Welcome to Chocolate City, USA! John Ryczek gives us the skinny on what they’ve got at the Burlington branch, including a onetime Elvis impersonator and way too many spiders. Our featured branch last week was Kenosha Main.

Justin Kasten, Kristina Roberts, Jayme Oatsvall, Barb Blazina, Tiffany Keel (with 8-month-old son Kenny), and John Ryczek.

Personnel
John Ryczek, Area Branch Manager
Barb Blazina, Assistant Branch Manager–Operations
Justin Kasten, Teller
April Keel, Teller
Jayme Oatsvall, Universal Banker
Kristina Roberts, Personal Banker

What is your town or neighborhood like? What’s it known for?
Burlington is nicknamed “Chocolate City, USA” because of the Nestlé chocolate factory built here in 1966. It is also home to an annual ChocolateFest on Memorial Day weekend.

What are some important moments or people in the branch’s history?
The Burlington branch broke ground in 1983 and was helmed by Darrel Eisenhardt.

Does your branch have any favorite or special customers?
Billy B. is a Burlington native born and raised who made a name for himself as an Elvis Presley impersonator in the ’80s, recording the King’s hits “(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear” and “I Beg of You.”

What services or products seem to be most important to your customers?
Every single product and service the bank offers is just as important as the others. Each customer who is willing to work with the bank uses a wide range of our products and services, as they all go hand in hand to ultimately help our customers meet their goals.

Any personal celebrations or milestones among the people at your branch recently?
January marked Barb Blazina’s 13th year with the bank.

What’s a great work story from your branch?
At one point there was a spider infestation in the attic above the drive-thru that was so bad, we had to put up a sign closing the drive-thru “due to a poisonous spider infestation.” We were able to reopen the next day, after it was treated by the Orkin man. We all sat in the back window, just watching hundreds of spiders fall everywhere they were spraying.

Any exciting or noteworthy developments on the horizon for your branch?
May 9 marks the day that Jayme Oatsvall will become Jayme Clarey. [Congratulations, Jayme!]