Trust Officers

Cherie was hired in February 1993 at Spearfish as a part time Loan Secretary while attending BHSU. In April, 1995 she took the Trust Operations position in Belle Fourche. In May, 2016 she assumed responsibilities as Trust Department Manager. Cherie is grateful to be born into the great volunteer community of Belle Fourche. Currently, she serves as Treasurer for the Belle Fourche Lions Club.

Renae Schaeffer is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA). Renae joined Pioneer Trust & Estate Services in the Spearfish branch in May 2018. Prior to joining the Trust Team, Renae spent 28 years in public accounting in Belle Fourche. During that time, her emphasis was in individual, trust, and small business tax return preparation, as well as financial statement preparation and audit. Renae grew up on a small ranch in northwestern South Dakota and community service is very important to her. She has been involved in many local organizations. Currently as a Board Member of the Belle Fourche Development Corporation and Prairie Hills Transit. Past Board Member of the Black Hills Roundup, the Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce, and the Belle Fourche Soccer Association.

Born and raised in the Sandhills of Nebraska on her family’s cattle ranch, Kalynn has worked in our Rapid City Office since 2004 where she was hired as a Trust Assistant after working for another trust department in the area. In 2012, she graduated from Cannon Trust School and then earned her Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) designation in 2013. She became an Assistant Trust Officer and then was promoted to Assistant Vice President and Trust Officer in 2018. In 2020, she was named Vice President. Kalynn enjoys being a part of the Rapid City community and is involved in numerous local organizations and is a 2015 Leadership Rapid City graduate. Kalynn finds great joy in working alongside families to make sure their transitions thru life are successful and that they have someone to help navigate through the mass of details.

A 25+ year resident of Belle Fourche, Melynda joined the Pioneer Bank & Trust team in 1997 with an insurance background.  Melynda’s years of experience and training through Cannon Financial Trust schools is an asset when assisting families mitigate risk and fulfilling their estate planning objectives.

Raised on a cattle ranch in northwestern South Dakota, Amy joined the Trust Operations Team at Belle Fourche in July 2016 after more than 10 years of previous experience in banking and finance in South Dakota and Colorado. An active volunteer in the 4-H program in Butte & Lawrence counties as a club leader and shooting sports coordinator. Most recently, Amy became a board member for the new Redwater Youth Leadership Fund and aims to raise funds for national youth leadership opportunities.

Alexis newly joined the Pioneer Bank & Trust Administration Team as a Trust Assistant in January of 2022 with a customer service background. Alexis effectively communicates and corresponds with customers to guarantee that all of their needs are met.

LaRae was raised on a 4-generation ranch by Newell and moved to Belle Fourche over 20 years ago. She has been an active rancher, homeschool mom, youth leader at church, leader and instructor for 4-H, volunteer at the county fair, and a small business owner. LaRae also manages her family’s hunting business and enjoys every aspect of it, from media to booking to guiding the hunters. She joined the trust department in January 2023 and is excited to be a part of the team.

Trista has more than 18 years of customer service experience and has been with Pioneer Bank & Trust for the last 6 years, joining the Trust Department in 2022. In her position as a Trust Assistant, she enjoys working with clients, specifically in helping with their family and estate planning. Trista was born and raised in Rapid City. In her free time, she enjoys fishing with her family, volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and American Heart Association.

Renae Tysdal has over 21 years of experience working in the legal field, where she honed her skills and developed a deep understanding of the complexities of the law. In 2023, Renae took on a new challenge and is excited to be a part of the trust department at Pioneer Bank & Trust in Spearfish. Her wealth of experience and her passion for helping others makes her an excellent fit for this new role. Renae is excited to continue serving her community in this new capacity and looks forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.