The South Dakota Bankers Association (SDBA), the professional and trade association for South Dakota’s financial services industry since 1884, recently appointed Jerry Nachtigal, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, Citibank, Sioux Falls, to its Board of Directors. Nachtigal began his three-year directorship on June 12, 2016. This is his first, three-year term on the SDBA Board of Directors.

Nachtigal joined Citibank in 2003 after nearly 18 years as an Associated Press reporter in Missouri and Arizona and after working as communications director for three Missouri governors from 1999-2002. At Citi, he handles internal and external communications for the bank’s flagship credit card site in Sioux Falls and its nearly 2,100 employees, as well as community relations and government relations. He also administers much of Citi’s philanthropy budget in South Dakota. Nachtigal has a journalism degree from South Dakota State University in Brookings.

“I’m looking forward to using my background in public affairs and communications to help the South Dakota banking community to do a better job of explaining to the public, regulators and government officials the many, many good and positive things banks do to improve and strengthen our communities and society as a whole,” Nachtigal said. “While that’s often a challenging task in the general anti-bank environment we live in, it’s something we all have to work at, and I think we have seen considerable progress in this area in recent years.

“If banks collectively choose to remain under the radar and not tell our story, someone else will. I think helping individuals and families build wealth and assets, finance a home or vehicle, save for a college education, and improve our communities through financial donations and service on the board of directors of nonprofit organizations is something bankers should be proud of and excited about.”

Nachtigal is proud that Citi has contributed more than $35 million to nonprofit organizations in Sioux Falls and around the state since 1981 and also invested tens of millions of dollars to create several thousand affordable housing units in Sioux Falls and 15 other communities through CitiHousing Inc. and Citi Community Capital. Citi employees are very active in the community, volunteering more than 25,000 hours annually on behalf of dozens of charities.

Nachtigal serves on the board of directors of the Delta Dental of South Dakota Foundation and Sioux Falls Family YMCA, is a member of the SDSU Foundation Council of Trustees, and vice chairman of the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce Community Appeals Committee.

Nachtigal’s wife, Ann, works in corporate communications/investor relations for Great Western Bank in Sioux Falls. The couple has three children: Reid is a senior at SDSU; Jack is a sophomore at the University of Minnesota; and Libby is a sophomore at Washington High School.