Chris Kildahl

About Chris Kildahl

I’m a seasoned banking executive with deep experience serving at the intersection of finance, technology, operations, and risk management. Over the course of my career, I’ve helped institutions navigate growth, complexity, and disruption by pairing disciplined execution with a forward-looking, innovation-driven mindset.My background spans leadership across finance, treasury, operations, technology, data, analytics/ intelligence, transformation, insurance, and embedded finance. I’ve built and led high-performing teams through periods of rapid change—modernizing core processes, strengthening risk and control environments, and enabling scalable growth. A consistent theme in my work is turning complexity into clarity: simplifying organizations, improving decision quality, and aligning execution to strategy.I’m particularly passionate about data-driven decision enablement. From modern data infrastructure and business intelligence to performance management and analytics, I focus on giving leaders timely, actionable insights that move the organization forward. I believe data is only valuable when it changes behavior—and I’ve spent years embedding that philosophy into how teams operate and decisions get made.Prior to my current role, I led a dynamic finance organization through significant growth and transformation, partnering closely with executive leadership and boards to manage capital, performance, and risk while supporting strategic expansion. That foundation continues to shape how I think: with financial rigor, enterprise perspective, and a strong appreciation for governance and accountability.I’m known as a pragmatic, collaborative leader who balances innovation with execution—someone who can envision what’s next, roll up my sleeves to make it real, and bring people along in the process. I’m energized by building organizations that are resilient, adaptable, and positioned to win in a rapidly evolving financial services landscape.

Experience

1. Chief Operating Officer

   Starion Bank

   Sep 2025 — Present · Bismarck, ND, US

   I lead the bank’s technology, operations, business intelligence, transformation, and experience teams - as well as Starion Insurance, Starion Benefits, and Starion’s award-winning embedded finance program powering the future of banking. My focus is building modern banking platforms that replace manual, fragmented processes with data-driven decisioning, scalable execution, and measurable outcomes. I challenge legacy thinking, translate strategy into action, and help organizations move faster, operate smarter, and compete effectively in a rapidly evolving financial services landscape.

Education

• North Dakota State University

  Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)

  2004 — 2006

• Minnesota State Moorhead

  Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Management Information Systems

  2001 — 2002

• Minnesota State Moorhead

  Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Finance

  1998 — 2001

Skills

• Access
• Operational Efficiency
• Business Analytics
• Sql Server Management Studio
• Business Analysis
• Banking
• Access Database Development
• Financial Analysis
• Accounting
• Cash Management
• Team Leadership
• Information Systems
• Microsoft Power Bi
• Visual Basic
• Sql
• Corporate Finance
• Cognos
• Financial Reporting
• Systems Analysis
• Deferred Compensation