GOOD WORK, NORTH SHORE!

North Shore Bank named a Top Workplace for 13th time

North Shore Bank has once again been recognized as a Top Workplace by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel! This marks the 13th time we’ve received this honor—a great acknowledgment of North Shore Bank’s amazing culture.

The award recognizes the best places to work in Southeastern Wisconsin, based entirely on feedback from our team members collected through a third-party survey. This recognition follows our national 2024 Top Workplace award in the Financial Services Industry category.

“It is with immense pride that we accept the honor of being a Top Workplace for the thirteenth time,” said Molly Schissler, Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer. “This achievement is a true testament to the unwavering commitment and passion of our exceptional employees, as well as our supportive customers, all of whom contribute to the success of our community bank.”

Congratulations to all! 

 

FYI

Share your stories: We want to hear from you!

Every day, North Shore Bank employees make a difference, whether it’s helping a customer Bank Their Best Life, supporting a fellow employee, or spreading kindness in our communities. These moments define who we are, and we want to celebrate them!

Marketing is collecting stories that showcase these moments, big or small. Sharing your stories is quick and easy—it takes less than five minutes!

Please use the link below to share your stories by next Thursday, May 1. Plus, as a thank you, we’ll randomly select three employees who participate to receive Bucketlist points!

Click HERE to share your stories! 

 

GOOD WORK, NORTH SHORE!

Bank employees advocate for industry in DC meetings

Two North Shore Bank team members recently had the exciting opportunity to represent the banking industry in Washington, D.C., at the American Bankers Association Washington Summit from April 6-9. Vice President, Compliance Manager Kristen Gagliano and Northland Assistant Branch Manager Tisha O’Dell joined bankers from across the country to advocate for our industry and the customers we serve every day.

In a special achievement, Tisha, who’s a core team leader in our Emerging Leaders Group, received one of only two $750 state scholarships to attend the ABA Emerging Leaders Forum being held during the event. 03283 She was invited by Rose Oswald Poels, Wisconsin Bankers Association President & CEO, recognizing Tisha’s contributions as a member of WBA’s Building Our Leaders of Tomorrow (BOLT) group.

“The scholarship was a complete surprise!” Tisha said. “I had expressed interest after hearing how impactful the trip was from other BOLT members, but I didn’t expect to have the opportunity so soon.”

During their Capitol Hill visits, Kristen and Tisha met with several members of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation, including Congressman Tony Wied (1st District) and Congressman Bryan Steil (8th District). Kristen led the meeting with Congressman Steil. 

Kristen also met with staff from Congressman Glenn Grothmann’s office and Senator Ron Johnson, and Tisha met with staff from Senator Tammy Baldwin’s office. “The meetings were great,” Kristen said. “The legislators want to hear about issues and their impact on our communities and banking overall.”

For Tisha, this marked her first time participating in such high-level advocacy. “It was empowering to share with Rep. Wied how the overdraft fee cap could affect customers I work with on a daily basis and remove a safety net for many families,” she said.

Kristen agreed: “It was the perfect time to share our concerns, and the House voted to repeal the rule the day after our meetings. The Senate had already voted the same on the topic a few weeks prior.”

Beyond advocacy, Tisha attended inspiring presentations during the Emerging Leaders Forum. One speaker, Patrick McAndrew, a global expert on productivity, encouraged participants to change “the way we think about productivity by focusing on impact first, with efficiency and volume being secondary priorities,” Tisha said. Another speaker discussed the importance of writing short, skimmable emails. “The content will be a great fit for some of the topics the ELG team is covering this year, so I’m excited to share.”

Both Kristen and Tisha returned from Washington feeling the impact of their advocacy work.

“It can be really intimidating to speak up,” Kristen said, “but those meetings serve a purpose, to share how North Shore and all Wisconsin banks positively impact our communities and discuss laws that limit our impact.”

For Tisha, the experience was transformative. “I am beyond grateful for the opportunity. It was one of the most intimidating but impactful events I have been able to attend in my time with NSB. Being able to network with bankers from around the US, hear about what other emerging leaders are doing, and see how advocacy works in real-time was amazing.”

Great job, Tisha and Kristen! 

 

AROUND THE BANK

Congratulations to our Q1 Employee Referral Bonus winner!

Colleen Wochinski, Area Teller out of the Grafton branch, is the winner of the Q1 bonus for referring new employees. Colleen referred Eric Beck, who is a Personal Banker at the Fox Point Branch.

Colleen has been with North Shore Bank for a little over two years. She said she especially likes the flexible schedule and, of course, her coworkers. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with a lot of different people across different branches since I’ve been an Area Teller,” she said. “I also like getting to know our regular customers.”

So far, Eric is the only person she’s referred, although she said she has passed out hiring information to curious customers. Colleen said she and Eric, her partner, met shortly after she started working here. Last summer, Eric was on the job hunt, and Colleen thought his customer service skills and friendly demeanor would be a great fit for the bank, so she recommended he apply. It turns out she was right!

Congratulations to Colleen on winning the Employee Referral Bonus!

If you know someone who may be interested in joining us at North Shore Bank, or you would like to learn more about the bank’s referral program, visit Ask Seymour for more information.

 

COMMUNITY-MINDED

White visits Racine school to teach students financial basics

Cudahy Branch Manager Kathleen White recently spent time with third-graders at Julian Thomas School in Racine, teaching them all about financial literacy through the MONEY program. Kathleen teamed up with Dina Knibbs, Racine Financial Empowerment Center Coordinator, who adapted the MONEY program from a Girl Scout program.

The children asked thoughtful questions and eagerly participated in all the activities. Each day focused on a different letter in the word “MONEY” to teach various financial concepts. On “M” day, for example, the kids learned about Managing Money through three key areas: saving, spending, and sharing. They even created their own money jars to take home!

Kathleen created special tracking booklets where the children recorded their spending habits, including dates, amounts, and reasons for purchases. Every day brought new lessons paired with fun activities and games.

North Shore Bank helped cover the costs of this valuable program. Throughout the week, the children earned “Racine Cash,” which they could use on the final day to shop at the classroom store after withdrawing from their “bank.”

The program was a great success, and Kathleen is already looking forward to bringing this experience to more students next year!

 

AROUND THE BANK

Spirit Day gets a little wild with ‘Zoo Lovers Day’ theme

Employees celebrated National Zoo Lovers Day on April 8th with a special Spirit Day! 

Commercial and Consumer Loan Administration celebrated with some fun zoo animal pull-back racers and pens. In a very competitive conference room racing competition, Consumer Loan Specialist Orlandrea Lesure emerged as the winner and posed for the victory photo.

The Germantown branch rocked its favorite animal prints and served up some sweet treats with a wild twist! The team channeled their inner party animal with cheetah-print cupcakes, made especially by Community Engagement Manager Erica Hughes for the amazing staff and customers at Germantown. “It’s our way of showing love for the animals we adore and the people who make our community so special. Whether you’re team stripes or spots, today’s all about fun, flavor, and fierce style!” Erica said. 

 

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK

Happy customers sing praises of bank employees

Recent customer comment cards praise North Shore Bank employees for their excellent service.

The customer feedback card below about Area Manager Becky Kolstad says: “Becky in Sturgeon Bay is awesome. Great knowledge and customer service.” 

And the next card says: “(Southwest Area Manager) Joline Lazarski is an asset to your bank. Wonderful person, and she’s so knowledgable.” Finally, the last card calls out the Brookfield Capitol branch, saying: “(Branch Manager) Mary R. Balzer and staff were excellent!”

Congratulations to all! 

 

FINANCIAL LITERACY AND EDUCATION

‘Boost Your Savings’ is Empower’s educational topic for April

Employees are invited to take advantage of Empower’s educational series throughout the year. The series covers various topics in monthly live sessions, which are offered in English and Spanish on multiple dates and times. This month’s topic is “Boost Your Savings,” which includes information on why saving matters, a review of your savings, saving in your plan, and ways to save. For more information, check Ask Seymour, click here to see a flyer from Empower, visit the Learning Center on Empower’s website, or scan the QR code above to find out more and register. 

 

Customer Loyalty Tip of the Week

Frequently ask your customers what they value most when it comes to the service you provide.

 

COMMUNITY CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Discover events and activities in and around your community

• Top Ten Financial Security Tips Seminar | Saturday, May 17 (11:00 AM) | North Shore Bank – Community Room | 4230 W. Oklahoma Ave., Milwaukee, WI