Brian Overby Joins Bell as Wealth Management Managing Director

Brian Overby is Bell Bank’s new SVP/wealth management managing director. When he started at Bell on May 31, it was only his second job out of college – though he’s worked in the finance industry since 1995.

“With approximately $10 billion in assets under management, Bell Bank Wealth Management has grown substantially over the last several years,” remarks Patrick Chaffee, Bell’s executive vice president of banking, wealth management and insurance. “Brian’s background in the industry will help take our wealth management division to the next level as we work toward our goal of being one of the largest privately held wealth management providers in the country.”

Prior to joining Bell, Brian had spent his entire professional career at Alerus, a company he holds in high regard. In 2002, Brian was named president of Alerus retirement and benefits. Under his leadership, the department grew from $385 million in assets in 2002 to over $35 billion in assets in 2021.

“Alerus gave me a terrific opportunity and a great career,” Brian notes, adding that it was a difficult decision to leave. “Still, an opportunity to join Bell – a company I have admired for years – was impossible to pass up. When I looked at Bell’s mission of happy employees, happy customers – treating employees and customers well and doing the right thing – it really resonated with me. One of the most appealing things about Bell Bank Wealth Management is there isn’t anything that’s broken. It’s an extremely successful and well-run division. What I hope to accomplish is to really pull on my experience to enhance what’s already a fantastically run department.”

While Brian will office at 15 Broadway in Fargo – Bell’s wealth management headquarters – he will also spend time in the Twin Cities and Phoenix, working with employees and clients.

“It’s extremely important to give visibility and access to all markets and build those relationships,” Brian explains. “While the majority of my role will involve working with employees, it’s also important to learn directly from clients what the market is demanding.”

Originally from Northwood, N.D., Brian attended the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, where he earned a degree in financial management and minored in economics (and was a 4-year letter winner and captain of the baseball team).

“I have a strong desire to help people with their long-term goals and reduce anxiety when it comes to their financial lives,” Brian remarks. “At the end of the day, we’re all striving toward the same goal – to get to a point where we have flexibility by saving appropriately and building wealth.”

With both parents working as teachers, Brian has a passion for educating clients to help them gain a deeper understanding about their finances and how appropriate financial planning could help them reach their larger life goals, such as retirement or saving for a child’s college costs. “To the average person, this is an intimidating subject,” Brian notes. “I’m passionate about eliminating or reducing people’s anxiety around financial management.”

In his more than 25 years in the industry, Brian has seen many of changes. The biggest are the expansion of product attributes and features available at all levels of investing.

“Investors today have a wealth of information that they didn’t have in the past,” Brian explains. “They’re much more aware of what’s out there, and the marketplace is full of options and opportunities for folks to do it themselves. However, there’s a great deal of value in having good advice and unbiased guidance when it comes to financial matters.”

Along the way, the most valuable lesson Brian says he’s learned has been the importance of having access to a trusted advisor in times of uncertainty.

“When the markets become volatile, it’s easy to stray from long-term investment objectives,” Brian notes. “With good guidance, your risk tolerance shouldn’t change based on current market activities.”

Brian and his wife, Joey, live just outside of Grand Forks and have 3 children ages 23, 21 and 16. Outside of work, he has spent a lot of time volunteering to coach youth basketball and baseball – especially when his own kids participated. He also golfs and serves on nonprofit boards.