Dave Nelson, a Des Moines native who most recently led a Wells Fargo & Co. bank in Minnesota, has been named president and CEO of West Bancorporation Inc. and chairman and CEO of West Bank, both based in West Des Moines.

The appointments are effective April 1. The bank and its holding company had searched for a new chief executive after the resignation in July 2009 of Tom Stanberry.

The announcement was made today in a news release from Jack Wahlig, chairman of the holding company, and David Milligan, CEO of West Bancorporation, both of whom took executive roles with the company following Stanberry’s resignation.

“Dave’s depth of experience and familiarity with the Central Iowa market provide a perfect fit for our bank’s culture, our customers, our shareholders and the communities we serve,” Wahlig said in the news release.

Nelson has more than 25 years of experience in commercial banking with a background in credit administration and relationship building.

Nelson has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Drake University.

He returns to Des Moines after serving as president of Southeast Minnesota Business Banking and president of Wells Fargo Bank Rochester in Rochester, Minn. Nelson and his wife, Kathie, also a Des Moines native, have two teenage children.