I strive to be the best I can for those around me, and I feel that communication will make that difference.”
Also pursuing a career in the medical profession, Gracey Russell of Washburn recognizes the impact of both current global circumstances and the importance of communication now more than ever.
“With the current situation throughout the world, scientists, doctors, and government officials need to communicate so that there is a cure coming, the proper precautions are taken, and that people need to stay away from others and certain things, such as indoor dining need to be closed.” Gracey resumes her studies this month at Bismarck State College where she will be studying Nursing.
Clayton Ledahl of Grenora will be studying Business Management in his home county at Williston State College and is already planning for life after college and how Communication will play a role in his success.
“After I graduate college I plan to open and run my own business. If I do open up my own business, I would have to do interviews with potential workers. In order to do this I’d be communicating with the people I’m interviewing. After I hire workers, I would have to talk with them every day, as well, beings they work for me.”
We wish Clayton, Gracey, and Tayla an exciting and productive school year as they reach towards their long-term goals. They certainly represent what we hope for and partner with our members to provide every day. Good luck to all our scholarship recipients!
Meet Nathan Stoker
If you’re stopping by our Watford City branch, you may have the opportunity to visit with Nathan Stoker, our Member Service Manager, who leads a team of five assisting our members with branch services. Nathan might also sit with new members and guide you through the process of opening a new account. Nathan could be the face at the drive-through on Saturday mornings, or he might be behind the wheel of a McKenzie County Ambulance, or plowing your driveway in the winter.
Nathan worked in law enforcement, but decided to make a career change and last year received his bachelor’s degree from Southern New Hampshire University. “I wanted to take a new course with my life, and began working with Dakota West as a Member Service Representative.”
Moving to the Bakken region from Wyoming during high school, his family followed opportunities in the energy industry to settle in Watford City. Family time consists of camping and getting together with his parents, brother, sister, and including his extended family in southern Utah. He even journeyed to South Africa for two years on a mission trip.
One of the most common questions Nathan receives from members relates to the frequency with which he helps new members open accounts: what do you need to become a member? “That’s a two-fold answer,” he explains, “as there’s documents required to open any account, such as a proof of address, but many new members ask about what is required to belong to Dakota West Credit Union.”
Credit union membership varies, but for our members, it is simply a matter of living in or around one of our communities. Although Nathan admits he uses the question as a way to get to know new members and create lasting relationships with them.
If you’re interested in starting a relationship with Dakota West, stop by any of our branches and open a new account. You might find yourself sitting with Nathan and becoming a part of his Dakota West family.
