Darrel Eisenhardt
Part of Darrel Eisenhardt’s standard professional attire often is a construction helmet. As vice president-branch administration, this financial veteran knows banking literally from the ground up. One of Darrel’s primary responsibilities is branch construction and remodeling. He also oversees the acquisition of real estate for new branches.One of his most memorable projects — the Grafton office — involved incorporating a historic community landmark.
“We had met with village officials and had gotten their blessings on our plans,” Darrel explains. “Then a couple of neighbors questioned whether a historic 19th-century stone farmhouse could be kept intact. We immediately understood — and respected — their wanting to preserve this structure, so we went back to the drawing board and incorporated it into our drawings. It opened in April 2009 and now is one of our most beautiful and unique branches.”
Darrel has worked hand-in-hand with contractors and subcontractors since 1998; he has been involved with the Mequon, Grafton, Sussex, Oak Creek, Burlington, Southridge and Franklin offices from planning, to groundbreaking, to move-in.
Because of so much new technology, architects have a greater role in branch design than they did years ago, according to Darrel. He points to timesaving equipment such as TCD, Teller Cash Dispatch, and TCR, Teller Cash Recycler, equipment that boosts cash-transaction accuracy, especially in high-volume offices.
Another new technology, RTS, Remote Teller System, is a two-way video that personalizes the transaction for customers and employees. It also creates faster response by having the carrier land on the teller line so that the first available staffer can complete the transaction.
But construction and remodeling are not Darrel’s only responsibilities. Some branches have space for tenants, and Darrel handles lease renewals and tenant relations. He also works with vendors who provide and maintain our 54 ATMs.
And he plays multiple roles in his home community. A member of the Burlington Lion’s Club for 33 years, Darrel has held every office in the organization.
He serves on the board of the local youth soccer club and is the group’s registrar, taking all registrations and assigning teams. There is a separate fundraising Booster Soccer Club for which Darrel is treasurer.
He serves on the City of Burlington Planning Commission, he is president of the park board and the community pool board, and he is treasurer of his church.
This past St. Patrick’s Day as Darrel celebrated his 35th anniversary in the financial field, he reflected on his start as a loan officer at Southwest Savings and the five-office merger that brought him into the North Shore Bank family. He has evolved from loan officer, to branch manager, to vice president/Central Region manager, and finally to his current position.
“Darrel has filled a number of critical roles during his 35 years with North Shore Bank,” says Steve Steiner, Senior Vice President, Retail Banking. “The knowledge and experience he has gained in those 35 years is invaluable in his current role managing our branch properties and equipment as well as in performing other administrative duties that support the branches.”
Darrel marvels at conveniences such as ATMs, online banking and online bill-pay that technology has brought, and he is pleased to continue to play a role in building the infrastructure that makes these new services possible.