Merchants Financial Group, Inc. at an April 16 meeting appointed Scott Biesanz chairman of the board. Biesanz has served on the company's board since 1988. He replaces David Keller as the company's chairman. Keller, who was named chairman in 1995, will continue to serve on the company's board. Jay Friedl, a regional president at Merchants Financial unit Merchants Bank NA, was promoted to serve as senior vice president of M&A at the company. Friedl will continue to serve the bank as regional president for La Crescent, Caledonia and Spring Grove in Minnesota and Onalaska in Wisconsin.