First State Bank of Michigan, a division of Traverse City bank holding company GTSB Financial, Inc., has announced the appointment of Tim Dyer as Executive Vice President and Market President for Southwest Michigan, marking a major milestone in the bank’s ongoing growth strategy. Dyer’s appointment aligns with First State Bank’s expansion efforts into the St. Joseph–Benton Harbor market.
Dyer brings nearly two decades of experience in community and commercial banking. He previously served as Commercial Lending Manager at United Federal Credit Union and Vice President of Commercial Lending at Edgewater Bank, both headquartered in St. Joseph. His deep roots in the region and strong local relationships support the bank’s mission to offer relationship-focused banking to small and mid-sized businesses across Berrien County.
“I’m honored to be part of First State Bank and continue its tradition of excellent customer service and strong community values,” said Dyer. “We’re excited to expand our footprint into Berrien County. We’ve made a significant investment in enhancing our deposit and lending products to better meet the needs of the people and businesses we aim to serve. We’re placing a renewed focus on small business and commercial lending and remain committed to supporting local economic growth with a community banking philosophy.”
Dyer is well known for his local involvement. He currently serves on the boards of Brookview Montessori School and the Lakeshore Excellence Foundation and previously held board roles with Cornerstone Alliance, Southwest Michigan Regional Airport and Cornerstone Young Professionals.
“We’re bringing back the community-focused way of banking,” Dyer added. “We believe in building strong relationships by acting as a true business partner and neighbor rather than just a bank. We offer commonsense solutions and creative ‘outside-the-box’ approaches combined with local decision-making. We strive to truly understand who our customers are, what their needs are and how we can best help.”
“Tim’s leadership reflects the values First State Bank was built upon — trust, service and strong community ties,” said Gregg Bigger, Chairman and CEO of GTSB Financial. “His experience and dedication make him a tremendous asset as we expand throughout Southwest Michigan and continue building a modern, locally focused community bank.”
First State Bank’s recent growth is part of a broader vision set by GTSB Financial following its 2024 acquisition of First State Bank in Decatur, the oldest state-chartered bank in Michigan. With backing from a $19.7 million private capital raise, GTSB has begun the process of launching loan production offices under its three brands: First State Bank of Michigan (Southwest Michigan), Grand Traverse State Bank (Northwest Michigan) and Bank313 (Detroit). As of March 31, First State Bank had $63.6 million in total assets and $48.4 million in deposits, with plans to grow its presence and services throughout the region.
