First Independent Bank

Barbara Hastings-Montgomery, Kip McKibben, Claud Argall, Julie Frost and Castulo Valdez have been promoted by First Independent Bank of Nevada.

Hastings-Montgomery was promoted to vice president and quality control manager. She is a graduate of the Bank Administration Institute and has 34 years of experience in the financial service industry.

McKibben was promoted to vice president and commercial lending officer. A business graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno, he has 12 years banking experience. McKibben joined First Independent in 2003.

Argall was promoted to assistant vice president and loan officer. A finance graduate of Truckee Meadows Community College and a graduate of the American Institute of Banking, he has worked 27 years in the banking and financial services industry.

Frost, an employee of the bank since 2000, was promoted to assistant vice president and lending assistant supervisor. She attended TMCC and the Real Estate School of Nevada.

Valdez was promoted to assistant vice president and commercial lending officer. He holds a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Houston and a master's in business administration from UNR.