In the CEO Spotlight

​Meet Kalli Schell, the new President/CEO of Town & Country Credit union who has spent the past 24 years building her career. 

Kalli Schell

by Shawn Marie Brummer, Communications Specialist
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Kalli Schell was born and raised in Watford City, North Dakota. She graduated from Watford City High School, and then attended Williston State College in Williston, North Dakota, where she studied information technology. She first became acquainted with cooperatives during her senior year of high school when she obtained a vocational education job at McKenzie Electric Cooperative.

She began her career in the financial industry as a teller at Cornerstone Bank (formerly known as McKenzie County Bank) in Watford City. When she moved to Minot in 2000, she decided to pursue a career in the financial cooperative world, which led to an MSR position at Town & Country Credit Union. “I really enjoyed the member service aspect of the MSR role, as well as connecting with and building relationships with members,” she shared.
​“I was hooked on credit unions from there and I’m proud to say that I’ve spent the last 24 years building my career at Town & Country.”

Building a career indeed! Over the years, she has steadily advanced in both responsibilities and education, moving from MSR to loan processor, to loan processing supervisor, to VP of loan servicing, to SVP chief operations officer to senior executive VP. She also became involved in the community, volunteering for the Minot Youth Baseball organization, Meals on Wheels, and Companions for Children. Currently, she volunteers for the Junior Achievement financial education program.

Prior to being named president/CEO in September of this year, she had served as interim president for eight months in 2022. Since 2023, she has also completed the Credit Union Executive Society (CUES) CEO Institutes, Parts I and II through Cornell University and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. She is currently working through Part III through the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania with expected graduation in April 2025. The coursework has covered everything from organizational effectiveness to leadership development and strategic planning, skills she will undoubtedly put to good use as she leads this credit union that holds nearly $700MM in assets. Formed in 1939 in Minot, Town & Country now serves more than 27,000 members with 177 staff members in 10 branches located in Minot, Fargo, West Fargo, Kenmare and Stanley.

Humbly embracing her many new responsibilities, Kalli says that she has been fortunate to work with many experts in her 24 years at Town & Country, learning from them along the way. “I believe that each role I’ve held and the varying leadership styles I experienced have helped shape who I am as a person and as a leader today,” she stated.
She continues, “My passion for credit unions stems from their embodiment of financial cooperation and community support. The people helping people guiding principle supports a strong sense of community focus, dedicated to enhancing the financial well-being of members and the communities we serve. Credit unions prioritize member and community welfare over profit, reflecting a genuine commitment to making a positive difference beyond financial success.”  

Kalli is proud to be a part of her successful credit union’s continued evolution and strength. She was there for their $500MM milestone, the creation of a successful insurance agency, and the partnership with Trinity Health to, just to name a few of the major accomplishments and positive impact the credit union has made and continues to make.
“There is a lot to be proud of at Town & Country,” she expressed. “The diversity of our business model has become a major strength of our credit union over the years, and I’m so proud of all the expertise we have on our team which enables us to thrive in each area, and ultimately, serve all our members’ needs well - from business and ag to mortgage to personal finance to insurance.”

In her personal life, Kalli is married to her husband, Robby, and has two children. Daughter, Taylor, is married and resides in Watford City with her husband and two children, Roree, age 2, and Bodee 8 months. Son, Payton, is a senior at Minot High School. In their free time, the family enjoys spending time outdoors at the lake or watching sports – from high school to college and professional teams.
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It is an old cliché that time flies when you are having fun – but Kalli mentioned that she has now spent more than half of her life on Earth working in the credit union industry. Happily for her credit union, she has many years ahead to continue making a positive difference!

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