Kathy Johnson

For Pewaukee Personal Banker Kathy Johnson, the highlight of her 25 years in banking has been the human element. “I know I would not have met so many interesting people or established so many relationships with co-workers and customers if I had taken a different path,” she says.

Kathy’s life has been a bumpy road. During her banking career, she became a single mom through divorce; remarried, but lost her husband to cancer; and lost son Chris at age 19 to a rare neurological condition.

Kathy is grateful for what she calls “the tremendous amount of support” she has received from her co-workers. “When you have difficult times in your personal life, it affects those you work with, and many times I was able to make it through because of them,” she says. “I’ve had my share of heartache, but I hope I’m a more compassionate, caring person because of it.”

Rate fluctuations, failing financial institutions … Kathy has seen it all
“I’ve worked in banks since I was 16,” Kathy says, experiencing what she calls the “crazy environment” of the ‘70s and ‘80s: 13–15% mortgage rates and 5.5% yields on savings accounts, plus lots of savings and loan closures.

“If I had known then what I know now, I would have invested in a 30-year IRA CD that was offered at over 10%,” she says. “I guess things have come full circle — crazy rate environment and bank closures.”

You’d need a GPS to follow Kathy’s career progression. Her first full-time position was in the Accounting Department of First Savings. When First Savings was acquired by First Financial and moved its operations to Stevens Point, she joined Badger Bank’s Operations Department, our current East office location. Badger of course merged with North Shore Bank in 1995.

Kathy stayed in Operations — the “back room” — for several years, transferring from the East office on Capitol and Oakland to Milwaukee Capitol on 79^th Street, and then back to East.

With some urging and encouragement, Kathy came out from behind the scenes to work in the branch. She transferred to the Capitol and 79^th office as head teller. “Lyneen Fischer, who was branch manager, was so patient with me,” Kathy says. “There is a big difference between the back room and the branch!”

Kathy also has worked at Jackson Park and Fox Point, popping back to the East office a couple of times in between, holding positions of supervisor, branch manager and PB.

Appreciation, evolution mark career path
Kathy could not accept congratulations on her 25-year service anniversary without mentioning some key mentors who have been instrumental in her success: Lyneen Fischer, now VP-District Manager; Call Center Manager Colleen Egan; Checking Services Supervisor Erica Johnson; VP of Customer Support Jude Lengell; Assistant Manager of Operations Cindy Hundt; Training Specialist Nikki Shelton-Moss; East Branch Receptionist Nancy Le Claire and Pewaukee Branch Manager Patty Muehl.

Changes along the way have created what Kathy calls a love/hate relationship. “I love the low rates for loans we can offer our customers, but I hate the low rates it creates for our savers — especially our customers who count on those earnings,” Kathy says. “I love the technological advances we have made, but I miss the face-to-face contact, because customers no longer have to come to the branch to do many of their transactions.”

She knows the future will mean finding new ways to reach customers who no longer need to come into the branch. “But I think one thing will be constant: helping our customers meet their financial goals and providing great customer service — just like we do now!”

Life’s challenges haven’t dampened Kathy’s sense of humor
Despite the serious challenges Kathy has faced in her life, she hasn’t lost her sense of humor. She describes with a smile the co-worker who, spotting a typewriter in the Pewaukee branch, asked what it was.

And then there was the “date” she accepted — unknowingly — with a customer who spoke with a strong accent. “I thought I understood what he was saying until I realized that he had invited me to go to Chicago with him. I quickly explained that I had misunderstood, and my husband would be very upset with me!” She and her family all had a good laugh when she got home.

Kathy remarried a year ago and acquired three adult children and a new granddaughter. Plus her daughter got married, so Kathy now has a second granddaughter.